TARA VATHUL
PRODUCT DESIGNER
SPEND VS. INVEST CALCULATOR | LAUNCHED 2025
ROLE
UX Designer
TEAM
2 Product Owners
2 UX Designers
1 Developer
TIMELINE
4 months
SKILLS
Design thinking
User Research
Wireframing
Prototyping
Cross-functional Collaboration
OVERVIEW
Helping users better understand the tradeoff between immediate spending and long-term investing through a guided interactive experience.
With a team of two UX designers, two product owners, and one developer, we reimagined Prudential’s Investment Calculator to help users visualize their spending habits and investment potential.
PROBLEM
The current Investment Calculator fails to account for nuance in budgeting decisions.
Prudential’s Investment Calculator hadn’t been updated in years. The tool was outdated, and didn’t reflect the modern consumer’s spending habits.
PREVIOUS DESIGN
The original Investment Calculator relied on outdated and less relevant spending categories, such as print subscriptions, which no longer aligned with how most users manage their finances.
The experience emphasized selection rather than understanding the flow, making it difficult for users to meaningfully connect their own habits to the investment potential. Visual hierarchy and language also lacked alignment with Prudential’s evolving brand standards, contributing to confusion and drop-off.
RESEARCH + DESIGN ITERATIONS
Early research and usability testing revealed that users wanted fewer inputs, clearer language, and more relevant spending categories. Initial iterations focused on simplifying the flow and reducing friction.
Through usability testing with 160 participants, the redesigned calculator achieved an 83% ease-of-use satisfaction rate. Users reported increased motivation to reevaluate their spending and explore financial guidance, directly supporting Prudential’s goals of improving user financial management and driving SEO traffic growth.
SOLUTION
The redesigned calculator reframes financial decision-making. Instead of asking users to “cut back,” the experience helps them compare the immediate cost of common monthly expenses with the potential long-term value of investing those amounts instead.
By simplifying inputs, modernizing categories, and clearly visualizing outcomes over time, the tool supports informed reflection rather than prescriptive advice, and encourages users to explore their options and potential without pressure.
CORE FEATURES
01: Modernized spending categories
Updated expense options reflect real, everyday spending habits, making the tool immediately relatable and easier to engage with.
02: Clear spend vs. invest comparison
Side-by-side views show short-term spending alongside projected investment growth over time.
03: Long-term visualization
Results translate abstract financial concepts into tangible outcomes, helping users better understand the impact of time and compounding.
04: Guided flow
Streamlined inputs and clear hierarchy reduce cognitive load and keep the focus on insight rather than calculation.
WE’RE LIVE!
The new and improved Spend vs Invest Calculator is live! You can try it out here.
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