The Future of Wealth and Knowledge Transfer: A Project w/ the Fidelity Center for Applied Technology (FCAT)

A.I. / Machine Learning, Funded Research

NC State Graphic & Experience Design grad students and undergrad seniors in my fall and spring studio courses worked with the Fidelity Center for Applied Technology (FCAT) to explore possibilities for leveraging AI to support the transfer of knowledge and wealth between generations. 

Students first modeled moments when these critical conversations are initiated and the modes used to accomplish knowledge and wealth transfers. 

They then looked five-eight years in the future and prototyped future-oriented solutions that reimagine customer experiences in the age of AI.

During this 10-week project students moved through a human-centered research process to dig deeply into the topic and provide FCAT with multiple speculative experiences that consider, in particular, the role AI agents might play in future interactions. 

During the project, N.C. State Master of Graphic & Experience Design (MGXD) students and Bachelor of Graphic & Experience Design (BGXD) seniors explored three core research questions:

How might we leverage AI to capture and then move beyond the capabilities of a human support representative/financial advisor? 

How might the resulting customer engagement agent/tool appropriately span a customer’s multimodal interactions during critical periods of wealth transfer?  

How might this tool best assist and retain Fidelity customers during such a transfer of knowledge and assets?

Speculative Scenario Videos

Fidelity InSight: Financial Planning At A Glance

Designers: JOANNE PARK, TERRY DICKENS

Fidelity Journal: Empowering, Personalized, Intuitive

Designers: IAN ALBINO PEREZ, ELENA SHAPIRO, COCO ZHOU 

Sibyl: Plan, Predict, Prosper

Designers: SERAPHINA BIENIEK, ABBY HARRIS, JESSICA ZHU

Trust Table: Coming to a Financial Consensus

Designers: MADDIE GYUREK, ERIN SECOSKY, YESENIA SOLIS

Quanta: Swap, Answer, Execute

Designers: VY HOANG, NATALIE JOLLEY, JIMMY RAMIREZ JACO

Channel: A Fidelity-Certified AI Influencer

Designers: JULIE MONJANEL-TOWNSEND | SIQI JIANG | KADAMMA JACKSON

Rhea: Adaptive Guidance, Smarter Conversations

Designers: KIMAYA CHOUGULE, KAI HELMS, AISHA RAJA

AI Financial Advocate

Designers: LAUREL ZHANG, HEATHER HENNESSEY, ERICA FUNDERBURK

The Research Process

RESEARCH QUESTION How might we leverage AI to capture and then move beyond the capabilities of a human representative/financial advisor? How might the resulting customer engagement agent/tool appropriately span a customer’s interactions during critical periods of wealth transfer?
PROBLEM SPACE Mechanisms of Transfer: What are the different ways wealth and knowledge can be transferred within a family? Generational Differences: How do different generations approach learning, technology, and financial discussions? Future-Oriented Solutions: How might Fidelity might support families during this transfer five years in the future.
The launch. Images of students, faculty, and professionals working around tables.
Interview results. images of highlighted interview notes
User Journey Map. Diagram mapping the current customer experience
Personas and Scenarios
Pain and Gain Points
Benchmarking
Ideation. Groups of students brainstorming around tables.
Sketches of early concepts
Each group developed three concepts for the first critique
Each group narrowed to two approaches and presented mid-fi user flows at the second critique
Finally, each group created hi-fi prototypes and scenario videos