Legacy driving innovation
The CSB Mobile Banking app had the bare minimum essentials—but it wasn't at par with the other BFSI players in the Indian market. As part of the revamp, we started with in-depth user and market research, reimagined key offerings through various concepts in the ideation and wireframe stages, and crafted a visual design that honored the bank’s legacy while embracing modernity. Collaborating closely with multiple development teams, we refined the experience through continuous iterations, ultimately delivering a mobile banking app that felt both familiar and future-ready.
Sector
BFSI
Role
UX Designer
Duration
4 months
My Contributions
UX Research
✦
Information Architecture
✦
Wireframing
✦
Style Guide
✦
Prototyping
✦
UX Writing
✦
Visual Design
✦
Project Management
About The Company
A bank with a long standing legacy since 1920 and headquartered in Kerala, CSB offers a range of services, including retail and corporate banking, loans, and wealth management. With a strong focus on digital transformation, the bank is focused on rebranding as a modern, tech-driven financial institution.
Problem Statement
The CSB Mobile App faced usability challenges due to an outdated design, poor navigation, and overall lack of UX optimization, making it difficult to showcase their digital offerings effectively. Users struggled to find key information, leading to frustration, low engagement, and missed opportunities for lead generation. A redesign was needed to enhance usability, service discoverability, and overall user interaction.
Key App Issues
Non-intuitive navigation and user journey flows making it difficult for users to find services
Poor service discoverability, making it difficult for users to understand what they could do within the app.
Limited and outdated features, making the app less functional.
Difficulty finding help and support functions causing frustration among users
Visual inconsistencies across the application
Low engagement, reducing user interaction and lead generation.
Project Challenges
Suggested functionalities had to be carefully thought and discussed with product and development teams since multiple external vendors/ teams were involved for different aspects of the app and integration of multiple digital ecosystems introduced various complexities
Creating solutions for a majorly senior citizen target audience, while aiming to entice a younger audience in terms of visuals, language and information flow.
Ensuring effective page templates catering to modern visual aesthetics while ensuring optimal web performance
Redesign Goals
Enhance usability and product discoverability
Intuitive information architecture
Modern visual design to reflect the bank's digital innovation goals
Improve traffic and increase leads on the mobile app
Improve help and support opportunities
Design Process
Research & Analysis
Competitor Analysis
A comprehensive competitor analysis was conducted to evaluate mobile banking apps across leading national and international banks, NBFCs, and fintech companies. We assessed how competitors leverage technology to enhance user experience, improve accessibility, and streamline key banking functions. By analyzing UI/UX patterns, feature offerings, and user engagement strategies, we identified best practices and gaps in the market. These insights provided a strategic foundation for refining the app experience—ensuring a seamless, intuitive, and future-ready digital banking journey tailored to user needs.
This analysis not only highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of competitors but also offered actionable insights for staying ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Through this competitive analysis, we gained a deeper understanding of market trends, user preferences, and the innovative strategies employed by leading BFSI and fintech firms. This informed our recommendations and strategic direction for creating superior digital experiences tailored to our client’s unique value proposition and user needs.
Target Audience
Persona 1
Rajesh Nair
Traditional Saver & Loan Seeker
55 years old
Kochi, Kerala
Small Business Owner in Textiles
Financial Goals
Secure savings for children's education, manage deposits efficiently, and access quick loans
Banking Needs
✦ Prefers traditional banking services like fixed deposits and recurring deposits
✦ Uses branch visits for major transactions but relies on the CSB Mobile App for checking balances and managing deposits
✦ Needs quick loan approvals and an easy way to track loan details via the app
Pain Points
✦ Finds digital banking interfaces complicated and prefers assisted services
✦ Prefers personalized loan offers but finds it hard to explore them digitally
✦ Wants a simpler process for managing deposits and payments online
Persona 2
Alisha Jacob
Young Urban Professional, Digital Banking Enthusiast
28 years old
Bengaluru, Karnataka
IT Consultant in an E-commerce startup
Financial Goals
Manage daily finances seamlessly, build a strong credit score, and access convenient banking on the go
Banking Needs
✦ Uses the CSB Mobile App for everyday banking—account management, fund transfers, and bill payments
✦ Prefers contactless payments and relies heavily on her CSB debit card & Google Pay for everyday expenses
✦ Wants real-time tracking of transactions, deposits, and card statements
Pain Points
✦ Wants a more user-friendly app experience with quick access to key features
✦ Finds the app’s navigation cluttered, making it hard to access key features quickly
✦ Prefers instant notifications for transactions and due payments but finds them inconsistent
User Flow
Wireframes
4 Concepts were initially created for the main dashboard where different ideas were explored with the client to depict the hero page and it was narrowed down. Here are some key screens from the finalized concept.
Colour Palette
Typography
Typeface
Aa
Regular
Aa
Medium
Aa
SemiBold
Aa
Bold
Visual Designs
Here are some key screens from the app
Results
Stats unavailable. App still under development.