skills
UI/UX design
Product management
Design for development
Cross-functional collaboration
UX research
Figma
Strategy
time
2022 - 2023 (1 year)
role
product manager, researcher
tools
whimsical, figma
project overview
As digital banks started to gain popularity in Indonesia, Lestari Bank took on a digital transformation to remain competitive and gain market share.
As part of this initiative, Lestari wanted to redesign their mobile banking app. I was brought on as the lead product designer and product manager, with the main responsibility of delivering a final design prototype for development.
LestariGo
Banking made easy - a mobile banking app for the 2nd largest rural bank in Indonesia
project type
UI/UX design &
product management
team
Dhika Endi Astowo (UI designer)
Arik Eka (Visual designer)
time
2022 - 2023 (1 year)
role
product manager, researcher
tools
whimsical, figma
project type
UI/UX design & product management
team
Dhika Endi Astowo (UI designer)
Arik Eka (visual designer)
skills
UI/UX design
Product management
Design for development
Cross-functional collaboration
UX research
Figma
Strategy
skills
UI/UX design
Product management
Design for development
Cross-functional collaboration
UX research
Figma
Strategy
time
2022 - 2023 (1 year)
role
product manager, researcher
tools
whimsical, figma
project overview
As digital banks started to gain popularity in Indonesia, Lestari Bank took on a digital transformation to remain competitive and gain market share.
As part of this initiative, Lestari wanted to redesign their mobile banking app. I was brought on as the lead product designer and product manager, with the main responsibility of delivering a final design prototype for development.
LestariGo
Banking made easy - a mobile banking app for the 2nd largest rural bank in Indonesia
project type
UI/UX design &
product management
team
Dhika Endi Astowo (UI designer)
Arik Eka (Visual designer)
time
2022 - 2023 (1 year)
role
product manager, researcher
tools
whimsical, figma
project type
UI/UX design & product management
team
Dhika Endi Astowo (UI designer)
Arik Eka (visual designer)
skills
UI/UX design
Product management
Design for development
Cross-functional collaboration
UX research
Figma
Strategy
skills
UI/UX design
Product management
Design for development
Cross-functional collaboration
UX research
Figma
Strategy
time
2022 - 2023 (1 year)
role
product manager, researcher
tools
whimsical, figma
project overview
As digital banks started to gain popularity in Indonesia, Lestari Bank took on a digital transformation to remain competitive and gain market share.
As part of this initiative, Lestari wanted to redesign their mobile banking app. I was brought on as the lead product designer and product manager, with the main responsibility of delivering a final design prototype for development.
LestariGo
Banking made easy - a mobile banking app for the 2nd largest rural bank in Indonesia
project type
UI/UX design &
product management
team
Dhika Endi Astowo (UI designer)
Arik Eka (Visual designer)
time
2022 - 2023 (1 year)
role
product manager, researcher
tools
whimsical, figma
project type
UI/UX design & product management
team
Dhika Endi Astowo (UI designer)
Arik Eka (visual designer)
skills
UI/UX design
Product management
Design for development
Cross-functional collaboration
UX research
Figma
Strategy
The problem
The problem
Current mobile banking app needs a revamp
Current mobile banking app needs a revamp
Lestari's current mobile banking app, LestariMobile, was designed a long time ago and has not been updated. The outdated UI and the lack of "standard" features like online onboarding alienated the future, younger customer base.
Lestari's current mobile banking app, LestariMobile, was designed a long time ago and has not been updated. The outdated UI and the lack of "standard" features like online onboarding alienated the future, younger customer base.
Strategic need to go transactional
Strategic need to go transactional
As a rural bank, Lestari had a goal to be regularly used by customers for transactions and not just for savings. The mobile banking app is a key platform to this strategy as it can increase the number of transactions through transfer and payment features.
As a rural bank, Lestari had a goal to be regularly used by customers for transactions and not just for savings. The mobile banking app is a key platform to this strategy as it can increase the number of transactions through transfer and payment features.
01
02
How might we design a user-friendly mobile banking experience
that can help users manage finances and execute transactions, ultimately
positioning Lestari to be a transactional bank?
How might we design a user-friendly mobile banking experience
that can help users manage finances and execute transactions, ultimately
positioning Lestari to be a transactional bank?
jump to design process
Solution
Solution
Our solution was a new, fresh mobile banking app called LestariGo. LestariGo is intended to replace LestariMobile in 2024.
LestariGo is optimized for transactions to encourage customers to start viewing Lestari as a transactional bank rather than just a savings institution.
Staying true to Lestari's core identity and brand for personal finance management, LestariGo is also designed for users to easily see and manage their savings and loans portfolio in Lestari.
