uXperience Design Jam with Sun Life

On November 2, 2024, more than 100 students from the UWaterloo, University of Toronto, and Wilfrid Laurier came together to design for Financial Fluency, aiming to empower young Canadians to discover and use the financial tools and education available to them. Students worked tirelessly over the weekend to explore the problem, ideate potential solutions, and pitch their concepts to a panel of judges from Sun Life and UWaterloo.

The uXperience Design Jam exemplifies Waterloo's commitment to experiential learning and fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem.  The event highlighted the power of collaboration and innovation in addressing real-world challenges by bringing together some of the brightest minds from multiple universities.

Winning Team: Fund Forward The top prize went to Fund Forward, a team that developed a tool to help users visualize their financial goals and understand the financial implications of life milestones. Team members Leslie Lee, Namu Kim, Lukas Chladek, Jake Riddell, Allison Kalist, and Fiona Qi Feng impressed the judges with their clear vision and practical approach.

Runner-Up: Mula The runner-up team, Mula, created a community platform designed to connect users with financial advisors, future planners, and others seeking financial guidance. Clayton Harding and Aryamik Kakar's solution aimed to alleviate financial stress by fostering a supportive community.

Honourable Mention: Sprout Sprout received an honourable mention for their innovative use of gamification to engage users with their financial goals. Team members Joanne Lang, Lisa Diao, Nat Nguyen, Estelle Kim, Ellis Byun, and Andreea McKague developed a platform that grows with users' financial needs, keeping them motivated and on track.

Thanks to the guidance and support from Sun Life and their design team.

Mentors Included:

• Samanthi Jayetileke, Director, Design Coach
• Tawnya Duxbury, MMSc, Director, GRS Member Journey Owner - Client Experience
• Taylor Jones, UX Writer, GRS, Decumulation
• Ramyaa M, Product Designer, GRS Decumulation
• Solomon Cheung, UX Designer, Web Channels
• Olusegun Adekoye, UX Writer
• Kristina Miller, Senior Researcher - Journey Design Insights, Retail Advice & Solutions
• Sara Machen, Design Ops Program Specialist, Design Operations, Canada
• Ville Mäkelä, Professor, University of Waterloo

The uXperience Design Jam was sponsored by Sun Life.