Overview:
The Instant Access Savings Account (IASA) was designed to provide customers with a flexible, accessible way to save money without withdrawal restrictions or penalties.
Many users need a savings product that balances easy access with competitive returns, but traditional options often introduce friction through limitations or complexity. The goal of this project was to create a seamless, transparent experience that encourages consistent saving while supporting users’ short-term financial needs.
The product was successfully launched in December 2023, following close collaboration across Product, Engineering, and Compliance teams, and iterative testing to refine the experience.
My Role:
As the Product Designer, I led the end-to-end design of the Instant Access Savings Account across web and mobile.
I was responsible for:
- Designing onboarding and account management journeys
- Creating wireframes, high-fidelity designs, and interactive prototypes
- Translating complex financial concepts into clear, intuitive flows
- Collaborating with Product, Engineering, and Compliance teams
- Using AI tools to explore user flows, generate content variations, and accelerate early-stage prototyping
- Ensuring consistency through design system updates and components
- Iterating based on user feedback and usability testing
- Supporting delivery through to launch
Tools:
- Figma
- Zeplin
- Overflow
- Illustrator
- Confluence
- Jira
- Miro
- Power BI
- Slack
The Problem:
Many customers struggle to find savings products that offer both:
- Flexibility to access funds at any time
- Competitive returns
Traditional savings accounts often:
- Restrict withdrawals
- Introduce unnecessary complexity
- Discourage regular saving behaviour
This creates frustration and limits users’ ability to manage their finances effectively.
The Challenge:
Designing the IASA required balancing flexibility with clarity and compliance:
- Communicating product benefits clearly to a broad audience
- Designing a multi-step onboarding journey without overwhelming users
- Supporting both new and existing customers
- Ensuring regulatory requirements (AML, legal) were met
- Maintaining consistency across web and mobile platforms
The goal was to create a frictionless experience while maintaining trust and transparency.
Approach:
The project followed a user-centred, iterative design process:
- Conducted research to understand saving behaviours and user needs
- Mapped key journeys including onboarding, funding, and account management
- Identified friction points and opportunities to simplify flows
- Used AI-assisted tools to rapidly explore different journey structures and refine onboarding flows
- Collaborated closely with Product, Engineering, and Compliance to align on constraints
- Iterated designs based on testing and stakeholder feedback
Solution:
The final experience enables users to:
- Understand the product
Review key benefits and terms clearly - Set up their account
Enter or confirm personal details with minimal friction - Fund their savings
Choose flexible payment options - Complete verification
Seamlessly pass AML and legal checks - Manage savings easily
Access and control funds at any time
The result is a simple, flexible savings experience that removes barriers and encourages ongoing engagement.
Impact:
- 67% of customers opened an IASA through cross-sell
- 12% of new IASA customers converted to investing products
- Reduced friction in onboarding and account setup
- Improved clarity around flexible savings options
- Encouraged consistent saving behaviour
My Design Process:
- Research and discovery into user needs and behaviours
- Journey mapping and flow design
- Wireframing and low-fidelity exploration
- Using AI tools to generate flow variations, refine microcopy, and speed up ideation
- High-fidelity UI design aligned with accessibility standards
- Prototyping for validation and testing
- Cross-functional collaboration with Product, Engineering, and Compliance
- Design system updates for consistency and scalability
- Iteration based on feedback and testing
- Launch support
Product:
The Instant Access Savings Account is available across web and mobile, enabling users to save, manage, and access funds easily while maintaining flexibility and control.
Outcome:
This project demonstrates how thoughtful design can simplify financial products by balancing flexibility, usability, and compliance — delivering a seamless experience that supports both customer needs and business growth.
Wireframe:
To see the full user journey and wireframe, please scroll through the embedded pdf below or click to enlarge. To see the full high fidelity prototype created using Figma please click on the button at the end of the PDF or by clicking here.
