Introduction

As the Senior Designer at Nymbus, I led the comprehensive design efforts for Locality, a new bank focused on serving small business owners in South Florida. This multifaceted project encompassed art direction for ad campaigns, designing initial iterations of the website, and creating an interactive small business map web app. Working closely with Locality, we aimed to establish a strong brand presence and create digital touchpoints that resonated with local high-revenue small business owners.

Problem Statement

Locality faced several challenges in establishing its presence and attracting its target audience:

1. Differentiating itself in a competitive banking market by emphasizing its local focus
2. Creating a cohesive brand experience across various touchpoints (website, ads, web app)
3. Designing digital solutions that appealed to high-revenue, educated small business owners (e.g., real estate developers, doctors, dentists, lawyers)
4. Effectively communicating Locality's value proposition of "banking like a local"
5. Addressing diverse needs of small business owners, from those seeking loans to those looking for better financial management

The primary goal was to create a comprehensive brand and digital experience that would position Locality as the preferred banking solution for South Florida's affluent small business community.

User Research and Persona Development

We conducted in-depth user research to inform our design decisions:

1. Participated in a company offsite Locality marketing workshop session
2. Developed and analyzed user journeys to understand how different types of small business owners would interact with the website and go through the onboarding process
3. Created key personas, including:
   • A small business owner in need of a federal business loan
   • A successful small business owner transferring accounts to Locality for tax assistance
   • A small business owner seeking to bank locally and connect with other local businesses

During the workshop, we engaged in collaborative exercises to map out these user journeys and personas, which provided valuable insights into the diverse needs and pain points of our target audience.

Key insights:

• High-revenue small business owners valued personalized banking solutions
• There was a strong interest in federal business loans among certain segments
• Users appreciated services that understood the unique challenges of the South Florida market
• The "bank like a local" tagline resonated strongly with the target audience

Design Process

Brand and Visual Identity Refinement

While Locality already had a logo and colors, I worked on refining and extending the brand identity:

1. Developed a comprehensive style guide to ensure consistency across all touchpoints
2. Created visual assets that reflected the vibrant South Florida culture while appealing to a professional audience
3. Designed templates for ad campaigns that reinforced the "bank like a local" messaging

Website Design and Iteration

I led the design of multiple iterations of the Locality website, focusing on:

• Clear communication of Locality's unique value proposition
• Intuitive navigation tailored to different user personas (e.g., loan seekers, established businesses)
• Showcasing local business success stories and community involvement
• Integrating calls-to-action for account creation and loan applications

Interactive Small Business Map Web App

I designed an innovative web app featuring an interactive map of Locality's small business clients:

• Created an intuitive interface for exploring local businesses by category and location
• Developed filtering and search functionalities to enhance user experience
• Integrated business profiles to showcase Locality's diverse client base
• Ensured the design promoted networking and community building among users

Regulatory Compliance and Legal Considerations

A crucial aspect of the design process involved working directly with legal teams to ensure compliance with financial regulations:

• Collaborated closely with legal experts to navigate the complexities of financial communication
• Ensured all design elements and copy adhered to strict guidelines regarding the advertisement of financial products
• Incorporated necessary disclosures and FDIC insurance information in a visually integrated way
• Developed a system for quickly updating regulated content across all digital touchpoints

User Flow Creation

Based on our workshop insights, I mapped out detailed user journeys for each persona:

1. Loan Seeker: From identifying financial needs to completing a loan application
2. Account Transfer: Journey of an established business moving their accounts to Locality
3. Community Connector: Path for businesses looking to network and engage with the local community

Using collaborative tools, I created visual representations of these journeys, allowing for team input and iteration throughout the process.

Prototyping and Testing

I developed interactive prototypes for both the website and small business map app, which were used for:

• Usability testing with representatives from our target user groups
• Stakeholder presentations to align on design direction and functionality
• Iterative refinement based on feedback and testing results

Cross-functional Collaboration

Throughout the project, I worked closely with various teams:

• Locality's leadership to ensure alignment with their vision and business goals
• Nymbus marketing team to integrate design with overall marketing strategies
• Development team to ensure feasibility of design implementations
• Content strategists to craft messaging that resonated with the target audience

Challenges included:

• Balancing the needs of diverse user personas within a cohesive design
• Ensuring the interactive map app was both user-friendly and technically feasible
• Maintaining design consistency across multiple touchpoints (website, ads, app)

To address these challenges, I:

• Facilitated regular cross-functional meetings and workshops
• Created a flexible design system that could be applied across various mediums
• Developed clear documentation and guidelines for all design elements

Usability Testing and Iteration

I conducted multiple rounds of usability testing:

1. Concept testing of initial website designs and ad campaigns
2. Prototype testing of the interactive small business map app
3. User testing with representatives from each of our key personas

Feedback was incorporated iteratively, leading to improvements such as:

• Refinements to the loan application process based on input from the "loan seeker" persona
• Enhancements to the account transfer journey for established businesses
• Improvements to the networking features in the small business map app

Accessibility and Inclusivity

To ensure an inclusive design, I:

• Implemented a color scheme that met accessibility standards while reflecting the brand identity, using Stark to check color contrast ratios to comply with AAA standards
• Designed components to be easily navigable across various devices and assistive technologies
• Included descriptive labels and alt text for all interactive elements and images
• Ensured that all digital touchpoints adhered to WCAG guidelines

Final Deliverables

The final deliverables encompassed a comprehensive suite of design assets:

• Multiple iterations of the responsive Locality website
• An interactive small business map web app
• Ad campaign designs and templates
• A comprehensive brand style guide
• User journey maps and persona documentation
• Interactive prototypes for key digital touchpoints

Implementation and Impact

The comprehensive design strategy was successfully implemented, resulting in:

• Increased engagement from high-revenue small business owners in South Florida
• Positive feedback on the "bank like a local" messaging and brand identity
• High user engagement with the interactive small business map app
• Improved conversion rates for account openings and loan applications
• Strengthened perception of Locality as a community-focused banking partner

Lessons Learned and Future Improvements

Key learnings:

1. The importance of in-depth persona development in creating targeted design solutions
2. The value of interactive tools in fostering community engagement among business clients
3. The impact of consistent branding across multiple touchpoints in establishing a strong market presence

Future improvements:

• Further personalization of the digital experience based on user type and behavior
• Expansion of the interactive map features to include more networking and business development tools
• Development of additional digital tools to support financial management for small businesses

This project showcased my ability to lead comprehensive design efforts across multiple touchpoints for a niche banking service. It demonstrated my skills in brand development, user experience design, and creating innovative digital solutions that address specific market needs. The project highlighted my capacity to work collaboratively with diverse teams and stakeholders to bring a complex vision to life.

‍