A cup of coffee next to a laptop.

Streamlining Product Access for Pension Advisers

Role

UX Designer
Responsible for ideation, prototyping, design iteration, and developer collaboration.

Team

  • UX Researcher
  • Software Engineers
  • Project Owner
  • 8 Pension Advisers (stakeholders/users)

TL;DR – Snapshot

Problem:

Advisers were frustrated by too many clicks and ‘hidden’ calculator buttons.

Solutions:

  • Introduced a persistent submenu for quick access to calculators.
  • Allowed the last-used product tab to remain open by default.

Outcome:

Advisers reported saving significant time and mental effort during large, repetitive policy input tasks.

The Problem

The recently redesigned homepage introduced a product tab layout based on user analytics. However, several Pension Advisers voiced frustrations:

  • Navigation felt slower and less intuitive.
  • Frequently used calculator links were buried inside product tabs.
  • The interface felt more complex and ‘click-heavy’ than the previous version.

Adviser Pain Points:

  • Too many clicks to access essential tools.
  • Difficulty locating calculator links buried within product tabs.
  • Lack of personalisation – tabs didn’t reflect their specific usage patterns.
Screenshot of the Adviser pain points. Showing product tabs and tool options.

Task

Find lightweight, effective UX solutions that improved usability without overhauling the new homepage.

Constraints:

  • Minimal engineering effort (1 sprint max).
  • No major layout or front-end code changes.

Research

The UX Researcher conducted user testing with:

  • 6 long-term users of the old system.
  • 2 newer users unfamiliar with the old design.

I observed the sessions as Advisers gave feedback while walking through the new layout.

Key Insights:

  • Advisers didn’t always want the default product tab; preferences varied by task.
  • Locating calculator links added friction – especially during large batch tasks.
  • Users desired a personalized or remembered tab experience.
  • Some missed the old ‘big list of everything’ approach.

UX Strategy & Ideation

After reviewing findings with the Product Owner and UX Researcher, we agreed to focus on incremental improvements. I explored several solutions:

Idea 1: Smart Default Tab (Data-Driven)

Auto-select the most-used product tab based on each Adviser’s historical use.

  • No UI changes required; persistent personalisation.
  • Would need backend changes and cross-team coordination – too costly for scope.

Idea 2: Session-Based Default Tab Selector

Let Advisers pick their default tab per session via UI controls.

  • User control without database involvement.
  • Could be built quickly using cookies and JavaScript.
  • Required some onboarding to explain new functionality.

Idea 3: Persist Last Used Tab

Have the interface remember and reopen the last-used product tab.

  • Zero learning curve; fast implementation.
  • Especially useful for repetitive tasks.
  • Chosen Solution for Tab Behaviour

Idea 4: Persistent Quick Links Menu

Move calculator links from hidden tab positions to a visible submenu.

  • Direct access to high-use tools.
  • Required UI changes and full sign-off from stakeholders.
  • Chosen Solution for Calculator Access

Wireframing & Design

  • Sketched layout options by hand to visualize submenu placement and default tab selectors.
  • Created quick high-fidelity mockups in Figma, testing layout impacts from new menu placement.
  • Ensured existing page structure and hierarchy remained intact.
Hand drawn wireframe showing quick menu and default selection for product tabs.

Prototyping & Feedback

  • Developed a working HTML prototype on a separate local branch to save engineering time.
  • Demonstrated to Product Owner and select Advisers from the research group.

User Response:

‘This will save my sanity!‘ – Feedback from a Pension Adviser.

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Advisers appreciated:

  • Fewer clicks per policy.
  • Less cognitive friction during repetitive tasks.
  • Better alignment with their daily workflows.
Adviser homepage with Product Tabs and newly designed Quick Links.

Outcome & Impact

Implemented a dual-solution:

  1. Last-used product tab persisted across sessions.
  2. Quick access menu added for high-priority tools (calculators).

Tangible Results:

  • Reduced clicks for frequent tasks by 1 per policy input.
  • For bulk input sessions (e.g., 400 policies), saved hundreds of interactions.
  • Increased satisfaction and reduced complaints from key user group.

Reflection

This case exemplified how small UX changes can produce meaningful gains for users. While I initially disliked the extra visual weight of the new menu, user feedback proved its value.

‘Too many clicks’ was their key complaint. I solved it with simple, targeted UX thinking.

Key Learnings:

  • Analytics alone can’t replace real user insight.
  • Fast, low-code prototypes can quickly validate high-impact ideas.
  • Even marginal improvements are powerful when scaled across high-volume tasks.
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