Design
Research &
Insight
Generation

I bring expertise in both quantitative and
qualitative research methods, with an uncanny ability to uncover the right insights and make them digestible for design and product teams, ensuring that research truly informs actionable
outcomes.

Uncovering Insights for a Revamped DTC Investment Platform

Thrivent Financial

Challenge

Thrivent sought to transform its direct-to-
consumer investment products to make them
more accessible and appealing to first-time
investors.

My Role:

Lead Service Designer – Led design research work plan, research methods,
synthesis, and the development of actionable product recommendations.

Team members: Product Manager & Jr. UX Researcher

    • Designed and deployed a 20-question survey using Recollective, targeting 250 first-time investors.

    • Screened participants based on their investment history, disposable income, and recent purchases of investment products within the past 6–12 months.

    • Analyzed responses to identify key barriers, empowering mindsets, and foundational attitudes toward investing.

    • Conducted 1-hour interviews with 15 participants who had recently purchased their first investment product.

    • Explored their decision-making journeys, focusing on overcoming barriers and identifying motivators.

    • Identified critical moments in the investment process to inform product positioning.

    • Observed 8 prospective clients interacting with Thrivent’s existing platform.

    • Documented behaviors, pain points, and opportunities for improvement.

    • Mapped insights to specific areas of the platform for redesign and optimization.

Project Overview

Project Highlights

  • Mapping the Mindset Journey

    Through interviews, surveys and user tag-alongs, I identified common first-time investor mindsets and the emotional highs and lows of their journey. By aligning these insights, I created a clear picture of how users evolve—and how our current experience supports (or misses) these critical moments.

  • Identifying Gaps and Opportunities

    We mapped these mindset and behavior insights directly against the current experience to see where user needs are being met and where they aren’t. This allowed us to pinpoint high-opportunity areas for improving the product through more targeted, experience-driven innovations for first-time investors.

  • Learning from the Outside

    After identifying gaps in our own experience, I used them to guide targeted analogous research—uncovering external tools, strategies, and patterns that could inspire stronger solutions within our product ecosystem.

Next

Collaborative Design