HELOC Fastline

Overview

‍HELOC Fastline was a critical initiative to drastically shorten the home equity line of credit application process — reducing the time from offer to funding from over 50 days to just 2 weeks. I was brought in to take over after the original designs had failed to deliver results. My role was to stabilize the experience, rebuild trust, and ultimately elevate the product into an award-winning, high-conversion digital tool.

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The Challenge

• Application flow was confusing and inconsistent
• Accessibility issues and unclear copy led to drop-offs
• Flawed user branching logic caused user confusion
• HELOC apps were still being processed primarily through a third-party platform

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My Role & Ownership

‍I began by fixing the immediate UX issues I inherited: poor copy, scattered flows, and unnecessary friction. From there, I partnered with the product owner and data team to dig into user behavior and uncover why drop-off rates were so high. I proposed and tested UX changes, refined the application journey, and built trust by showing measurable results in real time.

Key contributions:

• Audited and redesigned confusing flows
• Used funnel analytics to identify high-abandonment points
• Conducted moderated testing via UserTesting.com to validate changes
• Collaborated cross-functionally to improve copy, flow logic, and screen hierarchy
• Advocated for mobile-first improvements

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Pivots & Breakthroughs

‍My approach helped reframe UX from a tactical resource to a strategic partner. By using data and research to inform design, I earned trust with the product owner and changed the trajectory of the project. My design refinements reduced cognitive load, simplified the journey, and significantly improved conversion.

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Outcomes

• Drop-off rate reduced from ~60% to under 30%
• Internal + customer adoption rose from 40% to over 90%
• Reduced reliance on a legacy third-party tool
• Fastline became one of the top HELOC products in the U.S.
• Awarded for Customer Experience Excellence

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Reflection

‍This project was a turning point — not just for the product, but for how UX was perceived. I helped transform Fastline from a failing experience into a flagship product, and in the process, helped shape a stronger partnership between design, product, and data.

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