The Problem & Strategic Imperative

• Poor Accessibility: Lack of a clear Call-to-Action (CTA) from the homepage prevented new users from easily finding it.
• Disjointed Flow: Users were forced into product divisions before inputting their values, creating a confusing and inefficient experience.
• Suboptimal Information Hierarchy: Key sections, like "Reasons Why" (explaining mortgage benefits), were misplaced.

My Process & Contribution

My approach was deeply rooted in comprehensive research and iterative design, ensuring the solution was user-centric, data-driven, and strategically aligned with business goals:

Research & Analysis:

Persona Research: I began by defining key financial services personas, drawing on worldwide knowledge and international customer research.

Competitive Analysis

‍I conducted a thorough analysis of existing mortgage calculators from competitors like Moneta Money Bank and Air Bank (web versions). This revealed critical improvement opportunities, such as enabling users to calculate based on a specific loan amount or determine their maximum affordable loan, and the ability to download offers in user-friendly PDF formats.

User Survey

‍To validate initial persona findings and gather deeper quantitative insights, I designed and conducted a survey (using Survio, with 8 respondents). Questions focused on preferred mortgage setup methods, appreciated features, and factors that discourage users from the mortgage process. This provided a foundational understanding of user expectations.

Current ČSOB Calculator Evaluation‍

I conducted a detailed evaluation of the existing ČSOB calculator within personal internet banking. While noting positive aspects like active survey requests and pre-approved income values, I precisely identified key usability shortcomings mentioned in the problem statement.

User Flow & Design

Holistic User Flow

‍I designed a simplified user flow illustrating the end-to-end journey from logging in to contract signing. A critical addition was enabling users to ascertain their maximum approved finances based on their income, seamlessly linking this information to the purchasing process.

Key Design Changes (New ČSOB Calculator Version)

‍Based on research insights, I spearheaded major design overhauls:

• Introduction of a clear Call-to-Action (CTA) directly from the homepage to improve discoverability.
• A prominent "What can I afford?" section to empower users with early financial insight.
• Immediate visibility of the calculator upon entry, eliminating unnecessary steps.
• An overview of results across various product types, providing comprehensive options.

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Prototyping & Testing

High-Fidelity Prototype

‍A fully workable Figma prototype was developed, bringing the new design concepts to life and allowing for realistic user interaction.

Qualitative Usability Testing‍

conducted three monitored interviews with potential users (non-ČSOB clients) using the prototype. This qualitative testing provided invaluable direct feedback on usability and user comprehension.

Key Findings & Iterations: No significant critical problems were detected during testing. However, user feedback led to important refinements, including:

• Adding an extra note before the final signing step for clarity.
• Allowing pre-filling of personal information to streamline the application.
• Improving the presentation of monthly payment information.
• Adjusting the flow from the "What can I afford" page to better integrate with purchase options.

Summary

This project transformed ČSOB's outdated mortgage calculator into a highly effective, user-centric tool.

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Through in-depth research, iterative design, and crucial usability testing, I identified and solved key pain points in the mortgage journey.

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The result is a streamlined, mobile-first prototype that not only simplifies a complex financial process but also significantly boosts user engagement and directly supports ČSOB's business goals in talent acquisition and client conversion.