Julian Kraan

Openbank

Context

Approach

Section 3

Section 4

Contact

Openbank

Context

Approach

Section 3

Section 4

Contact

Openbank

Apr 2024

B2C Fintech

UX/UI

Redesigning banking for ease and peace of mind

Context

Nice flex

In April 2024, I set myself a quick side project: reimagining my most-used banking app, Openbank. Inspired by Kaari Saarinen’s remark that “established industries can’t afford to not have great UX”, I wanted to flex my craft skills and explore how UX alone—without adding new functionality—could make digital banking feel clearer and more enjoyable.

Approach

The power of UX

Digital banking has become commoditized. Traditional banks compete with neo-banks like N26 and Revolut, who are themselves challenged by crypto and investing platforms. With products looking increasingly similar, UX has become the deciding factor for customers.

Drawing from my experience at N26, I focused on two core user needs: ease of use and peace of mind. From these, I defined three principles to guide my redesign.

User needs

⚡

Ease of use. Banking tasks often arise during travel, work or social settings. Users should complete them quickly and intuitively, without full attention.

🔒

Peace of mind. Banking leaves no room for doubt or error. Interfaces should build trust, prevent mistakes, and make customers feel secure.

User needs

⚡

Ease of use. Banking tasks often arise during travel, work or social settings. Users should complete them quickly and intuitively, without full attention.

🔒

Peace of mind. Banking leaves no room for doubt or error. Interfaces should build trust, prevent mistakes, and make customers feel secure.

User needs

⚡

Ease of use. Banking tasks often arise during travel, work or social settings. Users should complete them quickly and intuitively, without full attention.

🔒

Peace of mind. Banking leaves no room for doubt or error. Interfaces should build trust, prevent mistakes, and make customers feel secure.

Design principles

🧩

Consistent. Apply clear rules for language, color, and UI elements. Consistency makes the experience easier to learn and more reliable to use.

✂️

Concise. Use short, meaningful text and surface only essential information. Concision reduces cognitive load and helps users focus on what matters.

💡

Clear. Choose intuitive icons and plain language, with layouts structured by hierarchy. Clarity minimizes doubt and helps users act with certainty.

Design principles

🧩

Consistent. Apply clear rules for language, color, and UI elements. Consistency makes the experience easier to learn and more reliable to use.

✂️

Concise. Use short, meaningful text and surface only essential information. Concision reduces cognitive load and helps users focus on what matters.

💡

Clear. Choose intuitive icons and plain language, with layouts structured by hierarchy. Clarity minimizes doubt and helps users act with certainty.

Design principles

🧩

Consistent. Apply clear rules for language, color, and UI elements. Consistency makes the experience easier to learn and more reliable to use.

✂️

Concise. Use short, meaningful text and surface only essential information. Concision reduces cognitive load and helps users focus on what matters.

💡

Clear. Choose intuitive icons and plain language, with layouts structured by hierarchy. Clarity minimizes doubt and helps users act with certainty.

I began with a thorough benchmark of finance apps, analyzing both strengths and common friction points. Next, I mapped issues in Openbank’s existing app and explored how to resolve them through consistency, clarity, and concise communication.

The outcome is a personal redesign proposal that demonstrates how thoughtful UX refinements can boost clarity and build trust—without adding new features or heavy engineering effort.