Our solution was a new, fresh mobile banking app called LestariGo. LestariGo is intended to replace LestariMobile in 2024.
LestariGo is optimized for transactions to encourage customers to start viewing Lestari as a transactional bank rather than just a savings institution.
Staying true to Lestari's core identity and brand for personal finance management, LestariGo is also designed for users to easily see and manage their savings and loans portfolio in Lestari.
LestariGo offers an easier, all-online onboarding process
LestariGo offers an easier, all-online onboarding process
read my design process below
Design process overview
Design process overview
I had to adapt my design process to the constraints of the project timeline and available resources. Although timeline was tight, I made sure that some research was done to set up the project for success. I also brought in a UI designer and a visual designer to the team on the last phase of the project so that the deliverable was completed on time with the highest quality.
I had to adapt my design process to the constraints of the project timeline and available resources. Although timeline was tight, I made sure that some research was done to set up the project for success. I also brought in a UI designer and a visual designer to the team on the last phase of the project so that the deliverable was completed on time with the highest quality.
project planning
project planning
Estimated how long each key activity will last and communicated it with stakeholders (developer team, managerial team, etc.)
Estimated how long each key activity will last and communicated it with stakeholders (developer team, managerial team, etc.)
kickoff research
kickoff research
2-3 weeks conducting initial research on current app's usability and pain points to find points of improvements. Also conducted competitive research.
2-3 weeks conducting initial research on current app's usability and pain points to find points of improvements. Also conducted competitive research.
brainstorming + wireframing
brainstorming + wireframing
Brainstormed new user experience using wireframes. These were used to align and brainstorm with Lestari's business and IT teams.
Brainstormed new user experience using wireframes. These were used to align and brainstorm with Lestari's business and IT teams.
high-fidelity prototyping
high-fidelity prototyping
Developed high-fidelity prototypes for the new app and went through review cycles with the developers to ensure technical feasibility and alignment.
Developed high-fidelity prototypes for the new app and went through review cycles with the developers to ensure technical feasibility and alignment.
The tracker was updated regularly as revisions were made to the scope.
This asset was proven very useful when aligning with stakeholders on what should be designed for the new experience. During the development phase, the developing team also found themselves continuously referring back to this tracker.
The tracker was updated regularly as revisions were made to the scope.
This asset was proven very useful when aligning with stakeholders on what should be designed for the new experience. During the development phase, the developing team also found themselves continuously referring back to this tracker.
I started with creating a schedule (+tracker) that detailed the scope of the new app
I started with creating a schedule (+tracker) that detailed the scope of the new app
PHASE 1: PROJECT PLANNING
PHASE 2: KICKOFF RESEARCH
I conducted a 3-part research as part of the project kickoff
The photo album industry is fragmented
There is no leading brand in the photo album industry - they're mostly mass manufactured products with no identity
The photo album industry is "left behind"
Existing designs are stuck in the 90s - there is very little innovation in the space as people assume that we're moving online
Parallel industries are seeing innovation
There is a rise of bullet journaling and as a result, increase in beautiful, minimalist stationary (notebooks and journals)
01 - Competitive research
I explored 6 top mobile banking apps that were popular in the market, comparing them against LestariMobile.
02 - New account opening usability study
I conducted a usability study with 4 users (not existing customers), with the task of opening an account using LestariMobile.
03 - Lestari call center field visit
I observed the new account opening process from Lestari's perspective and conducted an interview with the call center agents.
I decided to focus my research on the new account opening experience, as that has been flagged as the biggest pain point with LestariMobile.
PHASE 2: KICKOFF RESEARCH
I conducted a 3-part research as part of the project kickoff
The photo album industry is fragmented
There is no leading brand in the photo album industry - they're mostly mass manufactured products with no identity
The photo album industry is "left behind"
Existing designs are stuck in the 90s - there is very little innovation in the space as people assume that we're moving online
Parallel industries are seeing innovation
There is a rise of bullet journaling and as a result, increase in beautiful, minimalist stationary (notebooks and journals)
01 - Competitive research
I explored 6 top mobile banking apps that were popular in the market, comparing them against LestariMobile.
02 - New account opening usability study
I conducted a usability study with 4 users (not existing customers), with the task of opening an account using LestariMobile.
03 - Lestari call center field visit
I observed the new account opening process from Lestari's perspective and conducted an interview with the call center agents.
I decided to focus my research on the new account opening experience, as that has been flagged as the biggest pain point with LestariMobile.
I started my research by downloading the top 6 mobile banking apps in Indonesia and creating accounts with them.
For each of them, I gave a score (1-5) for each following metrics :
Onboarding experience
Features/functionality
User interface design
Customer service experience/integration
I then took the average of the score to create an overall "user experience score" for each of the mobile banking apps.
