JD
Hi John
Personal Loan
Documents required
Please upload the required documents so we can proceed with reviewing your application. Your application is currently being reviewed by one of our loan specialists.
Amount $25,000
Duration 5 years
APR 4.2%
Monthly $462
Application progress
✓
Application
Upload
documents
Review
Offer
Contract
Required actions
Upload last 3 months of bank statements
Uploaded
Upload proof of address
Uploaded
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Application center in banking app

Backbase · 2024

Discovery research and usability testing for a new loan application tracking feature

My role
UX Researcher
Duration
3 months
Team
Researcher · Designer · PM

Context

Problem Statement

The product and design team had an assumption that they should build an application center in their banking app. Before investing in development, they wanted to validate if users actually needed this feature through explorative research.

Research Goal: Understand if users need an application tracking feature, how they currently track applications, what pain points exist, and what information they expect to see.

The approach was methodical: first prove the assumption with research, then create two design concepts, test them with real users, gather feedback, and deliver refined designs based on what we learned.

Explorative Research
→
Concept Design
→
Evaluative Research
→
Updated Design

Step 1

Explorative Research

Methodology: In-depth semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions adjusted to each participant's story

Respondents: 9 participants across three loan types, all applied less than 6 months ago

Research Questions
Do people receive updates about their application, and how?
Do they track application status proactively, and why?
If they don't receive updates, is this a problem or pain point?

Research Findings

Updates that people expect to see
The application is received + summary
A bank requires more docs
The application is approved
😍Finding 1: Some participants regularly checked dashboards showing their progress. Several participants mentioned: "I was checking it pretty regularly because I was curious. The sooner I know, the better."
🤯Finding 2: Others received no updates and either called the bank or waited passively, leading to frustration.
😑Finding 3: When describing lack of updates, the majority used words like "anxiety" and "frustration." One participant said: "I was often frustrated just because the bank was not very good at responding to you or keeping you up-to-date on what was happening."

Step 2

Concept Design — Two Versions

Based on research findings, the design team created two different dashboard layouts to explore different information hierarchies. These were ready for testing.

Version A — Actions First
JD
Hi John
Manage your application
Back to all applications
Personal Loan
We're reviewing your application. Please upload the documents and a bank representative will reach out to you in two-three business days.
Amount$25,000
Duration5 years
APR4.2%
Monthly$462
Required actions
Upload last 3 months of bank statements
Upload proof of address
Application progress
✓
Application
Review
3
Offer
4
Contract
5
Funding
Version B — Details First
JD
Hi John
Manage your application
Your current application
Personal Loan
Amount$25,000
Duration5 years
Monthly$462
APR4.2%
Contact us
Mention your reference
BN-14825
Chat
Available 24 hours
Phone
Mon–Fri 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Application progress
We're reviewing your application to make sure everything looks good. This can take 2-3 business days.
Application Review Offer Contract Funding
Required actions
Upload last 3 months of bank statements
Upload proof of address

Step 3

Evaluative Research — Usability Testing

Methodology: Moderated usability tests with prototype interactions, task completion, and follow-up questions

Research Questions
How quickly do users find the "actions" they need to take?
Do users understand where they are in the application process?
Is there enough information on the dashboard?

Test Results & Insights

😍Actions Visibility: Version A showed actions immediately (first thing noticed), while Version B users found actions third. Participants spent less time searching in Version A.
🤯Misinterpretation: In Version B, showing loan details at the top confused several participants. They assumed seeing loan terms meant their application was already approved, when in fact it was still under review.
😑Ignored Sections: Participants largely ignored FAQ and contact sections while describing what they needed. They expected these to be in the app toolbar, not on the dashboard itself.
😍After Actions: One participant said: "Next I'd go on with the rest of my day." Users were satisfied with the dashboard information and didn't need additional support or details.

Step 4

Updated Design & Outcomes

Based on testing feedback, we made three key improvements:

Design Changes
Added a tag "in review" to loan details to prevent misunderstanding
Moved application progress section to the top right for immediate visibility
Moved actions section directly below progress for quick access

Key Learnings

01

Research before building: Explorative research validated the assumption and shaped feature requirements before any design work began, saving time and resources.

02

Comparison reveals insights: Testing two concepts side-by-side revealed clear preferences and usability issues that wouldn't have surfaced with a single design approach.

03

Information hierarchy matters: Small layout changes, like moving progress to the top, significantly reduced user confusion and improved task completion rates.

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© 2025 Lena Lukyanchikova