What I did

• Benchmarked the current journey, set time-on-task and ease-of-use metrics.

• Ran 8 unmoderated usability tests: screened for people with existing personal/workplace pensions.

• Mapped issues: buried product pages, unclear CTAs, “I want to…” menu sending users to dead-ends, weak entry points.

• Redesigned the flow & UI: updated UI components with the latest design-system; clarified IA and copy with content design.

• Optimised acquisition: built new hero and landing page and ran A/B tests (Google Optimize) to lift CTA performance.

• Partnered closely with devs: Jira tickets, Figma specs, design reviews, UAT checks to ship cleanly.

Key insights that shaped the work

• Findability gap: users took 3:46 on average just to locate where to start an application.

• Funnel friction: users got lost via the homepage dropdown and mega-nav; CTAs lacked clarity and prominence.

• Completion time: application took 5:40 on average; form friction was visible at personal details step.

Key design decisions

• Make the start obvious: promoted a single, consistent primary CTA across relevant pages.

• Fix the nav trap: simplified IA/naming and removed dead-end routes from the homepage dropdown.

• Reduce form friction: clearer field labels, progressive disclosure, inline help, and validation aligned to the design system.

• Acquisition that converts: new hero/landing with benefit-led copy and CTA variants tested for click-through and completion.

Constraints I navigated

• Legacy patterns: modernised without a full rebuild; design-system compliance throughout.

• Multiple owners: aligned marketing, product, and content on tone, approvals, and success metrics.

• Tight timelines: favoured lightweight testing and iterative drops to deliver value quickly.