simplii learn
We were tasked with researching a problem space and finding a client, creating a solution that would benefit the business and the client within 7 weeks.
context
team
Christopher Sung, Kirsten Mercado, Muhan Huang, Reina Kim, Vito Fan
roles
Interface Design, Experience Design, Interaction Design, User Research, Visual Design, Video Editor
While research many different problem spaces, we found the following:
Research by Scotiabank in 2022 has found newcomers are overwhelmed, worried and confused when learning to navigate the Canadian financial system.
Newcomers account for 26% of credit invisible families - meaning they have no credit history or records.
finance is hard
finding the right client
Once we had our problem space, we looked for a client that would benefit from resolving our problem space.
Simplii Financial already targets newcomers by allowing them to create bank accounts before they enter Canada.
There was potential in attracting new clients through providing financial literacy services, and strengthen position as a newcomer bank of choice.
problem framing
How might Simplii Financial create a compelling experience for the working group of immigrants to help them to build financial confidence and security in Canada?
Our first prototype was a microsite with completely unique branding, however I found that there was a loss of reliability associated with Simplii Financial due to the difference in style and brand recognition.
User testing also found that content was too simple, and contained information they already knew about previously, providing no value to them.
missing the mark
revamping the journey
Although we had a clear idea of our framing statement, the journey map we envisioned was off. Our intervention point was off, causing the the initial product to be misguided.
We decided to focus on being a tool for bringing in new clients instead of being a tool for current clients. With this change in perspective, we were able to focus on what we wanted to solve.
We understand learning is not always the most exciting experience, and so we wanted to find a way to make things more interesting and stand out compared to a wall of text.
Our main focus was interactive learning and how we could make the linear process of learning more fun and engaging through interactive elements.
interactive learning
We wanted to foster a sense of emotional connection by sharing stories of other newcomers, allowing readers to draw insights from others’ successes and failures.
building connections
With product placements within Simplii Learn, it gives exposure to Simplii Financial’s offerings and allows easy access to register.
call to action
As we are targeting newcomers to Canada, many of them may not be proficient in English. To make learning accessible to all newcomers, we added a new language option.
looking further
Our research suggests many newcomers use social media to find information, meaning responsiveness is more important than ever.
to business:
By educating newcomers about the Canadian financial system, Simplii Financial can demonstrate expertise and building trust with customers. Additionally, it serves as a compelling tool to attract new customers, encouraging them to create an account and initiate their credit journey with Simplii Financial.
proposed values
product breakdown
problem space
to customers:
Newcomers get to learn about the Canadian financial system, allowing them to make better informed financial decisions. It also offers a seamless entry point to select Simplii Financial as their primary bank, allowing newcomers to open a bank account even before arriving in Canada.
prototype walkthrough
Our team initially struggled to understand what experience design was, but throughout the weeks and with the guidance of the teaching team and our fellow classmates, we managed to pull through and create a meaningful project based using the principles of experience design.
Looking back at this project, our team was hyper-focused on creating an impactful experience that did not feel linear, as many educational platforms often do. We ended up wasting a lot of time brainstorming and researching ways to create a non-linear, impactful educational platform. By taking a step back, we realized that educational platforms are almost always linear, and instead we should focus on ways we can make the linear experience more engaging. This allowed me to realize the importance of not marrying our ideas, but also being able to step back and look at things from a different lens.
If I were to continue working on this project, I would complete other pages of Simplii Learn such as the mortgage or line of credit section. Additionally, more user testing would be needed to see if the interactions actually help with learning. Finally, statistics on user retention rates and product registration rates would give us a better idea on how useful this platform really is.
reflection