How we increased navigation 80%
Streamloan : iOS Visual Redesign
Usability || Information Architecture || Style & Branding || Ui/Ux
Streamloan is a startup that seeks to simplify the tedious mortgage loan approval process.
Their iOS app provides borrowers and lenders a secure, consolidated platform to track and secure a loan.
The Challenge
Steamloan was a complex, feature-rich MVP for which initial testing showed that 100% of users failed to initiate the main user flow. Users felt lost amidst a jumble of information without a clear user journey. Lack of branding and a lack-luster visual design also eroded credibility and trust in the app's security. We made a complex lending app feel trustworthy and intuitive to use by:
Reorganizing the information architecture to increase usability & navigation.
Improving the look & feel of the UI to convey Streamloan's core values of security and simplicity.
My Role
I was Product Designer for the full design lifecycle from user testing through to creating the final interactive prototype. I iterated on the core "Create Bundle" & "Create Account" features. I also created the Chat & Notifications features. I collaborated with the CEO and engineers to get weekly feedback throughout the design process, which included:
User Testing & Data Synthesis
User Journey Mapping
Task Flow Analysis
Information Architecture
Ideation & Prototyping
Style Guide Development
Results
"intuitive"
"straightforward"
"simple"
» 80% Increase in Usability & Navigation
» 60% Increase in Security & Simplicity
After
Before
Who Uses Streamloan?
I tested the original app on six new home-buyers and conducted user interviews to better understand user needs and the mortgage loan process. I then took this data to develop two personas: the single first-time home-buyer, and the married mom with a growing family.
Usability Testing
The user testing revealed many pain-points. I proposed solutions to each and headed for the ideation phase.
Design Studio
To kick-start our brains, the entire team ran several rounds of Crazy 8's to diverge and converge on the best ideas.
Simplifying the Information Architecture
We established a more intuitive user flow by conducting comprehensive card-sorting exercises.
After
Before
Prototyping
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
Hi-fidelity Prototypes
Distinguishing the Brand
To create Streamloan's first style guide and brand principles, we consulted with the founder and design team in a branding workshop. We came away with a set of core values and developed this into a comprehensive style guide used in our hi-fidelity prototypes.