The 2x2 shown here is the mapping of these apps, including LestariMobile. It's interesting to note that the digital banks tend to score highly on the user experience score.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Compared to competitors, Lestari's onboarding process is severely lacking. While others can cater to fully digital new account opening, Lestari still requires a video call. This requires not only a redesign of the new account opening flow on the app, but a redesign of the Lestari's business process as well. On top of that, Lestari's UI is not at all the same level as the other apps in the market.
I started my research by downloading the top 6 mobile banking apps in Indonesia and creating accounts with them.
For each of them, I gave a score (1-5) for each following metrics :
Onboarding experience
Features/functionality
User interface design
Customer service experience/integration
I then took the average of the score to create an overall "user experience score" for each of the mobile banking apps.
The 2x2 shown here is the mapping of these apps, including LestariMobile. It's interesting to note that the digital banks tend to score highly on the user experience score.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Compared to competitors, Lestari's onboarding process is severely lacking. While others can cater to fully digital new account opening, Lestari still requires a video call. This requires not only a redesign of the new account opening flow on the app, but a redesign of the Lestari's business process as well. On top of that, Lestari's UI is not at all the same level as the other apps in the market.
Competitive research revealed that Lestari needed to rehaul both its processes and UI/UX aspects of its mobile banking app…
Competitive research revealed that Lestari needed to rehaul both its processes and UI/UX aspects of its mobile banking app…
My usability study actually challenged my initial assumption that there is a big need for seamless, quick, account opening process…
My usability study actually challenged my initial assumption that there is a big need for seamless, quick, account opening process…
General aversion to open new bank accounts
People’s previous experiences and lack of understanding of banking ecosystem lead to aversion to open new bank accounts and to experiment with things outside of the norm (e.g. opening an account in a digital bank)
"Yeah… I only have BCA (major incumbent in Indonesia) because I'm afraid to try new things."
General aversion to open new bank accounts
People’s previous experiences and lack of understanding of banking ecosystem lead to aversion to open new bank accounts and to experiment with things outside of the norm (e.g. opening an account in a digital bank)
"Yeah… I only have BCA (major incumbent in Indonesia) because I'm afraid to try new things."
01
Existing expectations for security increases user tolerance for hassle
While users perceive banks to be needing a lot of "hassle", there is a higher tolerance for complexity due to the high-security nature of banks. Making this process “too easy” can actually backfire on the perceived credibility of the bank.
"I mean, yeah, it's a lot of hassle - but it's OK. It's a bank, after all."
Existing expectations for security increases user tolerance for hassle
While users perceive banks to be needing a lot of "hassle", there is a higher tolerance for complexity due to the high-security nature of banks. Making this process “too easy” can actually backfire on the perceived credibility of the bank.
"I mean, yeah, it's a lot of hassle - but it's OK. It's a bank, after all."
02
Usability test findings highlight several UI/UX improvements to be made
The current onboarding user journey contains several drop-off/risk points, but not as many as I anticipated. However, there are improvements that we can implement in the next design to enhance user experience
"This onboarding process is actually pretty easy - it's not that confusing and it's pretty fast."
Usability test findings highlight several UI/UX improvements to be made
The current onboarding user journey contains several drop-off/risk points, but not as many as I anticipated. However, there are improvements that we can implement in the next design to enhance user experience
"This onboarding process is actually pretty easy - it's not that confusing and it's pretty fast."
03
I asked my participants to download and attempt to create an account with Lestari through LestariMobile. Then, I debriefed with an interview to get information about how they perceive mobile banking apps in general and how this experience was for them. The study gave me the following insights:
I asked my participants to download and attempt to create an account with Lestari through LestariMobile. Then, I debriefed with an interview to get information about how they perceive mobile banking apps in general and how this experience was for them. The study gave me the following insights:
While people say that they don't mind a less easy onboarding process, my trip to the call center says otherwise…
While people say that they don't mind a less easy onboarding process, my trip to the call center says otherwise…
184
people decided to cancel their account opening in one sample month
people decided to cancel their account opening in one sample month
84
potential customers lost because they were unable to be followed-up during the new account opening process
potential customers lost because they were unable to be followed-up during the new account opening process
10%
customers are estimated to give up on opening an account because of the current onboarding process
customers are estimated to give up on opening an account because of the current onboarding process
At the call center, I observed several people calling in for a video call as part of their new account opening experience.
I also saw Lestari's customer service agents conducting follow-up calls for those who have dropped off during the onboarding process.
At the call center, I observed several people calling in for a video call as part of their new account opening experience.
I also saw Lestari's customer service agents conducting follow-up calls for those who have dropped off during the onboarding process.
Overall, my research enabled me to define these design criteria to keep in mind during the next few months of designing!
