Google UX Project

  • Users are experiencing difficulty locating and completing essential banking tasks such as money transfers, bill payments, and peer-to-peer payments within the mobile app. The current navigation structure buries critical features under multiple layers, leading to frustration, increased time on task, and potential abandonment of the app in favor of more intuitive alternatives.

  • The mobile banking app’s usability challenges are contributing to low completion rates for high-value actions like transfers and payments. This not only reduces customer engagement within the app but also results in missed cross-sell opportunities for additional banking products. Furthermore, usability issues are driving customers to seek help through branches and call centers, increasing operational costs and limiting the overall ROI of the bank’s digital investments.

  • Age: 25–45 years old


    Tech Comfort: Tech-savvy, comfortable with mobile apps, digital payments, and online financial tools


    Life Stage: Working professionals, freelancers, young families, side hustlers managing multiple financial accounts


    Needs:

    • Seamless, fast money movement (transfers, Zelle, bill pay)

    • Budgeting and account management tools

    • Access to credit cards, loans, investment features

    • Strong security features and easy alerts

US Bank

    • Clean, modern layout: Their web app features a simple design with clear typography and spacing.

    • Customizable dashboard: Users can adjust widgets for accounts, spending, and budgets, giving more control over what’s visible.

    • Good accessibility: Color contrast and large touch targets help usability for a wide range of users.

    • Security notifications: Frequent alerts and notifications for unusual activities.

    • Navigation can feel buried: Important tasks (like setting up external transfers) are several clicks deep.

    • Inconsistent icon usage: Sometimes icons are unclear or not universally recognized.

    • Limited real-time data: Some transactions take longer to reflect, affecting perceived system feedback.

    • Cluttered mobile-to-desktop transition: Certain features available on the app don’t translate well to desktop or vice versa.

Research

JPM Chase

    • Robust feature set: Strong personal finance tools, easy transfers, credit score monitoring, Zelle integration.

    • Consistent navigation: Global nav makes it easy to find major features like payments, accounts, and rewards.

    • Responsive design: The desktop experience translates well to mobile without significant content loss.

    • Real-time updates: Faster posting of transactions and real-time balance updates improve user confidence.

    • Overwhelming for new users: The wealth of features and nested menus may overwhelm first-time users.

    • Outdated aesthetics in places: Some areas still have legacy design elements that feel visually inconsistent.

    • Too text-heavy: Certain sections (like disclosures or investment details) overload users with dense information.

    • Promotional content: Users sometimes complain about too many upsell offers and banners cluttering the experience.

Bank of America

    • Highly intuitive dashboard: Clear categorization of accounts, easy-to-skim balance summaries, and quick action buttons.

    • Erica (AI assistant): Helpful virtual assistant for transaction search, bill pay, and budgeting tips.

    • Accessibility: Strong support for screen readers, good contrast, and customizable settings.

    • Seamless app-to-desktop parity: UX feels consistent across devices, supporting continuity of tasks.

    • Dated design in some flows: Certain flows like check ordering or older service portals feel disconnected from the main UI.

    • Erica can be underutilized: Some users don’t find Erica discoverable or know what to use it for.

    • Notifications management: Users sometimes find alert preferences tricky to customize (too many steps).

    • Load times: Some lag reported, especially when toggling between accounts or pulling historical data.

Storyboard