European Investment Bank – Unified Internal Platforms & Design System
Streamlining 11+ internal platforms into a unified, compliant, and scalable system for Europe’s leading financial institution.
Stage 1. User Research
Engaged with stakeholders and internal users across departments to understand how employees interacted with the bank’s multiple legacy platforms, such as ASAPP, ASAPP Mobile, NOW, NOW Mobile, MMS, CALMS, GCAPP, Client Connect, and RaSa.
Methods included interviews, surveys, and task analysis, focusing on:
Core workflows across fragmented platforms.
Pain points caused by duplications, inefficiencies, and inconsistent interfaces.
Regulatory requirements shaping how sensitive data must be accessed and processed.
Key insights revealed the need for unified workflows, consistent design patterns, and a secure, compliant experience tailored to banking operations.
Stage 2. Ideation & Conceptualization
Mapped out end-to-end user flows that converged key tasks across the 11 platforms into a single system.
Workshops with cross-department teams explored:
System integration concepts for simplifying multi-platform processes.
Role-based journeys to differentiate needs between back-office staff, analysts, and operators.
At the same time, conceptualized the foundation of a design system: reusable components, interaction rules, and accessibility guidelines to drive consistency across all banking applications.
Stage 3. Design Execution
Wireframing & Prototyping
Created wireframes for unified task flows, from transaction approvals to data reporting.
Prototypes demonstrated cross-platform workflows, helping stakeholders visualize how legacy tasks would be simplified.
Design System
Developed the EIB Design System, a centralized library of UI components, typography, color schemes, and interaction patterns.
Ensured compliance with financial regulations and data protection standards, embedding security into the system’s design.
Optimized components for heavy data-driven use cases, ensuring both performance and usability.
Stage 4. User Testing & Iterations
Findings revealed:
Users appreciated the consistency provided by the design system, reducing training needs.
Complex financial workflows required step-by-step guidance and clear status indicators.
Compliance-related flows (e.g., approvals, audit trails) had to balance efficiency with security requirements.
Based on feedback, iterations focused on:
Refining the clarity of navigation between converged systems.
Enhancing feedback messages for compliance-critical tasks.
Ensuring accessibility and inclusivity across all internal tools.
Stage 5. Final Presentation and Documentation
Delivered a comprehensive set of deliverables, including:
Unified user flows and journey maps across 11+ platforms.
Annotated wireframes and prototypes of key workflows.
A fully documented EIB Design System, serving as the foundation for current and future applications within the unit.
Usability testing reports with insights, findings, and recommendations for further optimization.
Outcome
The project resulted in a scalable design system and a set of streamlined workflows that transformed how employees interact with the bank’s internal tools. By consolidating 11 critical platforms into a unified, consistent experience, the EIB achieved:
Reduced complexity for employees managing multi-platform tasks.
Improved consistency and quality across all internal applications.
Regulatory alignment with secure, compliant design principles.
A strong foundation for the bank’s ongoing digital transformation efforts.
