I led the redesign of the Client Onboarding tool, a critical application for operations at RBC Wealth Management. I was responsible for driving the design strategy, collaborating with stakeholders and five squads and mentoring designers on the project.
Overview:
The Client Onboarding Application ( COB ) enables Advisors and Associates to create client profiles, open accounts, and update personal and Know Your Client (KYC) information.
The Client Onboarding Application ( COB ) enables Advisors and Associates to create client profiles, open accounts, and update personal and Know Your Client (KYC) information.
The new system replaced an outdated legacy application, significantly improving efficiency, user experience, and data accuracy.
By streamlining workflows and reducing manual input errors, the redesign empowered advisors and associates to onboard clients more seamlessly, enhancing both compliance and operational effectiveness.
Project Goal
The primary objective was to simplify complex onboarding journeys and streamline processes, creating a more seamless and efficient experience for our key users—Advisors, Associates, and Clients. The redesign focused on reducing friction, eliminating redundant steps, and minimizing time spent on bureaucratic tasks, allowing users to focus on what truly matters: building relationships and delivering value.
The primary objective was to simplify complex onboarding journeys and streamline processes, creating a more seamless and efficient experience for our key users—Advisors, Associates, and Clients. The redesign focused on reducing friction, eliminating redundant steps, and minimizing time spent on bureaucratic tasks, allowing users to focus on what truly matters: building relationships and delivering value.
The redesign introduced a guided experience that walks users through each step, ensuring clarity and ease of use. A progress tracker provides real-time visibility into where users are in the process, while missing fields are easily identified, reducing errors and delays. Additionally, a completion tracker confirms that all required information has been captured, ensuring compliance and a seamless onboarding experience for advisors and associates.
Challenges:
Redesigning the Client Onboarding tool came with several challenges that required deep understanding, collaboration, and strategic problem-solving:
Redesigning the Client Onboarding tool came with several challenges that required deep understanding, collaboration, and strategic problem-solving:
Navigating the Complexity of Wealth Management Operations – I had to gain a deep understanding of how advisors and associates onboard clients, open accounts, and manage required documentation. This involved analyzing multiple legacy systems, workflows, and compliance requirements to ensure a seamless integration.
Driving User Adoption in a Complex Environment – Changing user behavior in a high-stakes, regulation-driven environment is never easy. Advisors and associates had built workarounds and habits with the old system, making it crucial to design an intuitive experience they could trust and adopt with confidence.
Addressing Gaps in the Original Workflows – Many key workflows were designed without fully considering the client experience, leading to inefficiencies, unnecessary steps, and frustrations for both advisors and clients. The challenge was to eliminate these friction points while ensuring compliance and operational efficiency.
Through user research, iterative design, and close collaboration with stakeholders, I helped create a solution that streamlined processes, improved efficiency, and enhanced the overall client onboarding experience.
All mandatory documentation for each account/product is automatically included and can be downloaded with one click.
Outcomes
The redesign of the Client Onboarding tool led to significant efficiency gains, eliminating manual processes and streamlining workflows:
74 hours (1.5 weeks) saved for Branch Operations over a 6 months period
- No more manual reviewing, scanning, or filing of paperwork.
- Increased operational efficiency, allowing teams to focus on higher-value tasks.
-354 hours (4.4 working weeks) saved for Associates and Advisors over a 6 Months period
- 70% reduction in KYC review and approval time.
- Fewer documentation errors and a sharp decrease in KYC rejections.
A smoother, faster onboarding experience for both advisors and clients.
By removing inefficiencies and simplifying complex workflows, the new system changed how RBC Wealth Management handles client onboarding—driving productivity, improving compliance, and enhancing the overall user experience.
