Balancing Innovation with Legacy Systems

01. Overview

This case study showcases how I balanced innovation with practicality within legacy banking systems during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Discover the tools and processes that made this possible through the Your Monthly Wrap-Up feature for ANZ Bank.

02. Role

Beyond Design Limits

At ANZ Bank—Australia's smallest of the 'Big Four' banks by market capitalisation—we operate with a lean digital team. Just seven designers handle both UX and UI for the mobile app, and my role often overlapped with Product Owners and Business Analysts.

My Role Beyond UX Design
03. Key Challenges

Breaking Legacy
Barriers

Challenge

ANZ relies on some outdated systems, which can limit our ability to roll out innovative ideas. My challenge was to drive innovation while navigating these technical constraints.

Solution

To strike the right balance between constraints and creativity, I developed a UX Prioritisation Model. We start with baseline requirements to ensure core needs are met. Then, a small team explores innovative ideas without limitations. The game-changing concepts are shared with the wider group for consideration.

UX Prioritisation Model

A thousand minds,
one heartbeat

Challenge

Getting design approval was a complex process involving design leads, product owners, legal, tech leads, accessibility, and security teams. It was time-consuming, and the diverse feedback often added layers of complication.

Solution

I developed a set of principles to improve sign-off efficiency, enabling better time management and ensuring stakeholders receive maximum value with minimal time investment.

Stakeholder Management Principles

Do your homework: Invest time upfront to prepare and align with stakeholders. It speeds up sign-off down the line.

Waste no time: Streamline meetings by trimming unnecessary participants and appointing a coordinator to keep things on track.

Use tools wisely: Choose the most suitable communication method—whether it's email, one-on-one chats, or group meetings.

Done is better than perfect: Accept that not everything can be resolved. Prioritise tasks by impact using frameworks like MoSCoW.

Show, don't tell: Support design decisions with data and user research. Real-world examples or case studies can make a big difference.

Build relationships: Get to know key decision-makers and don't hesitate to lean on them to help resolve disputes.

04. PROCESS

Challenges Spark
Innovation

Challenges

Inheriting a Pre-Designed Solution

We were handed a solution crafted by another team. This was both a hurdle and an opportunity. With fresh eyes, we could refine the design and spot areas ripe for improvement.

Navigating Remote Work During COVID-19

The pandemic changed how we work, pushing us to adapt our workflow to a fully remote environment.

Solution

The Discovery Sprint Process

To tackle these challenges head-on, I developed the Discovery Sprint process—a remote-friendly twist on the Google Design Sprint. This approach leverages asynchronous activities and digital tools to avoid the need for a full-week workshop. It ensures seamless collaboration across teams while fitting neatly into everyone's schedules, even with the quirks of remote work.

Key Features

  • Fully Remote: Every aspect is handled remotely—no office required.

  • Efficient Meetings: We keep meetings under an hour to respect everyone's time.

  • Pre-Reading Provided: Materials are shared beforehand so the team hits the ground running.

  • Structured Presentations: Team members present their findings and recommendations in allocated slots, keeping things organised.

  • Task Assignments: We assign tasks to individuals or small groups, promoting ownership and efficiency.

Process Overview
05. Design Discovery

The Art of Reduction

Discovery Sprint 1

In this sprint, we honed in on the essentials. By focusing on the MVP, we ensured core needs were met and brought all stakeholders into alignment.

UX Outcomes

  • Business Case: Covering viability, desirability, and feasibility.

  • Key Insights, Hypotheses, and UX Strategy

  • Three Lo-Fi Design Concepts

Key Insights

Financial Stress is Widespread

  • 33% of Australians say financial issues are their biggest stress

  • Many households live pay cheque to pay cheque

Common Financial Struggles

  • 20% lack emergency funds.

  • 15% struggle to afford essentials like food and basics.

  • 15% feel the strain from unpaid bills.

Financial Strain in Relationships

  • 35% of couples say money is their main stress factor.

  • 50% have different spending habits.

  • 33% don't consult their partner before making big purchases.

Wealth Perception and Spending

  • Those who feel wealthy often overspend, a classic case of sudden wealth syndrome.

  • Social media amplifies FOMO, leading to unplanned splurges.

Hypotheses

Busy Lives and Distractions
Customers might struggle with managing their finances because life is hectic and full of distractions, making it tough to focus on money matters.

Lack of Financial Literacy
Without a solid grasp of financial concepts, making informed money decisions becomes tricky.

Procrastination
Some may delay financial decisions or avoid dealing with their finances altogether, leading to issues down the track.

Inadequate Financial Tools
Existing tools might be too complicated or not user-friendly, failing to provide necessary insights into spending habits.

Emotional Spending
Purchases based on emotional states rather than actual needs or goals can lead to impulsive, and sometimes regrettable decisions. We often favour short-term perks over long-term gains.

UX Strategy

Leverage Behavioural Science
Integrate behavioural science principles into our UX design. By adopting a science-backed approach, we aim to boost financial literacy, support informed decision-making—all leading to better long-term financial wellbeing.

