Mobile Banking App Redesign
A complete overhaul of a banking app focusing on improving user experience and accessibility.
Project Overview
Client
FinTech Solutions Inc.
Timeline
12 weeks (Jan - Mar 2023)
My Role
Lead UI/UX Designer
Team
2 UX Designers, 1 UI Designer, 3 Developers, 1 Product Manager
Tools Used
Figma, Miro, Maze, Principle
Problem Statement
FinTech Solutions Inc. was struggling with their existing banking app, which had low user engagement and high drop-off rates. The app was built several years ago and had accumulated feature debt, leading to:
- Confusing navigation structure resulting in users struggling to find common features
- Inconsistent design elements creating a disjointed user experience
- Poor accessibility compliance, excluding users with disabilities
- Complex transaction flows leading to high abandonment rates
- Dated visual design that didn't reflect the company's modern brand identity
"How might we redesign the mobile banking experience to be more intuitive, accessible, and aligned with modern user expectations while increasing engagement and satisfaction?"
Research & Discovery
To fully understand the problems with the existing app and identify opportunities for improvement, I conducted a comprehensive research phase:
User Interviews
Conducted 15 in-depth interviews with current users across different demographics to understand their pain points, needs, and expectations from a banking app.
"I never know where to find the option to change my card PIN. Every time I need to do it, I have to search through multiple menus." - User, 45
Competitive Analysis
Analyzed 8 competing banking apps to identify best practices, common patterns, and areas for potential differentiation.
Usability Testing
Ran moderated usability tests with 10 participants to identify specific usability issues in the current app, focusing on common tasks like checking balances, transferring money, and paying bills.
Key Issues Identified
- Navigation required an average of 4.5 taps to reach common features
- 87% of users failed to complete the bill payment flow without assistance
- Most users couldn't locate account statements without prompting
User Expectations
- Quick access to account balances and recent transactions
- Simple and secure authentication options
- Clear confirmation of completed actions
- Personalized insights about spending habits
Design Process
1. Information Architecture
Based on our research findings, I completely restructured the app's information architecture to create a more intuitive navigation system focused on commonly used features.
The new architecture reduced the number of taps to reach common features from 4.5 to 2 on average.
2. Wireframing
Created low-fidelity wireframes to explore layout options and validate navigation flows before investing in high-fidelity designs.
Early wireframes were tested with users to validate the new information architecture and iterate on the basic layout.
3. Visual Design
Developed a clean, modern visual design system that maintained brand consistency while improving usability and accessibility.
The color palette was carefully selected to provide sufficient contrast for accessibility while maintaining the bank's brand identity.
4. Prototyping & Testing
Created interactive prototypes to test the new design with users and gather feedback before development.
Testing Results
- Task completion rate increased from 65% to 94%
- Average time to complete common tasks reduced by 40%
- User satisfaction scores improved from 3.2/5 to 4.6/5
Final Solution
The redesigned banking app addressed all the key issues identified in the research phase while introducing new features to enhance the overall user experience.
Key Features
Personalized Dashboard
Customizable home screen that displays the most relevant information for each user based on their banking habits.
Simplified Authentication
Integrated biometric login options while maintaining strong security protocols for a faster, more secure login experience.
Intelligent Transaction History
Categorized transactions with search and filter capabilities to help users quickly find specific transactions.
Streamlined Transfers
Redesigned money transfer flow that reduced the steps required while improving clarity and confirmation.
Accessibility Improvements
The redesign prioritized accessibility, implementing WCAG 2.1 guidelines to ensure the app was usable by people with diverse abilities.
- Improved color contrast ratios throughout the interface
- Support for screen readers with proper labeling
- Touch targets sized appropriately for users with motor impairments
- Text sizing and spacing optimized for readability
Results & Impact
The redesigned banking app was launched to a beta group of 5,000 users before being rolled out to all customers. The impact was significant:
Increase in Daily Active Users
Increase in Mobile Transactions
Reduction in Support Tickets
App Store Rating (up from 2.8)
"The redesigned app has transformed how our customers interact with their finances. We've seen engagement metrics exceed our targets across all demographics, including older users who previously avoided the mobile app."
— Sarah Johnson, VP of Digital Products at FinTech Solutions
Long-term Impact
Beyond the immediate metrics, the redesign project established a solid foundation for future development. The modular design system we created has enabled the client to:
- Roll out new features more quickly with consistent design
- Maintain accessibility compliance as the app evolves
- Implement A/B testing for continuous improvement
- Reduce development time for new features by 35%
Reflection
This project was particularly challenging due to the need to balance improved usability with strict financial industry security requirements. It required close collaboration with compliance and security teams to ensure that the redesigned app met all regulatory requirements while still providing an excellent user experience.
Key Learnings
- Involve stakeholders early and often. Working closely with compliance and security teams from day one prevented major revisions later in the process.
- Prioritize accessibility from the start. Building accessibility into the design system rather than treating it as an add-on resulted in a better experience for all users.
- Data can reveal unexpected insights. Usage analytics challenged some of our assumptions about which features were most important to users.
If I were to do it again
I would allocate more time for the initial research phase, particularly for analyzing the existing app's analytics data. Some valuable insights emerged late in the process that could have informed our design decisions earlier. Additionally, I would advocate for a phased rollout approach from the beginning to allow for more iterative improvements based on real-world usage.