The Challenge

How might we improve the ease of daily tasks for users across our enterprise platform, MyAvantax?

In 2024, Avantax Wealth Management aimed to enhance the overall look and feel of the MyAvantax platform. The application had a cluttered interface, with important information and actions buried under unconventional categories, making it difficult for users to navigate and locate essential data. This negatively impacted new user adoption and increased the time and cost associated with onboarding and training. Additionally, the platform lacked personalization and customization options, reducing overall engagement and usability.

Next-Gen Project Outline:

Scope:

• Evaluated the end-to-end advisor experience across the platform

• Identified opportunities to streamline workflows, reduce friction, and improve efficiency

• Explored how the platform could better support client engagement and outcomes

Approach:

• Conducted discovery research to understand user needs, pain points, and behaviors

• Developed early concepts and prototypes to test new platform directions

• Ran concept validation/testing to gather feedback and iterate on potential solutions

Phase:

• Discovery and concept validation (pre-build)

My Role

As the Senior UX Designer on the Avantax Next-Gen initiative, I partnered closely with a Principal UX Designer, Feiyang Xue, to shape the overall UX approach and discovery strategy for the platform. Working within a collaborative, divided-ownership model, I led design efforts focused on improving advisors’ daily workflows, enabling growth operations and platform customization, and enhancing advisor servicing experiences. In parallel, I contributed to discovery and concept testing by helping plan research activities, synthesize insights, and iterate on early concepts. Throughout the process, I ensured my focus areas aligned with adjacent domains; such as data visualization and client planning to support a cohesive, end-to-end platform vision.

Results

Although the Avantax Next-Gen platform did not move into full implementation due to the merger with Cetera Financial Group in 2025. The project established a clear, validated direction for the future of the MyAvantax experience. Through discovery and concept testing, we identified key opportunities to streamline advisor workflows, reduce friction in daily tasks, and introduce more flexible personalization and customization capabilities.

The work aligned stakeholders around a more cohesive, user-centered platform vision and provided a strong foundation for future product decisions. Insights and validated concepts from this initiative helped inform ongoing platform strategy, ensuring that user needs remained central during a period of organizational transition.