INDUSTRY:
BANKING
TYPE:
COMPETITION
YEAR:
2024
EXPERIENCE:
PRODUCT DESIGN
YesBank
about.
Xplor International: Annual University Communication Design Competition
While the title itself might be a mouthful to say, the premise is quite simple: Xplor International, an organization dedicated to the advancement of the customer communication management (CCM) industry, hosts a yearly design competition for university students to compete in.
The following case study explores our competition entry, where teams were challenged to redesign a bank statement for the fictional "YesBank" along with its digital extensions. The designs were to meet a set of technical and aesthetic criteria to improve functionality, accessibility, and visuals.
We developed a comprehensive redesign that spanned print, web, and mobile experiences. My main role focused on creating the mobile banking app in Figma and contributing to our research process.
challenge.
The prompt required us to balance aesthetics, compliance, accessibility, and practicality in reimagining a billing statement for a fictional customer, Caroline McCarthy, who is a 34-year-old single mother with incomplete achromatopsia.
Our challenge was to make a statement that was visually functional, secure, and accessible to people with visual impairments, while extending the design into digital and mobile formats.
My contributions
Brainstorming: Conducted an analysis of preexisting banking software and ran surveys to gauge which aspects of their designs were most liked by users. Conducted observational user studies to take note of design choices in competitor apps.
Wireframing: Undertook the redesign of app screens and flows that would be central to communicating the overall purpose and functionality of our app, addressing all competition rubric criteria. Ensured consistency of design across web, mobile, and print.
Mid-Fidelity Prototyping: Leveraged Figma's prototyping ability to navigate the YesBank app as Caroline McCarthy would. These prototypes focused on function over form, as the competition deadline was approaching and well-informed design choices were valued over pixel-perfect UI.
results.
What did you make?
Physically, we produced a redesigned print statement that exceeded accessibility standards, incorporated personalization through variable data printing, and included targeted financial ads relevant to our given user persona.
Digitally, we prototyped a mobile app and website that provided easy navigation, multiple payment methods, and accessibility features such as voiceover and AI assistance. My mobile design prioritized intuitive user flows, consistent design language with other YesBank channels, and multiple secure payment methods.
How'd the competition go?
We ended up placing second in the competition's regional bracket, with judges noting the strength of our accessibility, research, and overall presentation quality despite the team consisting entirely of freshmen.
Later, Xplor International invited us to attend the national conference in Orlando, Florida, where we would connect with industry professionals, attend educational seminars, and witness the final national bracket of the design competition.
footnotes.
Outcome
The team which placed first in the regional bracket at Cal Poly, who we were supporting at nationals, ended up winning the entire competition. We all got the opportunity to attend educational sessions taught by long-time industry experts, delve into offshoots of design we hadn't explored previously, and see the real impact that evolving technology has on our future respective desired industries. Sadly, we did have to leave a bit early due to the landfall of hurricaine Helene.
Reflection
Since completing this project, I've had many more opportunities to develop my skills in Figma (and more!). While I think this project is a good demonstration of my passion, collaboration, and research abilities, my skills within Figma specifically have far improved since designing this application. That said, I am very happy with the results of this competition and the experience I was able to take away from it.
