The New Westpac App

Mobile is the channel of choice for 83% of our customers, so delivering an outstanding app experience was essential. The new App had to be intuitive and user-friendly with new and improved features. What was central to the brief became our guiding design principles - an app experience that was familiar, inclusive, intentional, contextual, accessible and scalable. Focusing on these elements would help us with the objective of helping customers do their everyday banking easily and efficiently in a modern, native mobile app.

We developed a set of design principles at the beginning of the project which remained consistent throughout development. These principles coupled with usability studies, data and market research, user and accessibility testing and pilot programs drove design choices and shaped the product. We exceeded our aspirations for what a new banking mobile app could be. In a few short months since the launch, the App has been used by well over one million customers and we have seen an App Store rating increase of 0.3 (3.9 to 4.2) as well as a 66% uplift in Digital Card usage.

Our feature-rich App helps customers to bank on-the-go through seamless, accessible and even more secure mobile banking experience. The new-to-bank onboarding journey enables users to become a Westpac customer with secure electronic verification, meaning they can begin banking immediately. It's also now easier for customers to create and track savings goals with new visual progress tracking. Our App has undergone extensive usability and security testing and leverages market-leading technology to ensure our customers can safely manage their finances. We collaborated with accessibility organisations and partners to seek and incorporate their feedback to ensure our App considers all customer needs.

Shortcuts - using iOS Siri and Spotlight Search technology, it's easier for customers to repeat regular payments and transfers through voice activation or a 'favourite' shortcut. Navigation - the navigation has been simplified and the new Smart Search function helps customers quickly locate banking services, search transactions across multiple accounts or even initiate a payment. Cards Hub - customers can manage and service their cards in one place. Customers can also transact without physical cards using Apple Wallet or set up a Digital Card with dynamic CVV/CVC which refreshes every 24 hours for added security - an Australian first. Personalisation - customers can upload a profile picture, update their App icon or change their wallpaper. Savings goals - it's now easier to create and track savings goals with new visual progress tracking, as well as the ability to set up recurring transfers and share savings goals with a joint account partner. Safety - outgoing payments that contain inappropriate language are now blocked in real-time to better protect customers, with the ability for customers to also report any incoming transactions with offensive language. Accessibility - the app is screen reader and voiceover accessible, supporting text to speech functionality, enabling larger text and zoom options, and more.