DIGITAL
BANKING
For my university final year project/dissertation, I focused on improving the digital banking experience for elderly users. The project involved in-depth research into various design solutions and principles thought to improve an elderly user's experience of a digital product, these were then applied to a banking app prototype, which was tested against a similar banking app prototype that used typical design principles.
Digital banking was chosen as the project's focus due to the ongoing shift toward online services and the widespread closure of in-person bank branches. According to Age UK (2023), 4 in 10 older adults don’t use digital banking, and 3.25 million people feel uncomfortable using it. This growing shift to digital platforms risks excluding older users from essential services. By exploring various elderly focused design principles and solutions, this project aimed to highlight possible ways to improve an elderly adult's experience of digital banking, empowering them to use digital services with greater ease and confidence.
After completeing my final year in university, this project was awarded the prize for Best Overall Performance in the Final Year Project for Web and Information Systems.
Built with: Figma / UEQ / Excel
Two interactive banking app prototypes were created to evaluate the impact of elderly focused design principles. Prototype A (left) followed conventional design principles, while Prototype B (right) built upon the same framework, integrating elderly focused design principles and solutions identified through prior research, including skeuomorphic elements, radical simplicity, and multimodal feedback, among others.
These prototypes were then tested in person with participants aged 71 to 84, who were asked to complete a set of everyday banking tasks, such as locating a specific transaction, paying a named contact, and cancelling a standing order. Task completion time was recorded, alongside observational notes on ease of use, difficulty, and user behaviour.
Following the tasks, participants completed a paper-based User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) to gain further insights into their experience with each prototype.
The results from these tests are show below.
The graph above compares Prototype A (blue) and Prototype B (orange) across the six UEQ scales, using the calculated mean scores for each. Across all scales, Prototype B consistently received more positive ratings, indicating a more favourable user experience among elderly participants.
The graph above presents the average task completion times for Prototype A (blue) and Prototype B (orange) across five common banking tasks. Tasks 4 and 5 took the longest overall, and Prototype B consistently enabled faster task completion except for Task 3.
The graph above shows the average task completion time by participant age for both Prototype A (blue) and Prototype B (orange). As anticipated, both prototypes show a gradual increase in task time with age, likely reflecting cognitive and motor changes associated with later life. However, Prototype B demonstrates a steadier and less pronounced incline, suggesting that the elderly-focused design features helped mitigate age-related UX challenges more effectively than Prototype A.
Key Findings
User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ)
Results
show Prototype B consistently outperformed Prototype A across all six UEQ scales, indicating a more positive overall experience. However, both prototypes scored lower on novelty and stimulation, suggesting a need to further explore ways of enhancing user engagement.
Task Completion Times
Prototype B enabled quicker task completion on nearly all tasks and demonstrated more stable performance across the age range. This suggests that elderly focused design principles improved efficiency and usability.
Observational Insights
Scrolling confusion was a recurring issue in both prototypes, highlighting the need for clearer navigation cues. Participants found that neomorphic elements and multimodal feedback made interactions feel more intuitive and tangible. One participant commented that Prototype B "felt more physical." Prototype B’s simplified interface made tasks easier to complete. In contrast, the more detailed transaction screen in Prototype A often caused confusion, highlighting the importance of clarity and minimalism.
Limitations & Future work
While the results were promising, the project had some limitations that open up opportunities for further research.
Small Sample Size
The project involved just seven participants, which limits the reliability of the findings. Future iterations would benefit from a larger and even more diverse group.
Bundled Design Changes
Prototype B combined multiple elderly-focused design principles and solutions, making it difficult to isolate which design changes had the greatest impact. In the future, creating separate prototypes for individual design approaches would allow for clearer evaluation.
Enhancing Engagement
Although usability improved, both prototypes struggled with engagement. Further research is needed to explore how digital banking for older adults can feel not just usable, but enjoyable.
Long-Term Usability
This project focused on first-time use. Longitudinal testing could reveal how familiarity over time affects ease of use, trust, and overall satisfaction in both prototypes.
Want to give the prototypes a go?
Hit the either button below to see either prototype.