Vanguard | Modernizing Asset Transfers

The Project

Simplify and modernize a high-friction legacy journey. Vanguard’s Transfer of Assets (TOA) flow was one of its most important—and most frustrating—experiences. Errors were common, users were confused, and call center volume was high.

The Strategy

Build clarity, confidence, and momentum. I focused on educating users early, simplifying complex flows, and integrating e-signatures—while ensuring everything remained compliant with financial regulations.

Why It Matters

This work modernized a legacy experience and delivered real results:

  • +8% user confidence after improving education and flow clarity on TOA landing page.

  • –6.5% flow drop-off within 2 months, thanks to clearer content and DocuSign integration.

  • Created reusable content patterns and scalable systems for future updates.

Services

Content Design, UX Writing, Microcopy, Journey Mapping, Education Strategy, Privacy & Compliance

TOA Landing Page: UX & Content Decisions

Hero section that motivates.

Replaced vague brand language (“save time,” “share better”) with tangible benefits (“treat yourself to the benefits of consolidation”) to build trust and motivation right away.

Upfront education to reduce confusion.

Many users didn’t know the difference between transfers and rollovers. I introduced a plain-language explainer early in the flow to reduce friction and support user mental models.

Modular cards that support decision-making.

Designed scannable cards with clear descriptions for each account type, helping users self-select the right path. This modular layout also supports future scale.

Fallback support to ease uncertainty.

Research with support team leaders showed “process uncertainty” was a top issue. So I created a new education landing page and linked to it via the “Learn more” CTA.

To reinforce that support inline, I also added a “3 easy steps” fallback to guide unsure users.

A benefits section that builds trust.

Rewrote this section to highlight user-centered reasons to transfer (like portfolio visibility, tax benefits, and family preparedness).

Used card-based layout and bold, scannable headlines to make content easier to digest.

CTAs that clarify user intent.

Split the primary CTA into two distinct options:

  • “Open an account” for new users

  • “Log in” for existing clients

This made the flow feel clearer and cut down on user hesitation and backtracking.

FAQs that reduce support calls.

Based on call center input, I surfaced the most common transfer-related questions and reworded answers in plain language.

Also aligned terms like “rollover” and “in-kind transfer” with user expectations to reduce jargon and clarify next steps.

After launching the new landing page, support teams later reported fewer calls about these topics.

Streamlining Submissions with DocuSign

Introducing e-signatures eliminated paper, but success required careful handholding.

I worked closely with product, legal, and tech partners to make sure the DocuSign experience was intuitive, efficient, and FINRA-compliant:

  • Mapped logic variations based on account type and user status.

  • Wrote step-by-step microcopy to guide users through each DocuSign stage.

  • Partnered with legal to balance clarity with compliance.

  • QA’d flows with engineers to ensure consistency and accuracy across 85% of use cases.

  • Result: -6.5% drop-off in two months; e-signature in 85% of flows.

Overview of the onboarding journey with DocuSign integration.

Lessons Learned

Early education reduces friction.

User confusion often starts before a journey begins. Adding upfront guidance—like plain-language explainers and FAQs—helps set expectations and reduce drop-off.

Content structure is just as important as copy.

Clear hierarchies, modular layouts, and scannable cards helped users navigate complex decisions without feeling overwhelmed.

Compliance and clarity can coexist.

Working closely with legal partners made it possible to maintain FINRA compliance while still using friendly, human-centered language that supported user understanding.

Success is shared.

This work wouldn’t have succeeded without strong alignment across research, design, legal, and engineering. Regular, collaborative sessions helped uncover issues early and deliver a seamless, user-friendly experience at scale.

Before: Legacy TOA Landing Page.

After: Redesigned TOA Landing Page.