For our first project, I was tasked with creating a commercial brand for a modern banking system and was given the choice of either re-branding an already current bank into my own style or create a whole new brand identity for a bank. Doing so would involve creating and designing brand guidelines document for those to follow as well as a brand app and landing page too. For this project I aim to target my banking brand towards those in the market between 16 and 25 year olds, and by doing so will include a logo mark, word mark, colour palette and values which fit into this criteria and be presented to be a smart, modern and approachable banking method as I want the users to feel at ease when it comes to managing their money and creating savings. I’m quite excited to start this project as I’ve never had the opportunity to create an entirely new brand identity before so I want to create the best brand I can for those using it.
Banking from my perspective is all about managing, saving and moving the money that you have, which is something people have been doing for thousands of years. Banking has dated back centuries including ancient Mesopotamia where farmers and royalty would trade grain for silver as well as medieval times where some of the first official banks where built, helping people store their money, send payments and finance big ventures. Over time, banking has become more formal and serious, built around physical branches, paperwork and long standing trust between a banker and the user. But in today’s day and age, especially for young people between 16 and 25, banking can feel like it is at a standstill with the balance between traditional and online banking being introduced. Traditional banking can be seen to people like myself as rather old fashioned and slow whilst digital banking feels faster, simpler and more personal to the user.
The gap between old and new banking is bigger than ever now and young people aren’t just looking for a place to keep their money, they also want financial aid and tools that fit into their everyday lives and and will help them grow. Designing a banking brand today means understanding the difference between online and traditional banking and seeing why or whats for the majority of young users, creating an interface and brand that is light, digital and built around real human needs and not basing it around outdated systems that I know myself will not be relevant to this new generation of digital bankers.
Banking has evolved significantly over time, with us being tailored with two very distinctive choices, those of which include traditional and online banking systems. Traditional banking can often refer to visiting a physical bank branch to carry out in-person transactions and can be done by methods which include ATM’s and physical customer service. On the other hand, online banking has been a gradual hit amongst the new generation with it allowing people including myself to access and manage our finances through a mobile or online banking system, which eliminates the need to visit a physical branch for transactions. By doing so, I gathered some research online which allowed me to note down both the benefits and limitations of online and traditional banking:
Through careful analysis, I was able to examine and evaluate the main characteristics of both traditional and online banking methods, breaking down their advantages and limitations in detail. After doing so, it becomes apparent to me that online banking has emerged as the predominant choice among banking options, mainly due to its enhanced accessibility and robust security features. This digital banking approach offers users a more streamlined, convenient, and protected method of managing their financial duties, making it particularly appealing for those seeking efficient banking solutions in today's fast paced and modern environment.
As part of my research, I visited several bank branches in person such as Santander and Halifax, to better understand the differences between traditional and online banking, and why some customers prefer in-person services. This fieldwork inspired me to create a survey targeting online banking users like myself to gather feedback about their current banking apps. Through a series of questions and polls, I collected vital information about what users like and dislike about their banking apps, along with suggested improvements they'd want to see.
By using Google Forms as my survey platform, I was able to create a streamlined and visually engaging way to collect responses from participants based on their current banking app and gaining intel based on their experiences using it. The form provided me with detailed insights into the users' responses and helped me better understand their perspectives and experiences within banking applications. The format allowed users between 16 and 25 to freely express their thoughts and concerns, giving me a better understanding of their banking app preferences and needs and what I can do to implement into my own banking app:
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My first question asked respondents' ages to understand which age groups commonly use banking apps and participated in my survey. With this information I am able to see what age the users are and the groups using online banking.
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This question asked which banking app respondents currently use. The responses were primarily split between Halifax, Nationwide, and Revolut. This helped me identify which banks are most popular among the current generation.
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I wanted to understand which features users value most in their current banking apps. This insight would help me identify what works well and what might be unnecessary to include in my own app design. The responses provided me with various features I can incorporate into my design.
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Building on the previous question, I wanted to understand which banking method users preferred. This information would help me identify which in-person banking features should be incorporated into the app to create a more comprehensive banking experience for users.
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Based on the previous responses, I wanted to understand the reasons behind users' choices and their rationale. Many respondents emphasized the speed and accessibility of their preferred banking method compared to traditional banking, which revealed clear preferences in how people want to manage their financess
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I also asked the respondents what they disliked about their banking app and which features they felt were missing. While most users were satisfied overall, they identified several issues that needed improvement.
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To complement my own feature brainstorming, I wanted to learn what features current users would like to have in their banking apps. Their responses could inspire me to include essential functions that would meet users' needs.
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I asked users about their experience with transferring and withdrawing money through their banking apps to determine how important money transfer functionality should be in my design. Since most respondents actively use these features, I'll make sure to include them in my development process.
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Following up on whether users transfer money through their banking app, I wanted to know if they found the process easy or complicated. This insight would help ensure my own design features are simple and user-friendly.
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