Barclays Internet Business Banking

Barclays Business Internet Banking delivers core business banking functionality to Corporate and SME customers, supporting them with their daily banking needs. The new web based banking products are the flagship applications set to lead e-channel initiatives within Barclays Corporate Bank.

Working with Barclays and their business banking customers, Frontend applied our full user-centred design (UCD) process to the development of the Barclays Business Internet Banking Application. From initial user requirement gathering, interaction and interface design to iterative user testing programs & post-implementation testing, we worked with the Marketing, Technical and Business teams across various UK offices to ensure the user-centred development process was successful.

The Project
The UCD process was key to the success of the project, beginning with an extensive requirements gathering phase to ensure the successful future migration of the existing electronic business banking customers, whilst maintaining the competitive edge to attract further potential customers within the business banking market. Field studies, interviews and domain research informed the initial interaction and interface designs and made sure specific user tasks and functionality in the existing 'fat-client' windows applications were being supported in the online environment.

Interaction wire frame prototypes were tested in order to analyse real user experiences with navigational structures and task flows. Results from cognitive walkthroughs and user testing helped identify areas for further redevelopment, and ensured a structure and system design that is intuitive to the user. Cognitive walkthroughs conducted with Barclay’s teams were equally important in validating that initial designs were fully scalable to accommodate future functionality and were future-proofed with regard to multiple currencies and the impending euro legislation.

The application interface
The application interface ‘look and feel’ applies visual communication elements to the interaction model, an integral part of defining the user experience and improving the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction of the user.

Prototypes of the final interface designs and simulated functionality were tested at key stages with both existing and potential customers and internal staff . Modifications were made following the results from the tests, which ensured the graphic elements of the interface supported the user task completion and enhanced the overall user experience.

Effective Online Transactions
Designing the task flows and interactions with a user centred design process considerably reduced the complexity of a number of everyday business banking transactions. A task hierarchy was established early on in the project, to ensure that common tasks were easily accessible and accomplished in the minimum amount of user interactions. For example, it was established during requirements gathering and user testing that common tasks such as checking account balances and transferring money were performed several times a day. Bearing this in mind, the application was designed so users can complete these tasks on a single screen, greatly reducing a previously complex workflow. Involving users throughout the development cycle is essential when designing even the simplest transactional processes, the results ensure that the interface fulfills user requirements from the start of a project, reducing the need for costly redevelopment later on in the project cycle.

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