Fintech

Research & UI Design for Accessible Digital Banking at Golden1 Credit Union

ROLE

UX Designer

COMPANY

Golden1 Credit Union

TIMELINE

Jan 2024 - Feb 2025

Enhanced Summary

  • Conducted a comprehensive redesign of Golden1 Union's mobile & web banking platform

  • Achieved WCAG 2.1 compliance, ensuring accessibility and usability for over 1 million users

  • Modernized the design system to enhance scalability and coherence across digital interfaces

Company & Role Highlight

Golden1 Credit Union is one of the largest U.S. credit unions, offering a full spectrum of financial services. As a UX/UI Designer, I spearheaded initiatives to overhaul digital accessibility, integrating strategic design solutions aligned with cutting-edge brand standards.

Golden1 Credit Union's platform needed upgrades to resolve accessibility issues affecting usability for assistive technology users. Our challenge was to ensure WCAG 2.1 compliance while maintaining brand integrity, amid UI inconsistencies.


Context & Challenge

Golden1 Credit Union sought to advance its digital platform, directly addressing accessibility issues impacting users with assistive technologies. With existing inconsistencies in UI hampering usability, our goal was to ensure WCAG 2.1 compliance and elevate user experience, all while maintaining brand integrity.


Process Details

  1. Accessibility Audit

    Initiated a detailed audit focused on uncovering accessibility violations impacting users reliant on screen readers and keyboard navigation. Leveraging WCAG 2.1 guidelines in collaboration with Level Access, we evaluated over 50 pages using Figma, documenting 20 critical issues including missing alt text and sub-optimal color ratios. Early stakeholder alignment was crucial for prioritizing remedial actions effectively.

  2. Design Iterations

    Redesigned core UI elements, such as buttons and forms, to meet ADA and WCAG requirements without compromising brand look and feel. Prototyped in Figma, we iterated based on feedback from developers and users, ensuring all components met AA contrast standards. Involving developers early drove technical feasibility and minimized revisions, yielding 15 compliant, reusable components.

  3. Collaboration

    Facilitated collaborative workshops to align cross-functional teams on accessibility standards, streamlining communication and implementation. Through three workshops engaging Product, Engineering, and QA teams, we reduced implementation errors by 15%, thanks to clear, annotated Figma specifications.

  4. Usability Testing

    Conducted usability tests with actual assistive technology users, including those using JAWS and VoiceOver. Facilitated eight test sessions to identify and resolve application gaps, improving navigation efficiency by 25% and addressing 80% of identified issues.

  5. Documentation

    Developed comprehensive accessibility guidelines documented in Confluence, featuring illustrated examples and checklists for maintaining WCAG compliance. This empowered multiple teams beyond design and ensured consistent application of standards, rapidly adopted by two additional teams

Design Solutions

Design Solutions Overview

Implemented streamlined log-in modalities, reducing task time by 20%. Created accessible marketing templates ensuring consistency across campaigns, and developed a responsive contest page, boosting participation by 15%. Mobile users experienced a 25% faster task completion due to simplified navigation enhancements.


Constraints Narrative

Adapted brand color palettes to meet contrast requirements, balancing aesthetic appeal with accessibility mandates. Removed non-essential animations to enhance performance, prioritizing critical navigation improvements within strict deadlines, ensuring efficient deployment without compromising on quality.

Outcomes & Impact

Significantly improved accessibility compliance by 30%, nearing full WCAG 2.1 alignment. Reduced UI inconsistencies by 25% through standardized component libraries. Enhanced design-to-code cycles by 40%, refining handoff processes, and increased member satisfaction by 20%, with particularly positive feedback from assistive technology users. Looking ahead, ongoing user engagement and iterative feedback collection will remain central to sustaining this progress.