Overall Impact
1. Business Outcome: Contributed to a 38% increase in RILA product investments post-launch.

2. Scale and Adoption: Generated monthly tool usage measuring in tens of thousands of active sessions.

3. Product Success: Simplified complex financial forecasting parameters into a highly intuitive, public-facing interface for both retail consumers and financial advisors.

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The Challenge: Fragmented Information Architecture
To support Transamerica’s Registered Index-Linked Annuity (RILA) launch, we needed a public-facing forecasting tool. The challenge was translating dense, mathematically complex parameters (buffers, caps, floors) into an intuitive UI while navigating strict financial compliance.

The Result:
Within 9 months, capital investment in the RILA product increased by 38%, generating tens of thousands of monthly active user sessions.

My Scope:
End-to-end product design, high-fidelity interactive prototyping, cross-functional compliance alignment, and engineering handoff.

Designing for Extreme Complexity:
To map the engine’s mathematical parameters, I ran discovery workshops with Transamerica financial experts. The core insight from subsequent user testing was clear: Traditional tools overwhelmed users with fine print, causing drop-offs.

The Design Strategy:
1. Abstracted Data Visualizations: Designed dynamic, multi-state charts that clearly communicated risk vs. return without the industry jargon.

2. Frictionless Prototyping: Built a robust, state-driven Figma prototype simulating realistic calculations to thoroughly test multi-state inputs and error states.

3. Validated Engagement: In usability testing, users stayed highly engaged—averaging 10 minutes per session—reporting a massive boost in investment confidence.

Cross-Functional Handoff and Business Impact:
Compliance and engineering are usually where complex tools stall. I bypassed this by partnering directly with the Legal and Engineering teams from day one, delivering comprehensive specification blueprints and interactive design tokens.

1. Scale and Reach: Captured 4,000 deep interactions immediately at launch, quickly scaling into the tens of thousands of monthly sessions.

2. Revenue Impact: The tool became a primary driver for a 38% enterprisewide lift in RILA investments, turning it into one of the portfolio's top-performing annuities.
My Role and Scope:

Product Strategy and Research: Facilitated mixed-method user testing and benchmark research to validate complex data visualization layouts with retail investors and financial professionals.

End-to-End Interaction Architecture: Designed responsive architectural flows, hyper-realistic interactive prototypes, and edge-case state documentation.

Cross-Functional Alignment and Handoff: Partnered directly with Product Managers, Compliance Teams, and Engineering to deliver pixel-perfect designs and comprehensive functional specifications, ensuring seamless development execution.
Deep Dive: Research and Iterative Validation

Part 1 - Problem Space and Strategic Research:
The initial challenge was two-fold: bridging an internal knowledge gap regarding RILA financial structures, and translating dense, compliance-heavy parameters into an intuitive public interface. Most existing market tools were heavily saturated with fine print and opaque industry jargon, creating high cognitive load for retail investors.

To define the functional requirements, I conducted internal subject-matter expert interviews with Transamerica financial professionals. This allowed our team to map out the exact mathematical parameters, caps, floors, and buffer variables required for an accurate forecasting engine.

Following the SME phase, I designed and executed a series of moderated user research studies with retail consumers. The goal was to establish baseline user expectations, identify mental models around long-term investments, and determine how to visually communicate risk versus return. The research revealed a critical user need: a dynamic, interactive system that simplified complex forecasting to build investment confidence.

Part 2 - Iterative Prototyping and Usability Testing:
With baseline requirements established, I translated user insights into a high-fidelity interactive prototype within Figma. The prototype accounted for multi-state inputs, complex data visualizations, and edge-case calculation errors to ensure a highly realistic testing environment. I then ran formalized usability testing sessions with targeted users, structuring the protocol around task-based scenarios (e.g., configuring an investment mix and interpreting performance summaries).

Engagement Metrics: Participants demonstrated deep engagement, spending an average of 10 minutes interacting with the forecasting engine.

Qualitative Validation: The usability studies confirmed that the interface successfully abstracted complex financial data into digestible, clear summaries. Users reported a marked increase in comprehension and expressed a direct intent to explore RILA products as a result of the experience.

Part 3 - Cross-Functional Handoff and Measurable Outcomes:

Following successful usability validation, I presented the final designs and research outcomes to executive stakeholders to secure launch alignment. I generated comprehensive specification blueprints and interactive design tokens to ensure seamless, pixel-perfect engineering handoff.

Post-launch, the tool was integrated into a multi-channel marketing and agent-enablement campaign. We continuously monitored product performance analytics to track user behavior and macro business impact

1.) Immediate Adoption: The system captured nearly 4,000 deep interactions within the first few months of deployment.
2.) Long-term Scalability: Monthly engagement scaled into the tens of thousands of active sessions.
3.) Direct Revenue Impact: Within nine months post-launch, capital investment in the Transamerica RILA product increased by 38%, transforming it into one of the top-performing annuities across the enterprise portfolio.
Final Design and Conclusion:

Once we presented the results and design to our stakeholders, I annotated the design file for our development team and handed it off. As the RILA tool went live, marketing for the tool began all throughout the company. Agents began sharing the tool with their clients and the brand team created a campaign for the public. As interest in the RILA product grew, we then decided to analyze data in its usage and see if there was an impact in RILA investment.

Within the first few months, there were already 3,986 interactions and after nine months, investment in the Transamerica RILA product increased by 38%. Not only did engagement and investment increase numerically, RILA soon became one of our top annuities throughout the company.