2018 . Apoorv Tomar
The new Standard Bank design triggered positive responses on the social media from users and received a few awards in the finance industry.
WINNER
Channel/
Distribution
Innovation
Infosys Finacle Client Innovation Awards 2015
WINNER
Innovative Custom Components
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Standard Bank ‘Instant Money’
Infosys Finacle Client Innovation Awards 2017
Accolades and feedback
We realised that customers tend to use only a handful of services during their banking sessions with only 20% of the key services accounting for 80% of transactions. Keeping this in mind, we took a one-page banking approach which captured only these frequently used services on the homepage.
A ‘one page' banking approach
Innovation is a continuous process that requires businesses to stay connected to its users all the time. We proposed a structure where we keep a constant tab on consumption patterns and respond to findings with agility.
Design intended to create flexible layers which allowed customisation to successfully address varying user behaviour.
We collaborated with multiple teams of Standard Bank at various levels to leverage each other’s strengths for a holistic understanding and design approach.
Collaboration
Continuous innovation
Flexibility
Take aways!
Account details with contextual actions.
Visual design was one of the primary things we needed to address, keeping in mind certain constraints like:

- Scalability across all 16 countries in Africa
- Lighter and faster to reduce screen loading time
- Clean and minimal design
- Responsive across all devices
Challenges for visual language
Payment process made simple and quick.
Since Standard Bank operates across 16 countries in Africa, it was extremely important to ensure that the design was easily scalable with minimal changes. By utilising a card-based one page banking approach, we ensured that the experience could be easily customised across countries while keeping in mind the brand consistency.
Reduced total cost of operation with every rollout
Contextual Actions
Mobile First Approach
Quick Action Links
— Pay, Buy, Redeem
PFM as a Fabric
While i’m looking at my account details, what are the most important things for me to see and do?
Design for the most constraint screen to create comfort for the customer on mobile devices. Adaptability and consistency across devices. Unified navigation strategy on mobile, tablet and desktop.
Task oriented design. Ability to do certain important tasks accessible from any page in the internet banking. To efficiently perform one task at a time, without any distractions.
Show me insights on my accounts and transactions when I need it the most. We want people to come to their internet banking, not just to see their money or transact, but to plan their finances.
Key design principles
A smooth and efficient design which reflected brand pedigree and joy for the user. This experience is also translated across devices by making it responsive.
An experience worthy of the top bank in Africa
Explores a fixed layout user interaction model where in the menu elements are consistent across all pages. User can switch between tasks and screens as desired.
Explores functionalities based on the various banking environments. UI is intended to be fluid and customisable.
Presenting information in a contextual way. Relevant information and actions are shown in a more progressive manner without burdening the user.
Contextual
Navigation Model
Persistent
Navigation Model
Orientation
Navigation Model
A comprehensive user research threw light on the key user behavior patterns of Standard Bank customers. As a result of User and Business stakeholder research, the findings were studied and analysed for a possible design direction. Inferences were summarised and evaluated against, during ideation and design.
Initial design directions based on research insights
User comments on internet banking
User comments on internet banking
User comments on usage and culture
Banking behaviour
Key insights from user research.
User interviews conducted in Lagos, Nigeria to understand banking behaviour and the unmet needs of Nigerian citizens around banking.
Before full fledged research at locale, a bootstrap process was initiated in Moonraft’s Bangalore office with a set of users from the representative countries.
This helped in formulating an initial research hypothesis.
Highly paid and skilled workers who are more likely to use advanced technologies, consist of one group as they can improve their productivity through internet banking usage.
White-collar workers
Consumers who have service, labor, farming, fishing, and forestry jobs. They probably have less opportunity to use computers or the internet in their workplace, although they would want constantly to stay in touch with their money and manage finances on their mobile phones.
Blue-collar workers
Standard Bank’s target demography was divided into groups based on Occupation, as occupation is seen as a significant factor for adoption of Internet Banking.
Target user group
With support from Standard Bank stakeholders Moonraft undertook a thorough research activity in Nigeria to understand the behaviour and attitude of users towards internet banking and banking in general.
User research
We gained insights into Standard Bank’s broader vision from the perspective of what was offered to the customer currently and what was expected in the future.
We also understood their business strategy and how they drive revenue/sales through online channel.
Stakeholder comments on user behaviour
Stakeholder comments on limitations
Stakeholder comments on bank perspective
Stakeholder comments on communications
Glimpses from some of the stakeholder research insights we gathered.
Standard Bank’s business was spread across many departments with representatives from all countries. We did an extensive research to understand broader vision of the bank and identify a fine thread that can spread across geographies.
Business stakeholders
As part of the project, we started with a comprehensive design research, starting from interviewing various country stakeholders followed by conducting a detailed user research in Nigeria, which is understood to be the most active and competitive market for Standard Bank among other African countries.
Design research
Through this project, Standard Bank endeavoured to be a complete Digital Bank by 2016. Their aim was to be the no. 1 in their key and varied African markets i.e. Namibia, Nigeria & Kenya. Customer experience being the unique differentiator across all geographies, we intended to create a unified user experience across various segments; delivering consistent experience across different form factors as a single solution with a responsive navigation strategy.
Understanding banks vision
We were engaged to conceptualise and design the user experience for better customer engagement, one that addresses the unique demands of consumers across 16 countries without deviating from consistent brand experience. Consistency and easily scalable experience thus became the key aspects, among many other things.
Digital banking experience that addresses scale and diversity across 16 countries
Standard Bank, one of Africa’s largest financial organisation with operations in 16 countries, wanted to redesign the digital banking experience for its Retail and Small-medium enterprise customers across multiple geographies.
As their digital experience partner, I had the opportunity to lead the design effort from Moonraft’s end to design and deliver an experience worthy of the top bank in Africa.
Unified experience across geographies
2015 — 2016
Standard Bank
Interaction Design
Johannesburg, Lagos, Bangalore

Digital Banking Sans Borders
About
APOORV TOMAR
Work
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