Smart Bank
Overview
Smart Bank is a white-label piece of technology that can be integrated into existing banking systems to allow users to better manage and plan their finances via budgeting and saving methods.
The Challenge
I had 10 days to design and deliver a proof of concept (POC) pitch. The idea was to provide users with a simplified approach to managing their finances, with emphasis on budgeting and savings. The product's core features needed to be modular and stand-alone so as to easily integrate into existing banking systems.
IA Feature Map
After researching the banking market, I formed a set of product requirements that aimed to fulfil the initial brief. I then grouped the requirements into modular feature-sets. I later grouped them again to sit within each section of the product’s navigational sitemap. This proved to be a very lean and time-saving approach for planning and organising features.
Sketches
Whilst formulating the product requirements, I drew numerous UI components to capture the modular feature sets. This allowed me to quickly evolve and iterate on ideas.
Branding
I chose Avenir as the primary font for its clean, futuristic feeling, and stuck to a minimal, playful colour palette to enliven the mood of the app.
Visual Design
Due to the potential complexity of the product, I adopted a card-based UI approach, which aims to break down data into digestible bite-sized chunks. The "Reports" section of the app provides users with insight into their spending habits and financial performance, whilst the "Targets" section allows users to set their saving goals and a monthly budget for their spending.
Interaction Design
Last but not least I created an interactive prototype to convey my vision for some of the moving elements. I used micro animations and playful transitions to breath new life into the subject.
Final Thoughts
In the end, the client and I were both very happy with the results. The short delivery time for this pitch taught me how to be even more resourceful and efficient in my workflow. If given more time I'd like to further explore the interactive design elements of the app.