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UX Design—

Website & Mobile Development—

Digital Marketing—

UX Design—

Website & Mobile Development—

Digital Marketing—

UX Design—

Website & Mobile Development—

Digital Marketing—

Case study

Fintech

User experience of various financial apps

Including Advisework Client, Advisework Advisor, Client Onboarding, and Demo Prototypes.

View UX Design PDF View Prototype
Client:

Cetera Financial Group

Product Designer:

Shabnam Paidarfard

Services:
  • Product Design
  • UX Design
  • UI Developer

Overview

As the Lead UX/UI Developer at Cetera Financial Group, I played a crucial role in driving the development and user experience of various digital platforms, including Advisework Client, Advisework Advisor, Client Onboarding, and Demo Prototypes. These initiatives were part of a larger effort to improve the financial management experience for Cetera’s clients and advisors through a cloud-based platform.

The primary product, the AdviceWorks app, is available both as a mobile and desktop app. It allows Cetera account holders to manage and view their finances with tools designed for informed decision-making and collaboration with financial professionals. The app offers a comprehensive financial view, real-time progress tracking, and a collaborative environment between clients and their financial advisors.

Challenge

Managing Complexity in a Dual B2B and B2C Platform

  • Complex Financial Data Integration: Seamlessly integrating data from third-party providers through iframes and other methods, ensuring user-friendly and clear displays for both B2B (financial advisors) and B2C (clients) users.
  • Multi-Department and Third-Party Collaboration: Coordinating between departments and external platforms to align distinct goals while maintaining platform consistency and cohesive user experiences.
  • White Labeling for B2B Clients: Developing a scalable framework for easy customization and white labeling by banks and financial institutions without compromising core functionality.
  • Balancing B2B and B2C Needs: Ensuring a consistent user experience across mobile and desktop platforms while meeting the diverse needs of B2B users (advisors) and B2C users (clients).
Our goal:

"Design a product to serve both advisor and client for their financial needs"

Fintech UX Design

To address the challenges at Cetera Financial Group, the approach began with in-depth research, including user interviews with both clients and advisors, to identify pain points and needs. Competitor analysis was conducted to uncover opportunities for differentiation, followed by extensive data analysis to ensure that every design decision was driven by user behavior.

View Wireframe View Style guide View UI Design

Strategy

Making the complicated simple

01

Research and User-Centered Design

To address the challenges at Cetera Financial Group, the approach began with in-depth research, including user interviews with both clients and advisors, to identify pain points and needs. Competitor analysis was conducted to uncover opportunities for differentiation, followed by extensive data analysis to ensure that every design decision was driven by user behavior.

02

Iterative Design Process

We employed an iterative design approach, allowing us to prototype and test features such as financial data visualization, goal setting, and collaboration tools in real time. Regular feedback loops with users ensured that we refined the user experience based on practical insights, optimizing the interface for both ease of use and engagement.

Design and Technology Integration

Further Enhancing the Experience

03

We developed a flexible design and technology framework to integrate various third-party financial data providers via iframes, ensuring seamless data flow and adaptability to different formats.

White Labeling for Banks: The platform was built for easy white-label customization by banks, offering flexible branding while preserving core functionality for B2B partners.

Responsive Design and Style Guide: A responsive design and Bootstrap-based CDN style guide ensured cross-device usability and consistent design across all components, streamlining development.

B2B and B2C Complexity: We collaborated with multiple departments and third parties to create a scalable solution addressing the diverse needs of financial advisors and individual clients, ensuring a seamless experience for both.

Bridging Design & Technology

Innovative UX/UI Solutions

Shabnam Paidarfard's unique position as both a designer and developer was key in bridging the gap between technology challenges and UX design. Her hybrid expertise enabled effective team collaboration, quick issue resolution, and the realization of design vision within technical constraints.

Discover her Success Stories

Team Leadership & Stakeholder Communication

Shabnam leads a team of 10 frontend/full stack developers and 3 UX designers, mentoring them to embrace user experience principles. She maintains open communication with stakeholders, contractors, and creative teams, ensuring alignment with strategic business goals.

Innovative Technical Solutions

She implements both technical and creative solutions that enhance functionality and overall user experience, effectively solving complex challenges in the design and development process.

Prototyping & Design Process

Shabnam oversees the entire design process, from wireframes to the final product, ensuring an iterative approach that incorporates user feedback at critical stages to achieve optimal results.

Cross-Platform UX Optimization

She ensures seamless, consistent user experiences across both mobile and desktop platforms, optimizing the UX for diverse devices and screen sizes.

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"In my time working with Shabnam what impressed me the most is just how smart she truly is. She is capable of solving complex front-end development requirements and as an added bonus she has a keen eye for user experience design and function. She always strives to deliver not just good enough work, but top-shelf work and never shies away from a good challenge. She will be an asset to any team she is part of and/or supports."

– Rochelle Yarjan

Director of Product Design (all things UX/UI)
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