My role

• Role: Project lead / Duration: 4.5 months (2018)
• I set the design direction, worked on the research and design with the team, reviewed every deliverable and presented the work to Citibank.

Key insight: In China, a banking app is judged on security, clarity and convenience. Security and clarity are now the minimum every bank meets; convenience is where a bank can still stand out.

Project background

Citibank has been in China for over 10 years and is still one of the leading foreign banks, offering overseas financial benefits and global expertise. That is no longer enough: local banks offer competitive products and services and, above all, mobile convenience. Our goal was to find and fix the most urgent customer needs specific to China's digital environment, and help Citibank reconnect with its customers.

We focused on three areas:

Pain points and needs: we knew the current digital products fell short. Which problems mattered most, and which fixes would bring quick improvement?
Value proposition: Citibank's credit card benefits and financial products are competitive. How could it explain their value to current and future customers in a way that sticks?
Customer engagement: how could Citibank build closer relationships and more loyal customers?

Approach

Three phases: research, synthesis and design.

Market and competitors: the key challenges for Citibank's main business units in China (credit cards and finance), with advice on digital channel priorities and key functions.
Interviews and journeys: with both Citibank customers and front-line staff.

Slide titled research process showing a 25-day plan with 14 in-depth and 20 light interviews, above photos of sticky-note walls — A 25-day research plan, from stakeholder talks to 34 customer interviews

Diagram of three research areas, company, trends and competitors, and users, linked by dotted arrows — Three research angles: the bank itself, the market, and its customers

Slide with photos of interviewed credit card users grouped into three user types by age and usage — Interviewed customers sorted into three groups by how they use credit cards

Diagram of credit card value perceptions, covering limit, instalments, credit rating, benefits, points and promotions — What customers actually value in a credit card, from spending limit to promotions

Slide describing three types of credit card users with simple circle icons and short descriptions — Three kinds of card users, from single-purpose to fully engaged super users

Why the most engaged users matter most: stronger loyalty and more word of mouth

Synthesis: explained Chinese customers' needs, design preferences and expectations to Citibank's global team, to reshape Citibank China's digital experience.

Pyramid diagram with three levels, basic experience, value match and emotional connection, with goals and challenges — A three-level framework for the bank's digital goals, from basics to emotional connection

Circular diagram showing how customers learn about, try and keep using value-added services, with drop-off points — Where customers drop out of the journey from hearing about a perk to using it

Summary slide for level 3 with columns for challenge, opportunity and solution strategy — Level 3 summary: build a lasting relationship with customers beyond transactions

Summary slide for level 2 with columns for challenge, opportunity and solution strategy — Level 2 summary: reach the right people at the right moment and stand out

Summary slide for level 1 with columns for challenge, opportunity and solution strategy — Level 1 summary: fix clunky digital channels, starting with the mobile experience

Design: visual concepts based on the research.

Dark slide showing Citibank China website, mobile page and promotional cards with surfing imagery and key stats — First visual concept: website, mobile page and promo cards in a bold blue style

Light slide showing website, mobile home page and service icon page featuring travellers and key card stats — Second visual concept: a lifestyle-led look with clearer service icons and card facts

Takeaways

What matters most in a banking app in China?

Three things: security, clarity and convenience.

Security works on two levels: real and perceived. Real security is technical, but it shows up in the interaction: how long does an action take, are there unnecessary checks, do people have to remember too much? Perceived security comes from a smooth journey and clear visual and written cues: people should always know what is happening and whether an action worked.

Clarity matters because a bank app holds a huge amount of information. The aim is to keep people oriented so they never hesitate: know the core services and place their entry points accordingly, connect related services along the customer journey, and explain important numbers right where they appear.

In China, security and clarity are now the minimum. Most banking apps look alike because layouts and features have standardised, leaving little room for new interaction or visual ideas. In finance, people need efficiency, and familiarity provides it.

For a designer, convenience is the most interesting of the three. It means being proactive without being intrusive, and it takes real thought. Are services available on mobile whenever people need them, and can some work partly offline? Is the experience consistent across platforms, so people don't have to choose? Can an online service speed up a branch visit, or replace it? This is where every bank is trying to stand out, so decision-makers need a clear design direction and clear priorities for where to invest.

Work done @ ARK Innovation Consulting / 2018

Works

Citibank's mobile banking direction for China

My role

Project background

Approach

Takeaways

What matters most in a banking app in China?