Hi! 👋

The following case study outlines the design process, from exploratory research to final prototype, for Humanbank, a bank designed to allow senior citizens to easily manage their finances and restore a trusting relationship with their bank through an intuitive video-call feature.

Brief 📄

BBVA, a major Spanish bank, was looking for a solution to the common difficulty senior citizens frequently have using banking apps to complete basic tasks such as checking account balance, completing transfers, and making appointments. They requested a new business solution, complete with a digital application and new brand identity, that would restore senior citizens’ trust in their bank and confidence when completing basic functions through the app.

Research 👁️‍🗨️

As in any design process, the first step was to research the problem. For this case, I used a combination of desk research and interviews to allow me to empathize with elderly banking clients and understand their frustrations with the digital transformation banks are currently undergoing. Luckily, there were many sources available because this is such a big issue in

Spain. I focused my desk research on three main areas:

1. Trying to understand the context and the feelings of Spanish senior citizens on this issue.
2. Gaining an understanding of BBVA’s corporate values and strategic priorities.
3. Best UI practices when designing for the elderly.

Desk Research 📕

Desk Research Sources

Senior citizens and digital transformation in Spain

• Spain has one of the largest proportions of elderly citizens in the world (9,3 million citizens over 65 years old)
• After the financial crisis of 2008, the number of bank branches per capita was reduced by half (to some 20.000 physical branches)
• Hours of physical bank branches for certain services such as cash withdrawal and transfers also greatly reduced
• Elderly are increasingly distrustful of banks and their transition to digital tools, and feel disregarded (see the protest of Carlos San Juan — “I’m Old, Not an Idiot”)
• One key feature of Spanish banks is the “caja” (similar to the cashier figure in American banks). The “caja” is the part of the bank that deals mainly with cash (both drawing and depositing), but also handles checks, transfers, and balance checks. The “caja” used to be open during regular bank hours, but in recent years, the availability of the “caja” has been reduced to very few hours (sometimes only two or three) and few days of the week. This creates a major frustration for many elderly Spaniards who rely on the “caja” to withdraw cash, check their balance, etc.

BBVA corporate values and attempts to reduce the digital divide

• BBVA has a major focus on digitalization and innovation
• Current web app is highly rated
• Number of clients that primarily use the BBVA app to complete basic banking tasks has increased from 4% to 40% in the past five years.