A scalable mobile banking app

NCR sells a white-label mobile banking app to Financial Institutions (FIs). While it does the job, the app lagged behind other FinTech apps in the market. My team was tasked with redesigning the app to enhance its functionality and future-proof it. I collaborated with our UX Researcher to understand NCR's business, FI customers, and app users. Our research showed that many users, including myself, primarily use the landing screen to check balances, perform a few tasks, and then move on. Based around this insight, I designed a customizable home screen that allows users to tailor their experience. At the same time, I created an ecosystem that can allow this app to grow and change even into the future.

MY RESPONSIBILITIES

Heuristic Evaluation
Competitive Analysis
Product Design
Visual Design Oversight
Stake Holder Interviews
User Interviews
User Flow Testing

TEAM

Jesse Newton - UX Director
Mark Damiano - Creative Director
Katie Foster - Sr UX Researcher
Cate Kennedy - Sr Designer
Amy Kosloske - Sr Designer
Vivian Lowe - Project Manager

A widget based homepage

Imagine a home screen for your banking app that lets you decide what you want to see. From choosing which account balance to display first to accessing tools that help you understand your finances and spending habits. The new home screen would be comprised of widgets users can move around and organize to their preference.

VIEW RESEARCH

We interviewed the stakeholders at NCR and the end-users from one of NCR’s biggest FI. We wanted to find out what triggers users to log into their banking app, and what do they do once they’re there? What features do they wish exist in the current app experience?

The end-users range in age and occupations. We wanted a diverse outlook on everyone’s perception and usage for their banking app. From our research, we determined the main actions most user take upon logging into the app. We also determined 3 key personas for banking customers to frame our thinking around.

We had a prime opportunity to surprise the user with what they could do on the home screen. Many users want to check their balances, so we aimed to provide a more holistic view, including details like upcoming bills.

The results from our questions on the layouts of the app and the ability to rearrange elements, like their accounts, really surprised us. 50% wanted the ability to change the order. Knowing that plus the wide ranges of users from Currency Novices to Controllers, we also needed to provide users with the flexibility to tinker or simply leave it as is.

Crafting an ecosystem where NCR, FIs, and the user all feel in control

These widgets are the cornerstone of an ecosystem where NCR can redesign, add, or remove the types of widgets they want each of their FIs to have access to. As each FI and its needs are different, this system allows NCR to personalize different packages for their customers. In turn, FIs can decide what their end-users can access. Finally, the end-users can control the order of the widgets or choose whether to view a widget on their home screen at all.

New widget ideas

During the project, I contributed two widget ideas that the NCR team integrated into the app. These ideas were inspired by my own banking behavior and feedback from app users about the type of features they want to see.

Small saving goal widget

Saving money has been a habit of mine since childhood, but I know it's not a habit everyone shares. I wanted to create a way for users to start small and gradually build this habit. This led to the Coffee Can idea, where users can set goals, small or big, and slowly contribute to their Coffee Can from each paycheck.

Monthly spending widget

Another idea was to create a way for users to set a budget and track their transactions against it each month. The widget notifies users when they are halfway through their budget and alerts them if they go over.

VIEW RESEARCH

Our research shows there is a huge need for tools to help users understand the current state of their finances as well as tools to help them make better decisions about it. FI's app has a big opportunity for this space because end-users already trusts them with their money. Some users are wary of other apps, like Mint, to manage their money because they are third-party.

Improvements to elevate
the entire app

We also updated across the app to create a cohesive experience. This included reorganizing complex screens and making repeated actions easier to do.

REORGANIZE THE MORE MENU INTO SECTIONS FOR BETTER FINDABILITY.

TURNED COMMON ACTIONS INTO BUTTONS AND ADDED A SEARCH FEATURE.

QUICK PAY FEATURE LET USERS MAKE PAYMENTS WITHOUT RE-ENTERING INFORMATION.

Takeaway

Product design serves as the bridge between the business, its customers, and the end-users. This project allowed me to work on a product that touches all three sectors, creating a design that satisfied both user and business needs. Exploring the world of banking was both fun and insightful, as it is a part of everyone's lives. My goal was to create a product that enables NCR to support their FI customers, and in turn, helps the end-users feel equipped with the tools they need to succeed.

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