Transforming Branch Banking: Unifying service workflows
OCBC Bank • Jun 2022 – Aug 2024
OCBC was the last major bank in Singapore without digitised branch processes. Over 40 transaction types still handled manually. Slow, error-prone, and overdue for a fix.
iMPACT
SGD $2M
Operational savings
40
workflows digitised
33
branches
MY ROLE
Lead designer
End-to-end design, from discovery to UI delivery. Managed 3 external agency designers. Led stakeholder alignment across multiple banking functions, and conducted research with customers and branch staff alongside 2 UX researchers.
TEAM
Product owners, engineering, UX research, agency designers.
CONTEXT
Customers are upset with teller inaccuracies.
Staff errors incur substantial annual branch costs.
Manual verifications heighten exposure to risks and fraud.
FINDINGS
Despite teller errors, customers value branch visits for guidance, highlighting the need to reduce manual opertional processes and adequately train staff.
High cognitive load
Manual processes to complete tasks, leading to inaccuracies
Staff has to memorise 6-digit codes to start a transaction
Illegible customer handwritten responses makes it challenging to enter into the system.
Lack of support
Inadequate training leave tellers ill-prepared for operational challenges
Training before on-the-job duties only covers basic transactions while actual operations are much more complex
Staff reliance
While many transactions can be completed online or at ATMs, customers prefer to visit the branch
Customers feel more reassured and safe when staff are involved in the process, even if it means long wait times.
CONCEPTUALIZATION
Co-creating solutions with stakeholders to strike a balance between business and user needs
The proposed duo-screen interactive model focuses on:
Enhancing transparency and trust: Building on previous findings that side-by-side engagement fosters transparency and trust, the new concept introduces a dedicated counter for each teller-customer interaction
Encouraging customer ownership: The new concept shifts the burden from staff to a more collaborative process, actively involving customers in completing their transactions and giving them a sense of responsibility and ownership.
Fig: In the new model, the customer will engage upfront with the teller side by side, whereas in the old style, the teller sat far behind a counter.
Fig: Pictures from the designing and testing of counter designs
VALIDATION
Concept validation uncovered receptivity while revealing crucial considerations to guide the design.
Safety is of utmost priority
Customers value the implementation of security measures such as face verification and 2 factor authentication. The added layer of security provides them a sense of assurance.
Customers cannot do without tellers
Customers rely on tellers to perform transactions on their behalf due to a lack of confidence or concerns about potential errors.
Simplifying user interface is key
Customers find the platform intuitive but struggle with complex interaction patterns like scrolling and are less likely to engage with lengthy or intricate content.
Fig: Pictures from the concept testing sessions to understand receptiveness towards a new interactive model, and ensure it is viable
SOLUTION
A new branch banking model enabling customer-initiated digital transactions with teller guidance.
Tackling key challenges
1
Assessing potential implications of transitioning to a new system
2
Ensuring the ease of transition for those acquainted with old habits
Shifting responsibilities to customers
Through a duo-screen setup, customers may select transaction options, such as choosing accounts or entering transfer details, reducing reliance on staff.
Both the customer and teller will have dedicated interactive screens, offering full visibility and control, departing from the traditional teller-led approach.
Fig: Customer and teller screen design placed side by side for comparison
Simplifying the workflow
I conducted card sorting with both young and seasoned branch staff to arrange over 40 transactions into an intuitive menu, removing transaction codes. A search feature is also introduced.
Fig: New menu and search function
Fig: Card sorting exercise with tellers
Incorporating guided instructions
With on-screen prompts. tellers can execute transactions regardless of their level of knowledge or experience.
Fig: On-screen prompts are provided at each step of the transaction
Ensure visual consistency for familiarity
I synchronised with the Automated Teller Machines (ATM) design team so that customers would learn a similar design language for ease of learning and usage.
Fig: On-screen prompts are provided at each step of the transaction
Supporting tellers to unlearn and relearn
The new concept requires unlearning current procedures. Training solutions were created to familiarize tellers with the interface and workflows, including on-the-job training during pilot testing before the full rollout.
Fig: Teller e-learning training modules
Fig: Pictures of on-the-job training during pilot testing
USABILITY TESTING
Iterative usability testing helped identify critical gaps across project phases
• Low-fidelity prototypes were tested with the stakeholders weekly for feedback on functionality, content, and interactivity
• High-fidelity prototypes were tested with tellers and customers—including elderly and less-abled users—to identify critical breakpoints, ensure intuitive flows, and reduce training complexity.
Fig: Pictures of usability testing with staff and customers
IMPACT
SGD $2M in operational savings, with regional rollout plans already in motion.
Launched at two pilot branches in July 2024.
Savings came from error reduction and faster processing across 40 previously manual workflows.
New system-oriented authentication model was introduced, with projected savings expected to grow significantly at scale.
Success at the pilots has since spurred plans for regional rollout.
REFLECTIONS
Impactful design balances stakeholder empathy, constraints, and prioritization of customer value.
Digital transformation is complex
My role often center around perfecting pixels, yet it's vital to recognise the broader scope of digitalisation. It includes varied parties, from operations to service teams, across the entire journey. Understanding and empathising with their challenges are crucial for effective collaboration.
Prioritize impact
In any project, perfection is unattainable, and compromises are inevitable due to constraints like deadlines, stakeholder demands, and regulatory requirements. In resource-strapped situations, the key is to prioritize impactful outcomes and focus on delivering the most significant value to customers