Bite-Sized Financial Wellness
Tackling financial wellbeing can feel overwhelming. By breaking down education and tasks into manageable chunks, users can handle their finances in small, achievable steps.

Design Concepts

Glimpse of a Dream

We brought our vision to life with three lo-fi design concepts, each offering a unique way to help users engage with their finances.

The Baseline Concept

We incorporated the original team's design but made tweaks to improve discoverability and usability. This concept was about speed—getting a solution to market quickly. While it offered a rapid path to launch, it didn't deliver the optimal user experience on mobile devices we aimed for.

Your Monthly Wrap-Up

Aimed to make financial check-ins a breeze. Your Monthly Wrap-Up allowed customers to review their finances each month in just 3 to 15 minutes. By distilling complex financial data into bite-sized, actionable insights, it made staying on top of spending simple and engaging.

Your Financial Fitness

We reimagined financial management as a health and fitness journey. By making finance more engaging and goal-driven, we encouraged users to set financial goals, track their progress, and feel a sense of achievement—much like hitting personal bests in a fitness app.

The Recommendation

After weighing our options, we realised that while the Baseline concept wasn't perfect, it was sufficient as an MVP. However, we were excited about the Your Monthly Wrap-Up concept—it had the potential to be a game-changer, delivering significant value to both customers and the business. We recommended exploring this idea further to unlock its potential

06. Design Enhancement

Creativity
Without Limits

Discovery Sprint 2

In this sprint, we set out to generate innovative ideas that deliver exceptional customer experiences and uncover new business opportunities, all without letting technical limitations hold us back.

UX Outcomes

  • UX Psychology Toolkit

  • Design Principles

  • Content Framework

  • Extended Design Exploration: Your Monthly Wrap-Up

UX Psychology
Toolkit

I compiled a list of UX psychology principles to guide and enhance our solution. While we might not use every single one, this toolbox serves as a valuable resource to inform and strengthen our design process.

Solving Emotional Spending

Framing Effect

Loss Aversion

Anchoring Effect

Emotional Recognition

Solving Busy Lifestyle & Procrastination

Law of Minimal Effort

Goal Gradient Effect

Habit Formation

Zeigarnik Effect

Choice Architecture

Solving Lack of Financial Literacy

Information Gap Theory

Growth Mindset

Experiential Learning

Chunking

Design Principles

Embracing UX

While UX anti-patterns are usually seen as 'design don'ts,' we believe they can be harnessed as innovative solutions when used thoughtfully. By embracing these unconventional principles, we can craft unexpected yet effective user experiences that break the mould.

Add Friction to Entry
Instead of making everything seamless, introduce some friction. By asking users to put in a little extra effort, we encourage them to invest in the process and value their time in the app more.

Use Weird Interactions
Use interaction patterns that feel fresh or a bit unconventional. This adds a sense of fun and uniqueness to the experience.

Reduce Time on App
Create experiences that let users achieve their goals quickly, so they can get on with their day. It's about solving problems efficiently, not keeping them glued to the app.

Don't Follow Brand Guidelines
Sometimes, stepping outside the brand's standard look and feel can make for a more engaging and surprising experience, giving us room for creativity.

Don’t Make Use of Space
Rather than filling every inch of the screen, intentionally limit what's displayed. This reduces clutter and helps users focus on one task at a time.

Use Very Long Buttons
Swap out short call-to-action buttons for longer, more conversational ones. This offers extra context and creates a stronger hook to engage users.

Content Framework

The iACT Formula

To deliver concise content that packs a punch, I developed the iACT (Insight, Action, Consequence, Twist) formula, minimising time spent while maximising value.

Insight: Highlight the key observation.

“Dining out dropped $105, but food delivery jumped $82.”

Action: Suggest a clear and achievable action to address the observation.

“Cook twice a week.”

Consequence: Show the direct benefit or outcome of the action.

“Pocket $150.”

Twist (optional): Add a playful or motivating twist to make it memorable.

“Deliciously profitable!”

Shaping the Dream with

Your Monthly
Wrap-Up

At a Glance

Your Monthly Wrap-Up is designed for today's fast-paced world, where distractions are everywhere. It cuts through the noise, acting as a visual data album where users can spend just 3–15 minutes reflecting on their financial journey.

Our goal is to create an experience that requires minimal time from users, delivering only the most essential insights and actionable ideas to empower smarter financial decisions.

Key Features

  • Quick Reflection: Just 3–15 minutes needed each month.

  • Simplified Breakdown: Instantly breaks down income, spending, and savings.

  • Actionable Insights: Provides clear insights and next steps.

  • Future Forecasting: Forecasts the upcoming month to keep users prepared.

  • Quick Tips: Offers 30-second tips for immediate financial improvements.

  • Automated Actions: Simplifies money management with automated actions.

Feature Home

We’ve transformed daunting monthly financial reviews into an artful gallery, with each month’s cover art capturing the essence of the changing seasons.

