KiwiSaver Recommendation Engine
Project Overview
What we set out to solve
The Challenge
KiwiSaver is New Zealand's voluntary retirement savings scheme with over 30 fund providers and 200+ fund options. Users were overwhelmed by choice, leading to decision paralysis. 67% of users abandoned the fund selection process before completion, and most defaulted to their provider's conservative fund regardless of their actual risk tolerance and retirement timeline.
The Solution
An intelligent recommendation engine that guides users through a personalized 5-step questionnaire, analyzing their risk profile, retirement goals, and financial situation to match them with the most suitable KiwiSaver fund. The solution includes clear fund comparisons, educational tooltips, and a streamlined sign-up flow.
Research & Discovery
Understanding the problem space
12 user interviews conducted with KiwiSaver members aged 25–55. Key findings:
Decision Paralysis
78% of participants felt overwhelmed by the number of fund options and couldn't differentiate between providers.
Knowledge Gap
Only 23% understood the relationship between risk level and potential returns over their investment timeline.
Default Bias
62% stayed with their default fund because switching felt too complex, even when it mismatched their goals.
Design Process
From wireframes to final design
01
Information Architecture
Redesigned the fund comparison flow into 5 clear steps: Risk Profile → Goals → Timeline → Preferences → Results.
02
Wireframing & Prototyping
Created low-fidelity wireframes, tested with 8 users, and iterated on the questionnaire flow based on usability feedback.
03
Visual Design & Testing
Applied the brand design system, conducted A/B tests on the results page layout, and refined based on user feedback.
