ALLY BANK
Status Tracker
TL;DR
Provided an experience that gave users visibility into the progress of several money movement types with the goal of reducing the need for users to contact support for information.
I wrote up a longer retrospective of this project, now nearly 3 years after I initially worked on it, with a little mix of hindsight is 20/20 and pride mixed in.
The Problem
In an effort to improve operational efficiency and reduce operational costs, UX and product was tasked with designing an experience to reduce call center volume for some of the highest volume topics. Of a long list of call center drivers, wire transfers, check orders, and ACH transfers were identified as highest priority/lowest lift for MVP. Calls about these types of transactions made up 48% of contact center interactions in 2019.
My Role & Partners
Hats worn 🧙🏻♀️: IA, interaction design, prototyping, visual design, animation, accessibility, design systems, content strategy, product strategy
Partners: Other members of the UX team, namely the designer who had worked on the web experience prior to the native mobile team being included; product owners; content strategy; legal; engineering & QA.
Vision & Strategy
While UX was a part of the product development process, we were only included in the product strategy after a direction and collection of north star statements had been crafted and agreed upon by our leadership team. When the mobile app product team joined the project, there was already an established overarching product design strategy that did not take into account the complexities of the native mobile app experience. The native mobile team quickly adapted while also taking the opportunity to push for a modified channel approach.
The vision was to create a digital space to establish timelines and set expectations, allow interaction and digital pathways to resolution, and include proactive and customizable two-way communication between customers and contact center.
Northstar 1: Single interactive hub (a la Domino's Pizza Tracker)
Northstar 2: Proactive and contextual communication
Northstar 3: Reduce friction
The Process
Research
Competitive landscape review
Internal analytics audit
Product strategy development (for mobile)
Internal infrastructure and services audit
Wireframing and concept development
Boxes and arrows wireframes
Development of multiple concepts that leveraged existing infrastructure in mobile app
Communication strategy development for omnichannel messaging
Content audit and content strategy development of existing labeling
Concept Testing
Tested 3 conceptual approaches to presenting the money movement status messages with app users
Concept Refinement and UI Design
Refined concepts based on user feedback
Started MECE Model for all use cases needing to be cared for
High fidelity designs based on internal design system
Workshopped new components needed and documentation required for this new feature as additions to the existing design system
Animation and additional impacted pages
User journey mapping identified additional impacted pages and messaging that needed to be cared for to complete the project
The Outcome
I left Ally in June 2021. A limited scope of the proposed Status Tracker went live in November of 2021 in the iOS and Android Ally Mobile apps. Unclear impact and additional enhancements roadmap but the feature remains live for bank customers.
This project was ultimately folded into a redesign of the native mobile apps’ Snapshot pages, which you can read about in the Snapshot Redesign case study.
Examples
Snapshot with Status Tracker
Status Tracker was originally accessible from cards featured on the user’s Snapshot.
Status Details
Users could tap on a specific item to view details of the transaction.
Status Tracker Overview
Users could tap on Status Tracker from their Tasks menu to view all trackable items on one page.
I worked alongside other members of the design team to document in detail animation standards, design standards, and states for the new reusable tracker component.
Animated Component