Fund Investment Platform

/ Strategy, Design, Digital Experience

A customer-focused digital investment platform for Principal HK, enhancing trading speed & quality, tailored for diverse investment needs of existing customers.

Client

Principal Financial Services, Inc.

Client

Principal Financial Services, Inc.

Client

Principal Financial Services, Inc.

Founded

1979

Founded

1979

Founded

1979

Employees

201-500

Employees

201-500

Employees

201-500

Category

Fintech

Category

Fintech

Category

Fintech

Target Groups

Consumers / Users

Target Groups

Consumers / Users

Target Groups

Consumers / Users

Target Regions

Asia, Hong Kong

Target Regions

Asia, Hong Kong

Target Regions

Asia, Hong Kong

About

Principal, with 140+ years in finance, offers global investment, asset allocation, and retirement planning services in Hong Kong since 1996, helping clients achieve financial goals & secure their future.

About

Principal, with 140+ years in finance, offers global investment, asset allocation, and retirement planning services in Hong Kong since 1996, helping clients achieve financial goals & secure their future.

About

Principal, with 140+ years in finance, offers global investment, asset allocation, and retirement planning services in Hong Kong since 1996, helping clients achieve financial goals & secure their future.

Website

https://www.principal.com.hk/

Website

https://www.principal.com.hk/

Website

https://www.principal.com.hk/

Background

Principal Hong Kong identified a critical pain point in their mutual fund management processes for retirement investors. The existing system was inefficient, lacked user-friendliness, and failed to provide investors with the tools needed to make informed decisions.

The lack of a dedicated digital platform hindered informed decisions, degraded the overall customer experience but also negatively impacted client acquisition and retention.

The solution was to develop a comprehensive digital platform, Principal Mutual Fund Direct, aimed at simplifying fund management, enhancing user experience, and streamlining retirement planning.

Key Responsibilities

In 2022, I was brought on board to lead the product design and development of their new web application.

My role involved defining the product vision, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring the platform met both user needs and business objectives.

I focused on creating a seamless, intuitive, and user-centric experience that would empower retirement investors to make informed decisions with ease.

Key Responsibilities

In 2022, I was brought on board to lead the product design and development of their new web application.

My role involved defining the product vision, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring the platform met both user needs and business objectives.

I focused on creating a seamless, intuitive, and user-centric experience that would empower retirement investors to make informed decisions with ease.

Expertise

Primary Role

Experience Design Manager

Primary Role

Experience Design Manager

Function

UX Research, UX/UI Design

Function

UX Research, UX/UI Design

Team Size

12 Members

Team Size

12 Members

Project Duration

up to 12 Months

Project Duration

up to 12 Months

Notes

*Sensitive data that may expose any vulnerabilities in this system, such as intricate models or information flows, are conscientiously omitted due to the project's sensitive nature.

Notes

*Sensitive data that may expose any vulnerabilities in this system, such as intricate models or information flows, are conscientiously omitted due to the project's sensitive nature.

Expertise

Primary Role

Experience Design Manager

Function

UX Research, UX/UI Design

Team Size

12 Members

Project Duration

up to 12 Months

Notes

*Sensitive data that may expose any vulnerabilities in this system, such as intricate models or information flows, are conscientiously omitted due to the project's sensitive nature.

Chester Ip-Selected Works-Principal-Mutual Fund
Chester Ip-Selected Works-Principal-Mutual Fund
Chester Ip-Selected Works-Principal-Mutual Fund

/ 00

Highlights

Key summary

As an Experience Design Manager, I lead the optimization of product design process.

I plan and execute CX design initiatives, engaging stakeholders to craft feasible, user-centric solutions. Leveraging design thinking, I elevate the overall user experience, ensuring designs are intuitive and impactful.

#Web Platform

#FinTech

#UXUIアップデート

The Challenge

How might Principal offer a better investment experience for retirees to meet their retirement needs?

How might Principal offer a better investment experience for retirees to meet their retirement needs?

The Outcome

Design a customer-centric digital trading platform that enhances the quality and speed of Principal's trading lifecycle, offering an intuitive and seamless experience tailored to meet the diverse investment needs of existing customers.

The project in numbers

+1

digital platform developed

10+

tests conducted with end-users and major stakeholders

10+

foundation feature designed

2

available lanuages

1

unified design system

/ 01

The Problem

Inefficiencies and User-Unfriendliness 

/ Obtaining insights and opportunity

Interviews with stakeholders

調査×分析

The Principal Mutual Fund Direct project confronts a crucial challenge: addressing inefficiencies and user-unfriendliness in existing processes for individual investors managing mutual funds for retirement.

The lack of a dedicated digital platform hinders informed decisions, degrades customer experience, and impacts client acquisition and retention. 

