Project Summary
This was more of a UX problem than a visual one. In creating a relationship builder, bankers needed a way to quickly verify these related parties without requesting too much information which can be time-consuming for their clients.
Using external providers and minimal personal information, we showcased verified entities within the product.
Context
This was solved for a SaaS company that specialised, at the time, in KYC (know your customer) for both consumers and businesses. This is an extension of the business onboarding and relationship-builder features
Design Approach
Discover & empathise
We gathered insights from our existing customers. We discovered that businesses and individuals go through 2 very different processes to be verified. We knew these needed to be separated. To verify a business without software, a banker needed to check individual state databases to do their due diligence.
Research
Our team conducted a competitor analysis to gather information on companies that verify both businesses and individuals. The results showed that only a few companies currently offer this service, while several others are developing it. This validated our belief that we could fill a gap in the market, but we had limited time to do so. To expedite the process, the product manager decided to utilize an external provider, which would reduce engineering time. In order to optimize the user experience, we reviewed their existing procedures to identify what worked and what didn't.
Ideate
After receiving the API documents, the product manager and I spent some time deciphering the information. To make it more comprehensible, we categorized the provided information into similar groups and compiled a list of questions. We had a few meetings with the provider to clarify our inquiries. Once the product manager and I were confident in our understanding, we established the flow of the information and developed a user journey. Finally, I used the user journeys to create a user decision map.
Prototype
The user decision map served as a guide for creating low-fidelity wireframes. Given the limited time to produce a minimum viable product that would satisfy the client's basic needs, we presented the low-fidelity wireframes to our clients. These wireframes helped us gather more specific user requirements.
Test
After verifying the feasibility of the designs with the engineers, who were reliant on an API provider, we presented the flow to our clients for their feedback. We specifically reached out and interviewed clients who regularly verified businesses. We asked them to describe what they understood from the information on screen, without providing any explanation. Unfortunately, almost all clients struggled to comprehend what was being presented, as the language used was too technical.
Iterate
After realizing that the information was difficult for both our team and clients to understand, we sought guidance from industry experts. After studying the information and receiving advice from the experts, we returned to the prototyping phase. Simultaneously, we continued to interview clients for their feedback. We received numerous inquiries about the various states and what happens when an entity is not fully verified. We iterated from low-fidelity to medium-fidelity and then to high-fidelity designs, repeatedly refining the design to improve clarity and comprehensibility.