A gamified investment education companion for DBS Multiplier account holders. It's designed to close the gap between saving and investing.
🌟 Personal growth outcome
• My first End-to-end product design project from research and strategy, to high-fidelity prototype
01 overview.
Bunny Buddy was developed as part of the WOW Accelerator × Gamification Program by DBS Bank Singapore, in collaboration with the #SGUnitedTraineeship initiative. The project was owned by DBS Multiplier and built using the Octalysis gamification framework integrated with DBS's internal 4D design process.
The team was cross-functional. Consist of DBS employees from various departments; working together to design a mobile experience that would nudge Multiplier customers toward making their first investment.
02 project goal.
“How might we encourage Multiplier customers to move from passive saving toward active, confident investing, through education and sustained engagement?”
Only 11% of DBS Multiplier account holders were actively investing with DBS and sustaining those investments beyond the bonus interest period. The goal was to raise that figure to 20%.
03 user research: qualitative research.
We conducted interviews with 16 DBS Multiplier account holders, uncovering four consistent barriers to investing.
💬 Personal growth outcome
Multiplier was seen as a savings product, not a gateway to financial planning or investing.
💬 Interest literacy
Many users didn't fully understand how Multiplier interest worked or how investments affected it.
💬 Knowledge gap
Account holders lacked investment knowledge and didn't know where to start, though they were open to learning.
💬 Risk perception
Investing was seen as requiring a large upfront sum and carrying significant risk — discouraging first steps.
04 persona.
Research showed that the target user is a careful, busy professional who regularly saves money but has never invested before.
Aloysius Tan, 36
Rachel Lim, 27
Both personas share the same underlying barrier: low investment confidence, but differ in life stage and motivation style.
05 solution.
Rather than push product information, we designed a character-led experience that made financial education feel approachable and rewarding. A virtual bunny acts as a guide, delivering bite-sized investment content and celebrating user progress.
Investment education delivered in challenge-based modules. Short, informative and easy to digest in a few minutes.
A gamification loop that rewards progress: food items, accessories, coupon rewards, and lucky draw entries earned by completing challenges. These rewards can be used to feed the buddy (pet) or to accessorise the bunny buddy to be more personal.
A happiness index and levelling system that makes learning progress visible, the bunny grows as users grow.
Achievement-linked accessories that signal mastery, e.g. completing Unit Trust challenges unlocks a 'Unit Trust Master' medal.
06 game system.
The design used three key gamification elements to motivate users and encourage continued learning.
🏆 Achievement
Users earn badges and unlock milestones as they complete learning topics.
🎲 Unpredictability
Random food items and accessories keep the experience fresh and encourage repeat visits.
🎁 Rewards
Users receive coupons and lucky draw entries for completing learning activities.
07 interface design.
Bunny Buddy was designed to feel friendly and approachable while maintaining trust in a financial context. I contributed the initial logo concept and high-fidelity wireframes.
Initial character and game logo design
Game flow
08 user testing results.
We conducted a first round of user testing with DBS Multiplier customers. The concept was well-received, with a few areas identified for iteration.
09 reflection.
Bunny Buddy was the first project where I experienced the end-to-end design process. I conducted user interviews, translated research into a gamification strategy, designed the interface, tested with users, and iterated based on feedback.
Working in the financial domain added another layer of complexity. Because investment decisions directly affect users' financial confidence, every design choice needed careful consideration; from how information was presented to how rewards were introduced and how first-time investors were guided through the experience.
The project taught me how to balance user needs, business objectives, and product constraints simultaneously. A skill that continues to shape my approach to design today.