Fiserv: Behind The Designs

A behind the scenes look at how one design team was helping push the boundaries

Introduction

Welcome to 'Behind The Design', a brief 3-minute journey into our innovative approach to designing Fiserv's flagship banking software, Originate. In this peek behind the scenes, we'll reveal how we've simplified intricate processes, our methods for UX/UI Design, and shed light on the fundamental principles guiding our design organization.

Our core values, 'Know Me', 'Value Me', and 'Make it Easy for Me', underpin our user-centric products and guide us in crafting the perfect solutions. Join us on this adventure as we showcase our dedication to transforming the banking technology landscape.

Video Overview

Author

Setting The Stage

In 'Behind The Design', we invite you to step into the world of Fiserv's dynamic design organization. We talk about our approach to crafting skills based design teams who own products, work closely with clients, and craft exceptional user experiences.

Featured Interviews:

John Bryan Head of Design.

Christine Daniels UX Design Team Lead.

Alyssa Garza Product Designer.

Listen as they share our design philosophy, core values, and how we approach design operations.

Behind The Design (Video)

Design Philosophy & Core Values

Our Philosophy

Our design philosophy is centered around one fundamental principle: the end user. In the realm of online banking, where every interaction matters, we uphold three core values that guide our approach: know me, value me, and make it easy for me. These values are the cornerstones of our design philosophy and are reflected in every aspect of our work. Together, with our guiding principles of creating products that are Innovative, Delightful, Clear, and Secure, this makes up the foundation of our philosophy.

Core Values

  • Know Me: At the heart of "know me" lies a commitment to understanding our users deeply. We believe in doing our homework, leveraging research, and collecting data to comprehend who our users are and why they make the choices they do. But it doesn't stop there. We strive to manifest this knowledge in our designs, ensuring that users feel recognized and understood. For instance, we're dedicated to eliminating redundant data entry. Why ask users for information we already have when we can show them that we know them, saving them time and frustration?
  • Value Me: Our user-centered approach places immense value on the user's time and experience. We consistently prioritize their goals and work diligently to expedite processes. We understand that every second counts, and we aim to deliver solutions that align with user needs as swiftly as possible. Our mantra is to always respect and honor the user's time by providing streamlined experiences that prioritize their objectives.
  • Make It Easy for Me: Simplicity is key. "Make it easy for me" encapsulates our commitment to user-friendly design. We're dedicated to reducing complexity, automating data gathering, offering crystal-clear choices, employing straightforward language, and minimizing any form of confusion. We provide users with contextual cues, concise microcopy, and seamless feedback mechanisms. Our goal is to ensure that every interaction is smooth, intuitive, and effortless.

Impact & Outcomes

Transforming Traditional Banking

  • We successfully digitized and streamlined processes that were traditionally long and in-person. These activities, including checking and savings account creation, auto loan applications, home loan refinancing, home equity line of credit requests, unsecured line of credit applications, and mortgage requests, could now be completed entirely online in as little as 2-3 minutes.

Driving Business Expansion

  • The profound impact on our business expansion cannot be overstated. Within just three years, we expanded our presence from being utilized in only five financial institutions to over 500. This remarkable growth translated into substantial revenue gains, strengthening the financial health of our department and ensuring its future sustainability.

Achieving Leadership and Recognition

  • Our accomplishments solidified our position as leaders within the Fiserv organization. We garnered recognition from top executives who provided larger budgets for further growth and scaling opportunities. Additionally, we assumed responsibility for leading other business units that were facing challenges, showcasing our ability to drive success in diverse areas.

Conclusion & Takeaways

Conclusion

In transforming a startup design team into a dynamic enterprise-wide design organization, our journey was marked by innovation, user-centricity, and relentless pursuit of efficiency. We shattered traditional banking norms, streamlining complex processes into swift digital interactions. By embracing our core values and an innovative design philosophy, we achieved remarkable outcomes and solidified our position as industry leaders. This transformation journey not only drove exponential business growth but also nurtured a culture of collaboration and user-focused design thinking.

Key Takeaways

  • User-Centric Innovation: Our unwavering commitment to "Know Me, Value Me, Make It Easy for Me" drove us to rethink and revolutionize traditional banking processes. By deeply understanding our users and prioritizing their needs, we reduced once-time-consuming tasks to mere minutes, enhancing their overall experience.
  • Impact on Growth: Our relentless pursuit of efficiency and user-centric design had a profound impact on our business expansion. We expanded our presence from a handful of financial institutions to over 500 within three years. This impressive growth not only generated substantial revenue but also established us as leaders within our organization.
  • Culture of Design Thinking: Beyond measurable success, our transformation cultivated a culture of design thinking across the organization. Design became a strategic asset, driving collaboration, innovation, and a shared mission to prioritize the user in every decision. The journey from startup to enterprise was a testament to the power of design-led transformation.