Overview:
Business in a Box was a concept project for HSBC focused on improving how small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) access support, tools, and guidance.
Many SMEs rely on multiple disconnected platforms to manage areas such as finance, marketing, legal, and operations. This creates inefficiencies, increases costs, and limits their ability to focus on growth.
The goal was to design a centralised digital platform that simplifies this experience—bringing everything SMEs need into one place while reducing reliance on relationship managers and enabling scalable digital support.
As the UX/UI Designer on this project, I was responsible for designing the end-to-end experience of the platform.
I was responsible for:
- Conducting research into SME behaviours, needs, and challenges
- Analysing competitor platforms and ecosystem-based products
- Defining the platform structure and user journeys
- Designing wireframes and high-fidelity UI
- Creating a scalable and intuitive navigation system
Tools:
- Photoshop
- Illustrator
The Problem:
SMEs often struggle to manage their business effectively due to fragmented tools and services.
Key challenges include:
- Managing multiple platforms for different business needs
- Limited time to focus on core business activities
- Difficulty accessing reliable guidance and support
- Over-reliance on manual processes or relationship managers
This creates inefficiencies and reduces productivity across the business.
The Challenge:
Designing this platform required simplifying a highly complex ecosystem:
- SMEs have diverse and evolving needs
- Large volumes of information risk overwhelming users
- Integration with existing systems (e.g. CRM) adds complexity
- Balancing automation with human support
- Ensuring scalability while maintaining usability
The challenge was to create a solution that felt simple and intuitive, while supporting a wide range of business functions.
Approach:
The project began with research into SMEs, the financial services landscape, and emerging ecosystem platforms.
This was followed by:
- Analysing tools such as Stripe Atlas, QuickBooks, and Xero to understand best practices
- Mapping key business needs across finance, marketing, legal, HR, and growth
- Structuring the platform into clear, logical categories
- Iterating on wireframes to reduce complexity and improve usability
- Designing with scalability and flexibility in mind
Solution:
Business in a Box is a modular digital platform that enables SMEs to:
- Access tools and services across all areas of their business
- Navigate support through clearly defined categories
- Receive guidance tailored to their needs
- Integrate with third-party tools and services
- Access support via chat and professional services
The platform simplifies a complex ecosystem into a structured, easy-to-use experience.
Impact:
- Demonstrated a scalable approach to SME digital support
- Reduced reliance on relationship managers
- Improved accessibility to business tools and guidance
- Created opportunities for additional services and revenue streams
- Delivered a concept aligned with HSBC’s digital and CRM strategy
My Design Process:
- Research into SME needs and ecosystem platforms
- Competitor analysis to identify opportunities
- Information architecture and platform structuring
- Wireframing key journeys and navigation
- Iterative design to simplify complex interactions
- High-fidelity UI aligned with HSBC branding
- Refinement for scalability and usability
Product:
Business in a Box is a digital platform concept designed to support SMEs by centralising tools, services, and guidance in one place.
- Simplifies complex business processes
- Reduces fragmentation across tools
- Supports business growth and efficiency
- Provides a scalable digital support model
Outcome:
This project demonstrates how complex business ecosystems can be simplified through thoughtful design.
By focusing on structure, clarity, and user needs, the platform creates a more efficient and intuitive way for SMEs to manage and grow their business—while also supporting HSBC’s goal of delivering scalable digital services.
