Could we breathe new life into a legacy banking app—making it modern, scalable, and built for the next generation of users?
Team
Product Designer @ Interswitch
Timeline
Aug '23 - Jan '24
Contributions
UI Design, Design Systems, Usability Test
For a long time, Heritage Bank’s mobile banking app remained untouched—outdated UI, clunky navigation, and a design that no longer reflected modern user expectations. With an increasingly digital-savvy audience and rising competition from fintech disruptors, stakeholders recognized the need for a revamp that would attract younger users, drive engagement, and ultimately boost adoption.
The Problem
❌ The user interface felt outdated and clunky compared to other banking apps and new fintech competitors.
❌ No support for dark mode or scalable design systems, making future updates challenging.
❌ Stakeholders sought a modernized look & feel to re-engage users and improve adoption rates.
Old UI Designs
Comparative Analysis with data from Playstore & Appstore
One of the stakeholders said:
Our challenge was clear:
Our Solution
By focusing on the primary objectives, we refreshed the app's visual appeal, offer theme flexibility through light and dark modes, and establish a unified design language
A Sleek, Modern UI
Light and Dark Mode Capabilities
A Restructured App Architecture
Easier Access to Key Banking Features
Design Tokens & System
Seamless Scalability, Collaboration & Development
The Setback
A Sudden and Unforeseen Halt
With the redesigned app near launch, the Central Bank of Nigeria withdrew Heritage Bank’s operating license, ordering its liquidation. This decision rendered all ongoing digital initiatives—including our mobile app redesign—obsolete overnight.
Reflections
Design for Scale & Future-Proofing
We built a design system using tokens, making future iterations easier. Even though the project was halted, this approach ensured adaptability for any future banking product.
Resilience in Design
Not every project makes it to launch, but every project brings growth, insights, and better design thinking for the future.
