For nine months I worked as a freelance Senior UI Designer on the digital products of the largest bank in Belgium. The banking app was rated third best in the world and has extensive features, from arranging mortgages and insurance to managing bank accounts.
Status: engagement of about nine months, August 2022 to April 2023.
Design system: KBC’s design system and its components.
The challenge
A large, mature banking app needs a steady stream of new flows that still feel like one product. My job was to design those flows quickly, in line with the design system, and in close step with the people who research and build them.
My approach
One-on-one with UX researchers
I worked directly with UX researchers, using the design system and all its components to design more than 30 flows. They ranged from arranging and managing inheritances to splitting money with a group of friends. Projects were short, usually two weeks at most, and together they covered roughly 40% of my workload.
Close to development and product
I collaborated closely with developers and product managers to make sure designs were both visually appealing and highly functional. The process often involved A/B testing and usability testing, where I could watch how people actually used the app.
Key challenges
Variety inside a strict system
Every flow was different, but none could break the system. Working within the design system and its components kept 30+ flows consistent and fast to deliver.
Learning from real use
Observing usability tests showed where a design helped and where it did not. Those insights were used to tweak design elements and better match what users needed.
Outcomes
Delivered
- 30+ user flows for the banking app, within the existing design system.
- In parallel, the full redesign of the Bolero trading app (see the Bolero case study).
Results: specific figures can’t be shared for contractual reasons.
