PAG Email

Context

At RBC Wealth Management, over 5,000+ advisors receive two daily emails: the Morning Insight and Mid-Day Insight. While the content was strong, the design was outdated, and no direct user research had been conducted to confirm whether the format or categories were still relevant.

This created an opportunity: (1) Modernize the visual design, (2) Introduce user research to uncover what advisors actually valued, (3) Align business stakeholders and external vendors under one shared vision.

The Work

One of the first hurdles I faced was resistance to research. The business didn’t initially see the need for it, believing that advisors were already satisfied. I strongly felt that without speaking to users, we’d be redesigning based on assumptions rather than reality. I advocated for and was able to obtain a researcher to facilitated 8 semi-structured interviews with advisors and associates across Canada. This gave us insights we would have never uncovered otherwise:

• Advisors loved the Morning Insight, but most found the Mid-Day Insight redundant.

• The “In Case You Missed It” section was a hit, especially when presented without long blurbs.

• The PDF download option was a time-saver for advisors on the go.

These findings became the backbone of my design decisions. After establishing the opportunity space, I conducted a competitive audit, analyzed multiple RBC email templates, and began drafting new design directions. I then led alignment meetings with stakeholders and collaborated with our external vendor, Bluematrix, who had strict technical and brand limitations.This was a key moment for me: adapting the design within constraints while keeping users and stakeholders aligned. Fonts, formatting, and rendering rules were non-negotiable, but I found creative ways to maintain RBC’s brand integrity and deliver a design that felt modern and functional. In the end, I wasn’t just a designer delivering mockups, I became the bridge between users, stakeholders, and vendors, ensuring that all voices were considered and respected.

Conclusion

The redesigned email templates were a success. Advisors responded positively, which was especially rewarding since this community is often hesitant about change. Stakeholders praised the user-centred approach, and the design not only modernized the look but also improved usability.

What I Learned (Individually):

• Designing for email is unlike designing for web or mobile, every detail (from fonts to image rendering) is limited by vendor and platform constraints. I learned the importance of communicating early with vendors to avoid QA bottlenecks.

What I Would Do Differently:

• Clarify vendor handoff requirements earlier to avoid design-to-development friction.
• Proactively address differences in design tools and measurement systems before they become blockers.