Project Overview

Emirates NBD, a leading bank in the Middle East, sought to enhance its digital banking experience by redesigning its mobile banking app. The project was completed within six months, requiring seamless collaboration with a diverse team of professionals from various nationalities. I joined the team in Dubai within a month after initially working remotely.

1. Discovery Phase

Objectives:

• Understand the client's vision and product requirements.

• Establish a unified design approach suitable for a diverse customer base.

• Identify usability pain points and opportunities for improvement.

• Define the scope of the redesign within the set timeline.

Activities:

• Stakeholder Interviews: Collaborated with Product Owners, Developers, and other Designers to align goals.

• Competitive Analysis: Analyzed existing banking apps to identify gaps and industry standards.

• Requirements Gathering: Prioritized features necessary for a smooth user experience.

Key Insights:

• Consistency: The design system needed to ensure brand alignment across the app.

• Accessibility: Simplified navigation and intuitive interactions were essential for usability.

• Scalability: The app needed to support future enhancements without compromising user experience.

2. Design Phase

Design Goals:

• Develop a user-friendly, scalable app interface that meets brand standards.

• Ensure consistency and accessibility across various user interfaces.

• Provide a streamlined and intuitive user experience.

  
  

Design Solution:

• Interaction Design: Created intuitive user flows to simplify core banking functionalities.

• Visual Design: Developed high-fidelity prototypes, ensuring alignment with brand identity.

• Design System: Implemented a cohesive design system to maintain consistency across all app components.

• Usability Testing: Conducted testing sessions to gather feedback and improve the user interface.

3. Delivery Phase

Key Features Delivered:

• Enhanced Visual Design: A modern, clean interface that improved overall usability.

• Improved Navigation: Streamlined interactions for efficient user journeys.

• Accessibility Integration: Ensured the app was usable for a broad range of users.

• Consistency in Design: Applied a structured design system to ensure coherence across various components.

4. Impact

The redesigned Emirates NBD banking app was successfully launched within the targeted timeline, providing users with:

• Improved accessibility and responsiveness.

• A more engaging and user-friendly experience.

• Positive user feedback highlighting the app’s accessibility and overall improved experience.

5. Lessons Learned

This project offered valuable insights into managing large-scale design projects within a multicultural environment. Effective collaboration, adaptability, and a user-centric approach were crucial to the project's success.