NN Buffer Concept
NN Buffer Concept
A UX concept for Nationale-Nederlanden that helps young adults build financial security through thoughtful AI, accessibility and guided saving.
My Role
UX Research
UX Design
UI Design
Credits
Pien van Kalkeren
Helina Kim
Sidate Seck
Joep Groenteman
Peter Marinello Gutierrez
Year
2026
Client
Nationale Nederlanden, HvA
Theprojectataglance
Theprojectataglance
ForNationale-Nederlanden,Idesignedasavings-bufferconceptforyoungadultsandstarterswhostrugglewithfinancialoverviewandunexpectedcosts.
ForNationale-Nederlanden,Idesignedasavings-bufferconceptforyoungadultsandstarterswhostrugglewithfinancialoverviewandunexpectedcosts.
Project Disclaimer
This project was developed as conceptual work for my studies. It is not final, approved, or official work by Nationale-Nederlanden and should not be interpreted as representing the organisation’s current products, services, or communications.
What I did
Researched financial behavior and young adults' saving challenges.
Researched financial behavior and young adults' saving challenges.
Framed the problem around financial buffers and peace of mind.
Framed the problem around financial buffers and peace of mind.
Designed a guided "Spaarbuffer" flow inside the NN app.
Designed a guided "Spaarbuffer" flow inside the NN app.
Created prototype screens for onboarding, buffer calculation and saving plans.
Created prototype screens for onboarding, buffer calculation and saving plans.
Design Challenge
Design Challenge
Design Challenge
The original challenge was to improve the Nationale-Nederlanden app using thoughtful AI, accessibility and gamification. That brief was very broad, so I narrowed it down to a more specific problem: young adults often want more control over their money, but struggle to build a financial buffer. The challenge was not just about helping people save more. It was about making saving feel realistic, calm and achievable. Financial products can quickly become stressful or judgmental, so the tone of the experience was just as important as the functionality
The original challenge was to improve the Nationale-Nederlanden app using thoughtful AI, accessibility and gamification. That brief was very broad, so I narrowed it down to a more specific problem: young adults often want more control over their money, but struggle to build a financial buffer. The challenge was not just about helping people save more. It was about making saving feel realistic, calm and achievable. Financial products can quickly become stressful or judgmental, so the tone of the experience was just as important as the functionality
I started with research into financial behavior, young adults' saving habits and the reasons people struggle to prepare for unexpected costs. One important insight was that people in similar financial situations can behave very differently. Some forget fixed costs, some underestimate small expenses, and others simply do not know what a realistic buffer should be. From these insights, I developed the "Spaarbuffer" concept inside the NN app. The flow introduces the idea of a financial buffer, asks users why they want one, helps calculate a realistic amount and then lets them choose a saving plan. AI is used as a supportive layer: it can estimate a buffer based on income and expenses, but the user stays in control.
I started with research into financial behavior, young adults' saving habits and the reasons people struggle to prepare for unexpected costs. One important insight was that people in similar financial situations can behave very differently. Some forget fixed costs, some underestimate small expenses, and others simply do not know what a realistic buffer should be. From these insights, I developed the "Spaarbuffer" concept inside the NN app. The flow introduces the idea of a financial buffer, asks users why they want one, helps calculate a realistic amount and then lets them choose a saving plan. AI is used as a supportive layer: it can estimate a buffer based on income and expenses, but the user stays in control.
My Process
My Process
My Process
The Result
The Result
The Result
The result is a calm guided saving concept that helps users understand what they need, why it matters and how they can start. The saving plans are presented in different levels, from calmer to more ambitious, so the advice feels personal instead of fixed. This is one of my strongest UX projects because it includes research, problem framing, concept development and prototyping. It shows how I can turn a broad challenge into a focused product solution with a clear user benefit.
The result is a calm guided saving concept that helps users understand what they need, why it matters and how they can start. The saving plans are presented in different levels, from calmer to more ambitious, so the advice feels personal instead of fixed. This is one of my strongest UX projects because it includes research, problem framing, concept development and prototyping. It shows how I can turn a broad challenge into a focused product solution with a clear user benefit.
