aic
Art Director
Nikolay
Ivanov
Art Director
Eric
Wicks
Art Director
Andy
Abramov
Front end
Jenya
Smirnov
Front end
Artem
Vereshaka
Manager
Denis
Shershnev
Manager
Artem
Derut
Арт Директор
Николай
Иванов
Арт Директор
Эрик
Уикс
Арт Директор
Андрей
Абрамов
Фронт-енд
Евгений
Смирнов
Фронт-енд
Артем
Верещака
Менеджер
Денис
Шершнев
Менеджер
Артем
Дерут

aic

We took Sberbank, the largest bank in Russia, as anexample. We imagined what the site andapplications of the bank of the future might look like.

THE FUTURE OF

Digital
banking

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01020304

Problems

Design for
nobody

Banks offer the same interface to every customer. The interface design tends to ignore differences between these users their interests and unique digital experience. The result is a «one-size fits all» design, which doesn’t really work that well for everyone.

Unused functions

Current banking applications combine all the services offered by the bank. Nobody uses them all. Applications are complex and overloaded.

Long development and bugs

Complex functionality leads to a large number of bugs and delays in their correction. Not to mention a large staff of developers.

Startups take away users from banks

Startups are actively stealing users away from banks through rapid product development and highly targeted offers to the client. If this continues, the bank will become just a back-office.

Solution

010203

One Purpose - One App

People shouldn’t waste their time searching for the functionality they need within one application. Several simple applications are more convinient for users than one complex application. This approach benefits the bank by shifting the responsibility for each application to individual teams, which implies the ability for the bank to move from strict functional divisions within the bank.

Experiments

The "one purpose - one app" approach provides more opportunities for experimentation. Large IT companies are in a better position to launch a wide number of services. What’s more, is if the service becomes popular among users, it continues to evolve. Otherwise, support can be terminated.

Agile

It takes too long to fix bugs in complex applications. Small teams that act on the basis of agile methodologies respond more quickly to user's feedback and solve emerging problems.

EXAMPLE

Let’s look at Google

Google isn’t afraid of creating more than one app to address a specific customer need. These apps possess limited functionality that makes them easier to launch and maintain. In case of failure, Google may stop maintenance or start from scratch, as it did with their messenger apps.

AlloA smart messaging app that helps you say more and do more
DuoA simple one-to-one video calling app for everyone
HangoutsShare messages, call and participate in video calls

How will this 
approach 
change 
digital
 banking?

The bank’s website will help users to select the right applications

Over time, the user's design needs and preferences will change. This new approach will make the bank's solutions more personalized and establish a closer connection with the user.

USER TYPES

APPLICATIONS

Children

Biometric payments

Friends

Goals

Students

Cryptocurrency

Travel Assistant

Car Sharing

Retirees

Dash buttons

Sberbank. Family

DocDoc

Each user will choose the services they need

The site will host the bank's applications, divided by need and purpose.

Start-ups will create services based on bank technologies

In order to attract successful young companies and build mutually beneficial relationships, the bank needs to create a convenient and reliable API platform.

What do these
services  l o o k
like?

001 APP

Sberbank
Family

Maybe the bank will help manage the family budget and plan common spending? This application could also help you monitor the financial needs of your loved ones, instantly transfer money to them and make a shared shopping list.

002 APP

Sberbank
Pay

Maybe the bank will help you split the check, pay and request money in one motion. This app makes money transfers easier. What’s more, is that it can divide common check into parts and request money from your friends.

003 APP

Sberbank
Spending

Maybe the bank could analyze user spendings and provide valuable advice? Visualizing statistics and different spending scenarios will allow users to get a better perspective on the consequences of their decisions.

004 APP

Sberbank
Goals

Maybe the bank could help users set different financial goals: save money for a trip, house, spend less than a certain sum per month or cut their expenditures on a certain product? Setting and achieving goals in the app encourages the development of financial literacy.

Is it necessary
to refuse from
the unifying
application?

The creation of applications for each need has its advantages comparing to one main application support. However, banks do not need to reject it. They can take full advantage of the proposed approach and create additional services besides the main application.

Conclusion

The banking industry is changing rapidly. The interactions with clients are moving into the digital space, where banks have to compete with young tech companies. Which also means that the role of the bank in the user’s view also changes. The bank is gradually becoming the main assistant of the user in financial matters. We believe that this poses the following tasks for banks:

First, banks should be transforming. They can learn from large IT companies. In particular, banks can offer more services, while using the "one need - one application" approach. This approach requires the creation of separate teams within the bank to effectively support and develop each application.

Secondly, banks need to look for new ways to interact with start-ups. We believe that one of the most important steps along this path is the creation of API platforms.

What do
 you
 think?
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