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Discount Bank - Bringing the portal to the digital age
Portal Design
Creating Discount Bank's Portal
Crafting Seamless Digital Experiences in Financial Services
In a Nutshell
In a move to modernize its online banking experience, Discount Bank, one of Israel's leading financial institutions, embarked on an ambitious overhaul of its platform. This initiative was driven by the necessity to transition from an outdated web 1.0 portal to a cutting-edge digital platform that meets the dynamic needs of today's banking customers.
Partnering with UniqUI, a design studio celebrated for its user-centric approach, I was assigned as the UX-UI designer, tasked with steering this transformative project. Our goal was to create an intuitive, secure, and accessible online environment that empowers clients with seamless account management, real-time financial insights, and comprehensive access to banking services. This collaboration aimed to set a new standard in online banking excellence, blending my expertise in UX/UI design with Discount Bank's commitment to financial excellence and customer service.
The Company
Discount Bank - Premier Israeli financial institution, providing diverse banking services with a customer-centric approach. Committed to innovation, they deliver personalized solutions, improving experiences for individuals and businesses.
UniqUI - a renowned design studio, excels in user-centered design, delivering intuitive interfaces and captivating experiences across industries. Known for innovation and expertise in user behavior, they lead in digital design excellence.
My Role
Stepping into this project as the UX-UI Designer, my responsibilities straddled the realms of aesthetics and usability. Tasked with the design of the website, my role was pivotal in ensuring the platform was both visually appealing and functionally robust. Collaborating closely with UX researchers, developers, and user testers, I played a big role in crafting a design strategy that prioritized user experience while reflecting Discount Bank's brand ethos.
Challenges Identification
The Discount Bank portal redesign presented a compelling set of challenges that demanded creative solutions to ensure a successful outcome.
‍Here's a breakdown of the key hurdles we faced:
Navigating Complexity
The key was to simplify a wide range of financial services and functionalities into a user-friendly, easily navigable interface. This meant creating clear structures, intuitive navigation, and efficient search functions for users with varying financial literacy.
Ensuring Inclusivity & Accessibility
The user experience needed to be optimized for individuals with varying levels of digital proficiency. This meant prioritizing clarity, simplicity, and intuitive design principles to ensure seamless interaction for all users, regardless of their technical background.
Balancing Brand Identity & Flexibility
It was crucial to balance preserving Discount Bank's brand identity with creating a flexible platform for different sections. The design had to be visually cohesive yet adaptable to individual mini-sites within the larger platform.
Navigating Regulatory Constraints
Adherence to strict banking regulations imposed specific design limitations regarding features, placements, and wording. The design team had to navigate these constraints while still prioritizing user experience and achieving the overall design goals.
Collaboration & Integration
A close partnership between multiple companies ensured a unified user experience across both web and mobile platforms. Design consistency, shared information architecture, and smooth transitions between environments were established.
Internal Alignment & Objectives
Balancing the diverse objectives and priorities of different departments within the bank posed an additional challenge. We had to navigate these internal dynamics while ensuring the overall platform catered to the broader needs of Discount Bank and its customers.
By effectively addressing these challenges, the design team aimed to create a user-centric digital banking experience that was not only visually appealing and functionally robust but also accessible, secure, and aligned with Discount Bank's brand identity and regulatory requirements.
Bringing Vision to Life: User-Centric Design and Visuals
To translate the strategic vision into reality, we employed a user-centric approach, meticulously crafting four distinct mini-sites:
1
Private Accounts:
‍Offering a clear overview of accounts and savings, it empowers individuals to manage their finances with ease.
2
Business Plus:
‍Designed for businesses of all sizes, it facilitates comprehensive account management, from expense tracking to investment management.
3
Capital Market:
‍Equipped with advanced tools and dashboards, it allows for real-time execution of capital market transactions.
4
English Website:
‍Caters specifically to English-speaking clients, addressing the intricacies of managing accounts with multiple currencies.
These mini-sites are visually unified yet adaptable, reflecting Discount Bank's brand identity while catering to the specific needs of each user segment.
Intuitive User Interfaces and Visual Elements
Translating the user-centric approach into tangible results, we crafted a series of visual design elements that enhance the user experience all across the platform.
Here are some of the designs:
Onboarding Page
Stylized and engaging: The onboarding page welcomes users with a visually appealing design that highlights the benefits and key features of the platform.
Desktop Navigation
Intuitive and efficient: Different screens showcase the website's layout and navigation on desktops, demonstrating various sections, functionalities and layouts.
English Mini-site - Portfolio Summary
Tailored experience: The English mini-site features a dedicated portfolio summary, catering to the specific needs of English-speaking clients managing multi-currency accounts.
Mobile Responsiveness
Seamless experience across devices: Various mobile web view screens illustrate how the platform adapts and maintains functionality on smartphone web browsers.
Loan Application Process
Streamlined and user-friendly: A clean and distraction-free screen showcases the loan request process, highlighting tailor-made options and the ability to build customized loan structures.
Responsive Loan Builder
Adaptable across devices: Adaptable layouts for both desktop and mobile web views, ensuring a consistent and intuitive experience regardless of device, keeping all of the main elements.
Impact and Future Potential
While specific data regarding the platform's impact is unavailable due to regulatory limitations, Discount Bank has reported several key achievements since its launch:
Enhanced Engagement
Intuitive design and personalization have led to increased user engagement and satisfaction.
Improved Efficiency
 Clear navigation reduces time spent on banking tasks, boosting user efficiency.
Positive Feedback
Users praise the platform's ease of use and clarity, highlighting its success.
Future Potential
The platform lays the groundwork for exploring new features and services, driving further innovation.
These qualitative indicators suggest a significant positive impact on Discount Bank's digital presence.
Lessons Learned
This project was a stepping stone for me, having working with a financial establishment for the first time, and collaborating with known experts in the UX research field to learn from, offered valuable lessons:
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Fostering Collaborative Partnerships: Effective collaboration between diverse teams (design, development, research) is crucial for achieving a unified vision and navigating complex challenges. Open communication, shared goals, and mutual respect are essential for success.
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Prioritizing User-Centric Design: Throughout the process, prioritizing user needs and conducting iterative testing ensured the platform catered to diverse user segments and their varying levels of financial literacy and digital proficiency.
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Balancing Flexibility with Brand Identity: Striking a balance between maintaining brand consistency and allowing for adaptability within different sections of the platform is essential. This ensures a cohesive user experience while catering to specific needs of each user group.
This project was a stepping stone for me, having working with a financial establishment for the first time, and collaborating with known experts in the UX research field to learn from, offered valuable lessons:
Thank you!
Thanks for taking the time to learn about this project.
I hope this case study provides valuable insights into the process and the lessons learned! 🫡
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