Work Delivered
Art Direction & Branding
Product Strategy
UI/UX Design
Results
0-1 App Product
Introduced Agile Design
Navigated Regulations
Subscriptions and rising costs used to be a hassle, now it’s a thing of the past.
Barclays launched Barclays Ventures (BV) to keep the bank relevent and innovate faster in response to evolving competition from start-up banks, disruptive apps, and new regulations like Open Banking.
As a founding designer at BV, I led the 0-1 product design, research and strategy for the 'Life admin' app. I also established internal design processes for venture's projects and oversaw multiple initiatives.
Life can feel overwhelming, especially for young adults and new families. Many struggle with rising costs and the constant demands of managing bills, utilities, and everyday expenses.
Why Life Admin?
Life Admin was created to ease financial management for young professionals and new families who feel overwhelmed by increasing costs and administrative responsibilities. The app uses open banking, Barclays' datasets, and AI to assist users.
Automate financial tasks, saving time and money.
Compare providers and identify better deals
Consolidate accounts and subscriptions.
Research & Consumer Insights
After conducting extensive user research through surveys and short one-on-one sessions, I identified three key themes that shaped the app's design and communication strategy.
Strategic objectives
Personalisation
Users wanted tailored recommendations based on their financial habits and goals.
Always the best deal
Remove the complexity of comparing and switching to ensure users get the best deal.
Full picture approach
Provide a holistic look at all outgoings, with a simple view of multiple subscriptions and accounts.
Target Audience
Barclays commissioned a quantitative and qualitative study involving a nationally representative sample of 804 adults conducted by Illuminas. The study explored and captured attitudes towards administrative tasks, current life admin behaviours, and responses to the proposed life admin initiative.
The outcome helped us focus our target audience:
Demographic: Young professionals (24-34) and new families who wanted better financial control.
Behavioural: 'Enthusiastic Amateurs' and 'Resigned But Relaxed' personas resonated with the proposition most.
Behavioural Insights
Insights uncovered informed the UX. Task completion, progress tracking and single-user empowerment formed the guiding principles for our interface and usability.
Satisfaction Through Organisation
Users felt rewarded when bringing financial order out of chaos and completing tasks.
Single-Owner Approach
Households managed finances more effectively when one person took full ownership.
Smoke Tests & Prototypes
To navigate Barclays Ventures' funding gates and regulatory hurdles, we used iterative smoke tests and prototypes to continually gauge consumer interest and feedback.
A/B and Usability testing ensured clarity and ease of use before development.
Ran bi-weekly sessions to ensure constant customer feedback loops, helping to refine the experience.
Ran two week-long smoke tests to gauge consumer interest (Ad clicks, site conversion, and sign-up rates)
Designing for Trust
Life Admin needed to attract and convert existing and non-Barclays users; building trust was crucial. We approached this both in the Vidual design and by creating partnerships.
We partner with Citizens Advice, who bring an independent verified rating for suppliers and peer reviews.
Transparent recommendations showing why a switch or offer was suggested, along with the data point it was compared with.
Branding & Communication, The app is designed to maintain a neutral look and feel and communicated as 'Powerd by Barclays'
Smart, simple, and rewarding
Smart & simple would become Life's admin's guiding principle for design, execution, and product strategy.
Users saw only insights that offered immediate benefits (e.g., better energy rates, optimized savings).
Integrated services automated provider switching, credit card improvements, and MOT booking.
The app worked seamlessly in the background, surfacing relevant actions when needed.