Overall, my research enabled me to define these design criteria to keep in mind during the next few months of designing!
01
Make it as painless as possible to open an account; minimize friction
Make it as painless as possible to open an account;
minimize friction
02
Communicate clear value proposition before users open an account
Communicate clear value proposition before users open an account
03
Signal high security and transparency through copywriting and UI design
Signal high security and transparency through copywriting and UI design
I then started brainstorming different concepts for the new app through wireframing
I then started brainstorming different concepts for the new app through wireframing
PHASE 3: BRAINSTORMING + WIREFRAMING
I created wireframes using Whimsical to explore concepts, flows, and features. The wireframes serve as two main purposes in our design process:
To get alignment from business, IT, and marketing teams on feature ideas and experiences through brainstorming and share-out sessions
To be a starting point for my UI and visual designer to start designing the user interface
initial concepting
Aimed for a wide variation of initial ideas for discussion
Aimed for a wide variation of initial ideas for discussion
brainstorming with core team
Discussed ideas and direction with my immediate core team containing representatives from business and IT at Lestari
Discussed ideas and direction with my immediate core team containing representatives from business and IT at Lestari
final wireframes creation
Based on the results of the brainstorming discussion, I created the "final blueprint" of the flow with wireframes
Based on the results of the brainstorming discussion, I created the "final blueprint" of the flow with wireframes
final review with stakeholders
Once a group of related flows are done (e.g. a feature), I hold a review session with stakeholders for buy-in and to capture final revisions
Once a group of related flows are done (e.g. a feature), I hold a review session with stakeholders for buy-in and to capture final revisions
handoff to UI/visual designers
The approved wireframes are then handed off to my small UI design team to polish into screens
The approved wireframes are then handed off to my small UI design team to polish into screens
Every flow I wireframed went through the following process to ensure alignment and buy-in:
I created wireframes using Whimsical to explore concepts, flows, and features. The wireframes serve as two main purposes in our design process:
To get alignment from business, IT, and marketing teams on feature ideas and experiences through brainstorming and share-out sessions
To be a starting point for my UI and visual designer to start designing the user interface
Every flow I wireframed went through the following process to ensure alignment and buy-in:
For every flow, we created high-fidelity, interactive prototypes to submit to our developing team
For every flow, we created high-fidelity, interactive prototypes to submit to our developing team
PHASE 4: HIGH-FIDELITY PROTOTYPING
User Interface Design
While I had a design team to help me bring the screens to life, as the product manager and lead designer, I reviewed every single screen produced and provided direction for the visual identity of the UI. The main principles guiding our visual design directions are:
Fits Lestari's brand persona (friendly, personable and credible)
Cohesive with Lestari's visual brand identity
Clean and simple
Review Process
For every flow that we prototyped, we held an additional final presentation/review with stakeholders. Sometimes, the session presented us with more revisions and changes in directions. Once a prototype is approved, we created a business requirement document (BRD) to submit with the prototype to the developing team.
User Interface Design
While I had a design team to help me bring the screens to life, as the product manager and lead designer, I reviewed every single screen produced and provided direction for the visual identity of the UI. The main principles guiding our visual design directions are:
Fits Lestari's brand persona (friendly, personable and credible)
Cohesive with Lestari's visual brand identity
Clean and simple
Review Process
For every flow that we prototyped, we held an additional final presentation/review with stakeholders. Sometimes, the session presented us with more revisions and changes in directions. Once a prototype is approved, we created a business requirement document (BRD) to submit with the prototype to the developing team.
My learnings and reflection
My learnings and reflection
With our learnings in mind, we began the design of our first product
When working cross-functionally with multiple stakeholders, alignment is incredibly important
Sometimes, all it takes is just to put everyone in the same room (if possible). Things like taking good meeting minutes, transparent communication, and regular touch points become very important.
01
Understanding business and process constraints when working with larger organizations with tight regulations
As designers, it is easy to be idealistic about how the "dream product" would look like. However, designers must also understand real-life constraints that can make ideas unfeasible to implement.
03
With multiple rounds of revisions, changes in decisions can get overwhelming and must be managed
If I were to redo this project again, I would have implemented a better change management system to keep track of decisions, agreements, and changes made to the product.
02
When there is not much time for user research and testing, get resourceful to test validity of ideas
As Lestari had little user research capabilities and time was limited, I relied on internal employees, like customer service agents and business unit managers who could be the voice of future users.
04
Leading customer discovery and UX research for a location-based social media startup at a college campus of 32,000+ students.
Radius
Leading customer discovery and UX research for a location-based social media startup at a college campus of 32,000+ students.
Radius
See more projects
See more projects
@ 2023 Samantha Chandra
@ 2023 Samantha Chandra