Changing the meaning of banking with Westpac Banking for iPad

The design intent sought to reframe the way users interact with their money, despite it being 'just banking'. Combined with a strong focus on embracing the effortlessness of gesture the resulting design appeals because of its visual simplicity, clarity of function and thoughtful design. To convey its use unambiguously we stepped away from current thinking to understand a user's mental model of moving money to another entity. Resolving the right design to match this enabled us to make the intuitive, familiar. Generating a strong emotional connection from customers: “It's simple, easy and does just what I need it to do. There isn't any fancy mumbo jumbo, I can just do what I have to do quickly. I love it!”

Users have found the experience to be: “Very simple and easy to use, quicker than by computer” “Love how simple it is” “You have considered customers as people who want elegant, efficient solutions. Intelligent, logical and simple user interface.” Achieved by stepping away from the expected task menus, lists and buttons, the user experience was advanced by focusing on supporting a person's mental model in a much more fluid and natural manner unseen in any digital banking interface. Simplifying the transfer flow by eliminating data entry, rethinking lists, and designing shallow navigation means a user can pre-populate both accounts in one swipe, completing the transaction in under 30 seconds.

A patent pending micro-interaction on the world first 'drag and drop' banking app has been hailed by customers as an innovative break-through with 98 reviews giving the app a 5-star average rating. Due to its originality, the design is unexpected, yet bridges the gap between what is familiar in traditional banking, and what feels more natural and simplistic. Resulting in users embracing the concept quickly on an emotional level. Through the use of object-action design, user goals are achieved by moving accounts, leveraging the technology it was being designed for. Significantly, 43% of 2 million transfer interactions per quarter are now being performed through drag and drop, rather than by tapping.

Every aspect of the iPad app has been professionally executed using Westpac Group's 'Global Experience Language' design framework. Consistency in the visual branding, content approach and user experience patterns has been the foundation to this well crafted design. Communicating clarity of purpose and simplicity in its shallow navigation has exposed the rich level of features across self-service, products and account/payment information to provide maximum value, without the clutter. A focus on micro-interactions such as the account tilt on dragging the 'coin', or the slide animation of the 'payment zone' to indicate its relationship to the 'coin' have all contributed to the intuitive manner of the design.

A clear and unwavering stance on designing with the customer in mind has not only delivered an elegant design, it's attributed to the bank's commercial success too. In twelve months, Westpac Banking for iPad saw an in increase in 41 NPS points, fuelled by the delivery of a range of self service options and the introduction of new ways to pay. By allowing customers to self-serve for service transactions such as reporting a card lost or stolen, or advising the bank of travel overseas, we reduced the cost of each service interaction significantly, from approximately $5.00 through non-digital channels to approximately $0.20 where digital self-service is used.