U.S. BANK
Executive Summary
Currently, I am leading several key design initiatives within the Equipment Financing team at U.S. Bank, focusing on modernizing legacy systems, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing user experience. Each project aimed to align with the latest UX/UI best practices while ensuring seamless integration with the bank’s branding and business goals. These initiatives reflect my commitment to creating intuitive, user-centered solutions that drive both business outcomes and stakeholder satisfaction.
Throughout the project, I collaborate closely with developers, product owners, and a scrum master at every phase of the UX process. Operating within our Agile framework, we employ three-week sprints and a user-centered design approach to tackle complex business challenges, such as creating efficient workflows for users with varying technical abilities. My product management skills are crucial in facilitating stakeholder engagement, setting and meeting deadlines, and ensuring a rigorous feedback process.
Our greatest metric for success is the documented positive feedback and testimonials from users and stakeholders, reflecting our team's commitment to agile flexibility and excellence.
Disclaimer
Due to privacy and data security policies, I cannot share wireframes and mockups. However, the consistent positive feedback from stakeholders and users highlights our user-centered design approach is succeeding.
Project Highlights
My role: UX/UI Designer
HCD Methods: Wireframing and Prototyping, User Research, Usability Testing, Client Interviews, Stakeholder Interviews, User Journey Mapping, Persona Development, Task Analysis, Design Sprint, Competitive Audit, Digitized Architectural Diagram, Accessibility Testing, Corporate Training, Agile Work Model, Client Presentation, & Deliverables Handoff.
CURRENT PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Company
U.S. Bank has been recognized for its digital innovation, consistently ranking high in mobile banking and digital customer experience. It was named a top digital bank by various financial publications.
U.S. Bank, officially known as U.S. Bancorp, is a diversified financial services holding company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association, which is the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United States in terms of assets. As of the end of 2023, it has assets totaling over $600 billion.
U.S. Bank offers a comprehensive range of banking, investment, mortgage, trust, and payment services products to individuals, businesses, governmental entities, and other financial institutions. The bank operates through a network of branches, ATMs, and digital banking platforms, serving millions of customers across the country.
The Team
U.S. Bank Commercial Leasing Department offices in the greater Minneapolis, Minnesota area.
Our agile team at U.S. Bank operates on a unique three-week sprint model, blending 10 on-site(Minnesota) and 10 offshore members. Daily stand-ups and a weekly design and development meeting ensure alignment, while backlog sessions and sprint retrospectives optimize future planning.
We emphasize communication via Microsoft Teams, bolstered by initiatives like the 'EFE Virtual Break Room' for hybrid team bonding. Bi-weekly in-person happy hours further enhance team cohesion and morale.
The Design Initiatives
Our onsite tech team collaborates often on Business Line solutions within Commercial Leasing from various locations.
Initiative #1: Equipment Financing Expert
Modernizing a commercial leasing desktop application into a revamped internal web app, emphasizing brand alignment while exploring innovative business efficiency solutions.
Initiative #2: EF Pricing
Developing a new web platform to streamline the creation and management of leasing charts and cards, featuring robust capabilities like search, editing, content review, approvals, and more!
Initiative #3: Workflow Tool
Creating a streamlined workflow tracker to help the Equipment Financing team efficiently track transactions and leases, enhancing clarity, collaboration, and overall process transparency.
Initiative #4: CDA
Modernizing a payment collection desktop platform into a redesigned web application, focusing on brand standards, current best practices, and alignment with stakeholder goals and expectations.
Initiative #5: Employee Access Request (EAR)
Redesigning a security and permission access web application, prioritizing compliance with brand standards, the incorporation of contemporary design best practices, and meeting stakeholder goals and requirements.
The Research
U.S. Bank business line offices in Marshall, Minnesota
I have conducted user interviews with many of the employees across locations like Marshall, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon(500-700 total). Insights gathered informed the transition from a legacy desktop to a web-based platform, addressing user preferences and pain points.
Collaboration with product owners ensured alignment with business objectives and user needs, fostering a comprehensive understanding of diverse user workflows across departments like Sales, Credit, App Entry, and Documentation.
The Design
Figma is our collaborative application for interface design
Following comprehensive research and stakeholder consultations, I utilize Figma and adhere as best as possible to U.S. Bank's 'Shield' design library to create intuitive and accessible user interfaces. Design sprints facilitate iterative development of modalities and screens, guided by continuous feedback loops with stakeholders.