Anti-Patterns Used

Add Friction to Entry: The sliding gesture to reveal content creates a moment of pause and intention. This encourages users to engage with the process, providing a sense of accomplishment once they unlock the content.

Use Weird Interactions: Incorporating the calendar wheel and slide-to-reveal interaction adds a touch of playfulness. It signals that this isn't just another standard experience but something more engaging and deserving of attention.

UX Psychology Applied

Habit Formation: Monthly themed 'albums' in an engaging format encourage regular check-ins. Changing themes each month keeps user interest high, fostering consistent financial habits over time.

Goal Gradient Effect: Offering both 3-minute and 15-minute financial review options makes the process feel less daunting. The shorter option serves as a 'foot in the door,' potentially leading users to explore more.

Monthly Snapshot

Monthly snapshots of savings, spending, and income. We intentionally used only 40% of the screen to highlight key information and keep it distraction-free.

Anti-Patterns Used

Don’t Make Use of Space: By limiting content to a portion of the screen, we help users focus on what's most important, avoiding visual clutter and enhancing clarity.

Reduce Time on App: We’ve trimmed the content to the essentials, allowing users to quickly address their finances, reduce screen time, and get on with their day.

UX Psychology Applied

Framing Effect: We prioritise savings in the hierarchy to encourage saving behaviour. Highlighting achievements like 'Crushing the average by $312' frames users' progress in an encouraging light.

Habit Formation: Features like the "3-MONTH STREAK" reward consistent behaviour, motivating ongoing saving habits and encouraging regular engagement with financial goals.

Financial Forecast

This section provides forecasts on financial insights and upcoming payments. Each card focuses on one theme, offering data and actionable tips to help users prepare.

UX Psychology Applied

Loss Aversion: By highlighting potential increases in spending ("Expect spending to rise by 30%"), we motivate users to take preventive action and avoid financial stress.

Chunking: Information is presented in digestible chunks. The main insight is prominent, followed by a brief explanation and suggestion, then specific data points or visuals.

Tips and Challenges

Between sections, we offer a refreshing 'spark,' with each card featuring a thought-provoking fact or an actionable tip unrelated to the customer's personal finance data.

Anti-Patterns Used

Don't Follow Brand Guidelines: This section breaks from brand guidelines, using creative freedom to keep the experience fun and memorable.

Use Very Long Buttons: Rather than short CTA, we use longer, more descriptive prompts. This provides more context and creates a stronger hook to engage users.

UX Psychology Applied

Experiential Learning: By presenting simple challenges like the one-month 50/30/20 budget challenge, we encourage users to learn financial concepts through practical application.

Information Gap Theory: Provide financial tips to spark curiosity and a sense of missing knowledge. By giving just enough to intrigue users, we motivate them to explore more and bridge the gap.

Quick Actions

We provide a concise list of immediate actions, followed by a satisfying completion screen that acknowledges users' efforts.

UX Psychology Applied

Law of Minimal Effort: Quick Actions streamline tasks, making financial management easier and reducing effort. Each action includes brief context, clarifying what needs to be done.

Zeigarnik Effect: By presenting unfinished tasks as Quick Actions, we tap into users' natural tendency to remember incomplete tasks, encouraging them to take action.

New
Business
Potential Unlocked

We identified three key business opportunities that set this feature apart from the current offerings within the mobile app.

Social Engagement

This light-hearted approach encourages users to start conversations about money with loved ones. Using the share button, they can discuss progress and insights from non-sensitive data in the Spark section, such as coffee spending or budgeting tips, all without revealing personal account information.

Product Cross-Selling

The Spark section and Quick Actions are ideal spots to offer relevant products or services tailored to users' financial situations. For instance, frequent diners might see deals on cashback credit cards or high-interest savings accounts to help them save more effectively.

Boosting Savings

Our app encourages users to save more, which also increases the bank's capital reserves. By offering competitive interest rates, savings challenges, or bonuses for reaching goals, we help customers achieve their financial objectives while strengthening the bank's financial position.

06. Closing

The Final Call

Ultimately, our team proceeded with the Baseline MVP concept. While innovative ideas like Your Monthly Wrap-Up showed promise, the Baseline MVP aligned better with ANZ's strategy to encourage users to migrate to the newer ANZ Plus app, rather than giving them reasons to stay on the current app.

Winning Moments

  • Discovery Sprint Process: Enabled remote collaboration, keeping the team aligned and productive despite working from home challenges.

  • UX Psychology Principles: Provided a science-backed design framework to enhance the app's effectiveness in promoting better financial habits.

  • UX Prioritisation Model: Successfully balanced the exploration of new ideas with the practical requirements of an MVP, ensuring we stayed on track without stifling creativity.

Lessons Learned

  • Embracing Unconventional Approaches: Exploring UX anti-patterns and non-traditional design methods led to fresh solutions.

  • Stakeholder Management: Managing multiple stakeholders required significant effort but was crucial in keeping the project on track.

  • For the Greater Good: We recognised the need to make decisions for the bigger picture, even if it means scrapping our hard work.

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