Building apps from scratch

The bank's work process was bogged down by inefficiencies, especially for data analysts who had to constantly email Excel documents back and forth, make corrections, and resend them. Organizing documents was a time-consuming and chaotic process, leading to frequent user frustration.

Users faced constant crashes, forcing them to make backups on their computer's hard drive. A single typo in a file name could render the document nearly impossible to find later. (!)

It was difficult to determine which version of a file was up-to-date, what changes had been made, and the document's status. This process was not only time-consuming but also prone to errors, creating significant frustration. 😮‍💨

To address this, I developed a unified internal platform to streamline the entire workflow, capable of handling large volumes of data, complex tables, financial sheets, and a multi-stage back-office process.

- Delivering production-ready screens weekly while simultaneously creating a design system for the project, managing other tasks, and collaborating smoothly with developers who needed to implement the designs in real-time.

- Managing a large-scale project with a small design team under tight deadlines and a demanding schedule.

- Gathering requirements from multiple stakeholders who often sent mixed signals, changed their minds, and focused on edge cases and exceptions. They expected the system to work flawlessly from day one and frequently questioned decisions.

We successfully transformed the analysts' workflow, significantly improving efficiency and reducing the potential for errors. We managed to:

✔️ shorten the time spent on tasks, allowing analysts to work more efficiently,

✔️ eliminate the risk of file loss and errors,

✔️ ensure that sensitive data was securely managed within the unified platform, providing a safer and more reliable environment for daily operations,

✔️ deliver a solution that met the bank's needs and exceeded expectations, despite the complexity and scale of the project,

✔️ simplify messy data sheets by dividing them into interactive sections with interactive elements,

✔️ give users complete control over the amount of data presented,

✔️ keep the well-known spreadsheet patterns that were a natural environment for our end-users, just giving them a bit more fun to use. :)

♟️Strategic discussions: each project task began with a strategic discussion with the product owner and interested parties, to understand their vision, define the project scope, and estimate deadlines.

🧠 Workshops and research: workshops with stakeholders to gather business requirements and held sessions with users to understand their needs and pain points. This user research helped us identify key issues and opportunities for improvement.

👩🏻‍💻 Wireframing: based on the insights gathered, I created low-fidelity mockups to establish the initial vision. This phase involved multiple iterations as we refined the design based on feedback and evolving requirements.

🧑🏻‍🎨 Crafting design: once the vision was set, I moved on to designing high-fidelity screens using Sketch. Throughout this process, stakeholders regularly reviewed and provided feedback on the hi-fi mockups, allowing for continuous improvements.

🔬 Usability testing on the most complex parts of the system, integrating in-depth interview elements to assess whether the interface was intuitive and enjoyable to use.

♾️ Iterate, iterate, iterate…: after gathering feedback from usability tests, I reviewed the results with the team and stakeholders. I discussed our findings and recommendations, which informed the next steps in refining the final designs.

🏁 Finalisation and handoff: once the designs were finalized, I prepared the necessary assets and documentation for handoff to the development team, ensuring they had everything needed to implement the designs effectively.

🤝 Ongoing collaboration: throughout the process, I maintained regular communication with stakeholders, product owners, and developers to ensure alignment and smooth progression of the project.

🤝 The power of teamwork. This project reinforced the importance of collaboration. Building strong relationships with product owners, stakeholders, and team members is essential. By working together and understanding each other's perspectives, we were able to align our goals and create a more cohesive product.

💛 Listening and empathy. Truly listening to the needs and concerns of both team members and users allowed us to empathise and address challenges effectively. Empathy was key in understanding not just what users wanted, but why they needed it, which helped us design more intuitive and user-friendly solutions.

📝 Openness to feedback. Being open to feedback from all parties involved—whether it was developers, designers, or end-users—allowed us to refine our designs iteratively. This openness ensured that the final product was well-rounded and met the needs of everyone involved.

🧘‍♂️ Patience and methodical approach. Complex applications require patience and a methodical approach. By carefully planning and executing each phase of the design process, we were able to simplify intricate systems and deliver a product that was both functional and easy to use.

⭐️ User-centered design. Keeping the user at the heart of the process ensured that the final design not only met business objectives but also provided a seamless and intuitive experience. This user-centered approach was crucial in delivering a product that truly resonated with its audience.