Each design iteration undergoes rigorous accessibility checks and peer reviews, ensuring alignment with brand standards and usability principles before development phases.
The Testing
Mock-up review sessions have created excitement and positive energy for users
After initial mock-ups and stakeholder feedback, user testing sessions validate design choices and iteratively improve the web platform's usability. Mock-up reviews with end-users elicite insights into functionality expectations and acceptance of interface changes from legacy systems.
Feedback is meticulously integrated into subsequent design iterations, ensuring a user-centric approach and preparing for seamless transitions to development and QA testing phases.
The Opportunities
Opportunities can appear as struggles and hurdles but lead to untapped future success
One opportunity is educating business line staff on UX principles. Many are unfamiliar with best practices for user-centered design, leading to initial resistance. By educating them on the value of user interviews and UX research, we can foster a collaborative environment where user insights drive design decisions.
Another opportunity is my continuous learning in equipment financing and commercial leasing. Deepening my understanding enhances my design effectiveness, aligning better with user needs and business goals.
Lastly, revisiting and updating work completed before my tenure is crucial to align all project aspects with current UX standards.
The Professional Development
Ongoing continued education has been enjoyable and equals self growth
At U.S. Bank, ongoing professional development enriches my UX/UI design expertise through curated content on data security, brand standards, and leadership.
Engagement in “Development Day” and other events foster career growth and alignment with corporate goals, enhancing my ability to deliver impactful design solutions that meet evolving industry standards and user expectations.
TESTIMONIALS & FEEDBACK
Supervisor Feedback
Consistent UX results have been continually inspiring positive supervisor feedback
“Keep doing what you’re doing! You are proactively working ahead, coming up with ideas, interviewing users, and engaging with the team on your own without us having to drag stuff out of you. It’s great to see all of this… I appreciate what you do and love having you here!”
U.S. Bank Direct Supervisor
“I love the trajectory that we are working towards with you, Matt! This is exactly what I envisioned when we hired you as our UX guy. This is great!”
U.S. Bank Senior Engineer
“Now that I am working with you, I have started asking better questions… you’re teaching me!“
U.S. Bank Agilist/ Scrum Master
Peer Feedback
Peers have been recognizing improved designs and are voicing added value to the team
"Matt, I love your positive energy! Since you started, I've realized that I want to contribute more and embody half of the positive qualities you bring to the team. You've taught me that I can do more. Thank you for that!"
U.S. Bank Offshore Software Engineer
“I am really glad we went over this together. I did not really consider the user when I built this.”
U.S. Bank Software Engineer
“I think it was really good. I thought it was going to be 10 minutes of ‘Hey, look at this screen, that’s all you need,’ and that’s it. You gave me a lot of learning. It was a good experience. I am grateful that you went into such depth and showed me everything. You have brought a perspective to this team that none of us really think about. Thanks.”
U.S. Bank Intern Software Engineer
User Feedback
User feedback collected during user interviews and mock-reveals are highlighting excitement
“The meetings I have had with you have been awesome! I have gotten a good idea of what is going on from your end, and you truly are here to help. It has been nice to experience. Your interest in truly deep diving into what we do makes me realize that this is really something you are committed to working on.”
User/U.S. Bank Equipment Finance Business Line Employee
"Thank you, Matt! Right after our meeting, I told my manager that it was a great first meeting, and I'm excited to be involved. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me and listen to everything I had to say. Have a great evening!"
User/U.S. Bank Equipment Finance Business Line Employee
THE FUTURE OF THE PROJECT
I see a future full of innovation and teamwork at U.S. Bank's Equipment Financing Expert project. Using our agile framework and strong team dynamics, we're refining our three-week sprint model to streamline development and boost communication. User research is key, with ongoing interviews and tests shaping our web platform to meet diverse user needs.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to use insights from professional development and industry best practices to raise our design standards. Embracing challenges as opportunities, there's great potential in educating our business line colleagues about user experience, fostering a culture where user-centric design drives decisions. By tackling legacy design issues and aligning with corporate goals, we aim to create an intuitive, accessible, and impactful platform that supports U.S. Bank's objectives.
With a focus on continuous improvement and user satisfaction, I’m confident our teamwork will ensure the future success of the Equipment Financing Expert project, setting new standards in UX/UI innovation in the financial sector.
