Mountain America Credit Union

The application was in need of a redesign. Input errors were rising, and the credit union was losing customers to other institutions who’s loan application speed and funding period was significantly quicker.

Update the ALPS software starting with the Visa credit card application.

The redesign will:
1. Improve automated decisions
2. Offer higher loan amounts
3. Create a faster application process
4. Reduce errors
5. More opt in of insurance offers

I worked as the lead designer on this product along with 2 other designers and 1 user researcher. Before joining the team, the product was months behind schedule. To speed up the process without sacrificing quality, I suggested we share and test smaller iterations in shorter amounts of time allowing users to identify pain points immediately.

It is fascinating to create a well thought out prototype only to see the user struggle through it.

Hundreds of users worked for our company and we shared the same office space. We were able to quickly schedule 15-30 minute usability tests with three users multiple times a week. Product managers were very engaged with the research process and many product managers had previously been users of the prior version offering great insight into what we could anticipate with users needs.

The process was effective: Mock up a prototype that included one or two features and validate through usability testing.

User’s prerequisite knowledge:
To add a joint applicant to the application, all applicants would need to have an account with the credit union already and therefore we would already have their personal information on file.
User task 1 & 2:
You are viewing the primary applicant’s debt structure and suddenly they want to add a joint applicant to the application. Using the design we have provided, please attempt to add a joint applicant and import their personal information into the application.
User task 3:
After you have added a joint applicant, how would you continue to review the primary applicant’s debt struture?

(pre Figma DevMode) One efficient way we were able to maintain consistency across the application, was to include a design review with the designer in the developers “definition of done.” Together developer and designer would compare the design file with the developed product and work out any inconsistencies between the two.

Yes!

I am very pleased to see the products successful metrics years after it’s first use in January of 2020. Below is a peak into a few metrics tracked In the early years of the product. I would attribute success of this product to daily cross collaboration, design systems, and user research.