radicant
FinTech
radicant is a Swiss bank, subsidiary of Basellandschaftliche Kantonalbank (BLKB). The main selling point of this bank was the green and sustainable approach (focus on the word was, as this bank is changing very rapidly). This would impact the list of investment companies they worked with, with very rigorous processes, they strived for banking in a sustainable world.
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This was part of a collaboration / exercise to understand UI/UX problem solving techniques. I find this particularly interesting for hiring companies interested in understanding my design process, and get a good insight on how I tackle UX problems.
The image above shows the double diamond approach. This is my preferred work framework both as Design Lead or Artworker. Step 1 focus on designing the right thing, so understanding the problem (discovery and exploration/definition). Step 2 focuses on the actual design (Develop/test and Deliver/Listed). This makes use fully understand the issues we're dealing with, and produce iterative, user-centric design.
In an ideal world, this is what the process would look like in practical terms:
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Research / Understand the problem
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How would you approach it? How will you get the best possible next version released together with the team?
1. What we already know - get up to speed - clear assumptions (DISCOVER)
- Firstly I would check for any existing data: User research previously done (also planned), is there any real user data (GA, Hotjar, etc)?
- Understand the target: Experienced investors, new investors, in between, all of the above?
- Get acquainted with the tone of voice and visual feel strategy, KPIs, etc (ie. I see quite a different visual language from the landing page on the website to this app. APP: get the job done, Website: information, marketing, etc)
2. Workshop I (EXPLORE/DEFINE)
- Get together all the above insights and any other needed from a business perspective, probably with lightning talks
- Pin-down the problem, create HMWs, lay down the user journeys, view opportunities, etc.
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Design / Execute
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2. Workshop II
- Do some ideation (crazy 8s, ideation time, clustering, voting, etc)
- Try to get out of this workshop with one or two working prototypes.
3. Test, iterate, test, iterate... (DEVELOP/TEST, DELIVER/LISTEN)
- Test them dependant on need (Usability tests, hallway tests, user interviews, AB testing...), iterate, involve the team in iterations and user insights that lead to them.
The images above show the current (at the time) onboarding funnel into the investment account. Here's an explanation of my analysis and first thoughts:
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Visually speaking
- On the website you have a very strong visual statement and navigation (animated butterflies and scrollytelling). I understand this is more of a marketing tool (But maybe so is the app, we’re selling a product right?), Why don’t we bring some delightfulness to the app as well?
- I feel like the journey felt lost, I couldn’t particularly recognise the ‘campaign’ across platforms. Especially due to consistency and visual delightfulness
How Might We:
Get the same level of visual communication on the app as we have on the website without compromising content?
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Content communication
- It is not a well-known bank. Can we add partnerships, or background of a bigger bank? Can we somehow show levels of trust? a portfolio... add seriousness
- How about a human side? The team.. it exists on the website but seems lost here. Maybe introduce a tangible asset, like a case study or some team who has done x and y
- Emphasise the environmental side too, maybe this, visually like on the website (in the end it’s the main distinguishing factor)
- Be straight to the point, little text - CTA.
- Due to safety/trust for investors and focus on reducing drop outs.
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How Might We:
Make sure the user trusts us and understands the difference between radicant and normal bank investments?
Understand if the brand communication and journey are catering for the right target audience? and does it feel trustworthy, safe, green (and all the buzz words we need)
Make the journey as simple and straight to the point as possible without compromising on information?
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Collaboration strategy:
1. Business side / management / strategy / expert
- Try to involve people that can be deciders maybe 2-3 people. ie. investment department lead, or main PM if he has such decision power. Some person with a strategic view for how this product is supposed to develop in the future. And finally someone that fully understands the topic and can tell us ‘2 lines of text there really is not enough’.
2. Middle management / creatives / different views
- Here I would include maybe 3-4 people. These can be lead PM on the project, another designer for creative inputs and design reviews, maybe someone with a complete clean view like a sales team person or someone from the banking side.
3. More tech-savvy
Here is where engineers/developers come in, if possible 1 senior person should be enough (for now). Main point is feasibility checks, make sure we’re not spiralling out of control :)
This could be done in various ways, inclusion in the workshops to define the solution, on dailies, weeklies, or the meeting frequency desired based on the phase of the project.
4. Other collaborators: USERS. These should be present at most parts of the journey, to validate both the problem and solutions.
The image above is quite self-explanatory. It just shows some market research, what's being done, from international and national competitors and some design inspiration research.​
After research, I would then look at some basic wire-framing and check what can work with our collaborators and users.
The images above shows some potential solutions to improve the problem. I will not focus on the specific UI for this project, as this portfolio entry is about the approach to the problem.​​
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Hypothesis to be AB tested
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- I believe this page can show the user a clear path for more information, and be a straight-forward entry page with no distractions (ie lots of text, app navigation)
- Keep a better visual consistency to the website.
- If there’s info, it needs to be clear quick wins: a better world, money - hassle-free, safety -> Let’s go.
- Do not discard unsure users, keep a whole section for them, Can test starting with a video / make it more visual (But keep the text!). What about users that need to learn more about the topic in general, maybe AI can help with a chatbot. Explore addressing known questions with FAQs, etc.
- We can also include already below some small print and details, and the next pages can be more straight-forward, like a focused funnel (ie Revolut). Not sure if a 3 step approach is possible ofc.
- Make sure the core values of a Bank, and this bank specifically are being met, make sure we understand what the user's behaviours are telling us.
The desired impact is less drop-outs in this page, and consequently more ‘conversions’, it can mean better informed users with modern ways to get informed, like AI or videos. Better informed clients with less doubts, creation of long-lasting client/company relationships.
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Outcome
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- The key result of this exercise, was that I got offered the full-time Senior product design position with the company. I ended up not taking the opportunity due to changing life circumstances and moving back to London.