The solution lies in developing a comprehensive digital platform to simplify fund management, enhance user experience, and streamline retirement planning.

/ 02

The Strategy

How might Principal offer a better investment experience for retirees to meet their retirement needs?

/ The Underlying Concept

A Customer-Centric Platform for Principal's Trading Lifecycle

実用最小限の製品

Design a customer-centric digital trading platform that enhances the quality and speed of Principal's trading lifecycle, offering an intuitive and seamless experience tailored to meet the diverse investment needs of existing customers.

Chester Ip-Selected Works-Principal-Mutual Fund
Chester Ip-Selected Works-Principal-Mutual Fund
Chester Ip-Selected Works-Principal-Mutual Fund

/ 03

The Solution

Designing the MVP for the Digital Platform

/ Rapid MVP Ideation and Iteration

Collaborative Workshops

部門横断的な製品開発

I led collaborative workshops with key stakeholders and the cross-functional team to envision and design the platform's MVP. These workshops helped in quickly iterating on design ideas and establishing core user experience principles.

/ Rapid Prototyping & UX Audit

Shaping Customer Journeys

設計×評価×改善

Prototyping played a crucial role in defining customer journeys such as account creation, login, fund browsing, and redemption. UX audits further refined the user experience and writing.

/ Design System Adaptation

Scalable & Consistent UX

視覚的な言語を設定します

I adapted the Principal Design System to serve as a guiding framework for experience design and product development. This ensured consistency, scalability, and provided a single source of truth for designers and content writers.

/ Front-end Engineering Integration

Seamless Collaboration between Design & Engineering

開発プロセスを加速する

Once features were validated, I collaborated closely with the development team to implement the designs using the Principal Design System. This agile and craft-focused approach enabled efficient front-end web development, customization of UI components, and smooth collaboration between design and engineering teams.

/ 04

The Result

Driving Digital Adoption for Mutual Fund Investors

/ User-Friendly Fund Management Tool

Improved User Experience

UI・UX改善

The development of a comprehensive digital platform addressed the inefficiencies and user-unfriendliness of the existing processes.

The platform was designed with a focus on simplicity and ease of use, enhancing the overall user experience for individual investors managing their mutual funds for retirement.

/ Positive Client Acquisition

Increased Customer Satisfaction

顧客満足度の向上

By simplifying fund management and retirement planning processes, the platform offered a more knowledgeable and user-friendly experience for customers. This led to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty, positively impacting client acquisition and retention.

/ Channel Adoption

Increased Digital Adoption

競争優位を確保

The introduction of a dedicated digital platform for mutual fund management and retirement planning encouraged individual investors to adopt digital channels for their financial needs.

This shift towards digital adoption helped Principal stay competitive in the market and cater to the evolving preferences of its customers.

/ Brand Loyalty Strengthening

Enhanced Brand Image

企業価値を高

The successful implementation of the digital platform reinforced project's commitment to providing a superior customer experience.

This, in turn, enhanced the brand image and reputation of the company, making it a more attractive choice for potential investors.

/ 05

Credit

A special thanks to the project team

Assistant Director, Partnership and Business Development

Pian Yeung

Assistant Director, Partnership and Business Development

Pian Yeung

Assistant Director, Partnership and Business Development

Pian Yeung

Assistant Manager, Business Analysis

Kamellia Hung

Assistant Manager, Business Analysis

Kamellia Hung

Assistant Manager, Business Analysis

Kamellia Hung

Business Analyst Lead

Carmen Chan

Business Analyst Lead

Carmen Chan

Business Analyst Lead

Carmen Chan

Experience Design Manager

Chester Ip

Experience Design Manager

Chester Ip

Experience Design Manager

Chester Ip

Full Stack Engineer

Henry Leung

Full Stack Engineer

Henry Leung

Full Stack Engineer

Henry Leung

Full Stack Engineer

Wesley Wai

Full Stack Engineer

Wesley Wai

Full Stack Engineer

Wesley Wai

Head of Information Technology

Keith Ang

Head of Information Technology

Keith Ang

Head of Information Technology

Keith Ang

IT Operations

Renee Ko

IT Operations

Renee Ko

IT Operations

Renee Ko

Project Manager

Edison Cheng

Project Manager

Edison Cheng

Project Manager

Edison Cheng

Product Owner

Felix Ng

Product Owner

Felix Ng

Product Owner

Felix Ng

Senior Product Designer

Yoyo Cheng

Senior Product Designer

Yoyo Cheng

Senior Product Designer

Yoyo Cheng

Tech Lead

Leman Kwok

Tech Lead

Leman Kwok

Tech Lead

Leman Kwok