Capital Group had a bold goal: transform its American Funds retirement portfolio experience to meet the expectations of a younger, mobile-first audience. While their existing desktop tools were robust, they were complex and intimidating, especially for users just beginning their investing journeys. The challenge was clear: deliver the same trusted insights, in a way that felt modern, effortless, and human.

As lead UX designer, I collaborated closely with Capital Group’s internal product and engineering teams to reimagine their retirement planning experience from the ground up. I was responsible for user research, experience strategy, prototyping, and design execution.

My north star was simplicity: turning a dense ecosystem into a streamlined, trustworthy mobile experience without sacrificing the depth financial users expect.

The original desktop tools were data-rich but not user-friendly. Newer, younger participants exploring retirement planning for the first time were deterred by the lack of mobile-friendly account management.

To reset, we started by interviewing users and mapping their emotional journeys. The takeaway: users didn’t want more data, they wanted confidence. That meant fewer tabs, better guidance, and interactions that felt familiar and intuitive on mobile.

We defined three core principles to guide the mobile experience:

• Approachable, Not Basic
  Maintain financial depth, but with plain language and context where needed
• One-Tap Tasks
  Make key actions like changing contributions or checking performance, quick and intuitive
• Always in Control
  Surface guidance and insights, without being pushy

I worked closely with stakeholders across product, engineering, and compliance to ensure our solutions met strict regulatory needs without introducing UX friction.

Regular design reviews, async walkthroughs, and live prototype sessions helped keep us aligned, and allowed us to test quickly with real users. These feedback loops were essential in refining the tone, flow, and hierarchy of the final design.

The project successfully launched a mobile-optimized retirement portfolio management system, opening a new portal for engagement, particularly among younger users.

The rebranded design system launch felt seamless and elevated, and the numbers showed it.

This wasn’t just about making things work on mobile. It was about rethinking how people connect with their financial future. We helped American Funds meet younger users where they already are, with tools that feel as easy to use as any app on their home screen.

There’s still a lot of room to grow, like deeper personalization and smarter goal setting. But even from day one, the app delivered what really mattered: clear, trustworthy info that helped people take action straight from their pocket.