AI hackathon
Improving the process for reporting a clients death and managing associated accounts.
During an internal AI hackathon, our team explored ways to improve the notify of death process, which occurs when a family member or beneficiary reports the death of an account holder.
This process can be emotionally difficult for families and administratively complex due to documentation and financial compliance requirements.
Our goal was to design a clearer and more supportive workflow that helps individuals notify E*Trade of a death while also managing associated account actions focusing on incorporating AI.
Company: E*TRADE
Project type: Internal Hackathon
Role: UX Designer
Timeline: 1 week
Team: Cross-functional hackathon team (design + engineering)
Responsibilities: I designed the interaction model for the AI assistant and created the prototype used for the demo.
The problem
Reporting the death of an account holder is often confusing and time-consuming for family members.
Common challenges include:
Uncertainty about which documents are required (e.g., death certificates)
Difficulty contacting the correct representative
Lack of visibility into what happens after a death notification is submitted
Additionally, certain risk and compliance requirements require accounts to be secured quickly after notification, which can create further friction for users unfamiliar with financial systems.
The goal
Design a streamlined “Notify of Death” workflow that:
Helps users understand required documentation
Guides them through submitting a death notification
Enables account protection for beneficiaries
Provides assistance during an emotionally sensitive process
Because the project took place during a one-week hackathon, the team focused on designing a clear happy-path experience supported by wireframes.
Design strategy
Given the short timeline, we focused on quickly defining a structured workflow and designing a simplified prototype.
Our approach included:
Mapping the Notify of death process
Identifying key user pain points
Designing a guided submission flow (happy path)
Exploring how AI could provide contextual support
Key design concepts
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One major challenge was that users often did not know which documentation they needed.
To address this, we introduced an AI assistant within the workflow.
The assistant could:
Explain required documentation such as death certificates
Provide guidance on the notification process
Answer common questions related to estate reporting
This allowed users to receive assistance without needing to contact a representative immediately.
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We designed a structured flow that allows users to submit a death notification form step-by-step.
The flow walks users through:
Reporting the death of an account holder
Uploading required documentation
Providing beneficiary or contact information
Submitting the notification for review
This simplified a previously unclear process into a clear set of steps.
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One risk identified by the compliance team was the possibility of account activity continuing after a client’s death
To reduce this risk, we designed a feature allowing beneficiaries to lock associated accounts immediately.
Importantly, this could be done without requiring the user to create a Morgan Stanley account, which was a requirement from the risk and compliance team.
This allowed accounts to be secured quickly while still maintaining regulatory requirements.
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To help users understand where they were in the process, we introduced several usability improvements:
A stepper component showing progress through the workflow
Clear step labels and instructions
Updated form components for easier interaction
These changes helped users feel more confident navigating the process.
Design Artifacts
Due to the short hackathon timeline, the project focused on wireframes and workflow design rather than high-fidelity UI.
Artifacts produced included:
High-fidelity wireframes for the submission flow
Interaction concepts for the AI assistant
A happy-path prototype demonstrating the full experience
Outcome
The project demonstrated how a guided workflow and AI-assisted support could simplify a complex and emotionally sensitive process.
Key improvements included:
Clearer guidance around required documentation
A structured flow for submitting death notifications
The ability for beneficiaries to secure accounts quickly
Greater transparency during the process
The final concept was presented as part of the hackathon demonstration.
Reflection
This project highlighted the importance of designing financial workflows that balance usability, emotional sensitivity, and regulatory constraints.
Even within the limited timeframe of a hackathon, focusing on the core user journey allowed us to propose a solution that could make an otherwise difficult process more manageable for clients and their families.
Confidentially note
Due to confidentially agreements with Morgan Stanley Product visuals have been removed or simplified.