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Commercial Lending Matching Software

A simplfied and fast lending experience

Marketing website on an iPhone with software platform on a horizontal tablet.

Project Summary

An online software platform connecting businesses wanting additional funding with institutions (lenders and funding sources). Client’s ask was to take their current MVP and ramp-up their go-to-market efforts aimed at a commercially live platform. Initial focus was on addressing technical scalability, architecture, UI/UX experience and future state needs.

I led the project team (which included a UX Designer, Jr. UX Designer, Business Analyst, and Development Lead) and the client through the design process of discovery, implmentation, and validation.

Design Process

Timeline visual for discovery, implemtation, and validation.

Discovery
Innovation and team alignment starts with discovery, understanding who we are creating the software for and understanding client stakeholders’ ideas.

Implementation
Building for scalability and efficiency starts with a design system, while also creating screens and prototypes for client and user feedback.

Validation
Learn how to improve the process from actual users with usability testing and updating designs before implementation.


Design Thinking Workshop

We kicked off the project with design thinking workshops to gain team alignments, develop a culture of innovation and foster collaboration. Also identify success metrics, the plans for execution, and the minimum viable product.

There are different types of mechanisms to pull out ideas. We use icebreakers to get to know people on the team, typing ideas on virtual sticky notes individually and in small groups. And this is important to get original ideas and not just group thinking.

Some other activities are dot voting for prioritizing ideas, drawing user flows and wireframes, discussing and converging as a group on various topics, breaks in between activities, and a retrospective.

User Personas
During the workshop we also discussed and identified the top personas to better understand who we are designing and solving for. To better understand their pain points, goals, and reasons to use this product. We identified two distinct personas that were used to design two separate experiences of the platform and different parts of the marketing site.

Institution Designee Leslie persona and Business Rep Bob persona.

User Flows
Creating user flows helped us and the client better understand all the parts that would be needed for this product within the platform and marketing site.

User flow starting at Get Started.

Design System

Design systems speed up design and development time, make it easier for global changes, and make designs more consistent.

For this lending matching software client, the design system consists of styles, colors, logo, typography, alerts, blank states, buttons, dashboards, documents, emails, forms, icons, navigation & footer, messaging, marketing, modal & tooltip, page templates, profiles, and spacing & grid.

Design System styles including color and typography.

Usability Testing

Our goals in usability testing were to learn more about users' behavior, and to ensure that the website and platform deliver the expected solution. We tested with 8 business owners: 7 male, 1 female in varying ages, estimated annual revenue, and industries.

We tested for ease of use, overall impressions, if labels make sense, find out if there’s anything to help make things easier. We also used task-based testing to not lead participants and followed up with questions. We went through the most important tasks for registering, lender matching, communicating with lenders, reviewing documents, and others.

Overall
Overall participants found registration and the platform easy to use. All participants were able to successfully register and complete all tasks.

“Easy to use, not really complicated.. Very simple and straightforward.”
- Business Owner Sid

Marketing Insights
Participants wanted to take time to learn about what they could provide before creating an account.

  • Not many scrolled on the homepage, make sure to repeat content elsewhere, and make other content discoverable throughout.
  • Make it clear that they are a 3rd party and not a bank.
  • Share how many banks, not just big names.
  • Take keywords on how people would describe it to others.

“3rd party where they match you up with lenders, and a perfect fit for you. Easy to use. They will connect you with a lender that works best for you. Work with lender directly on the website, not lender website.”
- Business Owner Sid

Platform Feedback

  • Overall participants found registration easy to use. There was some confusion and clarification needed.
  • Confusion on “financial institution” & “bank”, change to “lender”
  • Add “Construction” to industry
  • What products interested in learning about and what type of financing was seen as repetitive, consider removing one question
  • How will it help grow and primary purpose of financing was seen as repetitive, consider removing one question
  • Consider reordering question what you are going to do with the money after asking for financing amount
  • Add estimated time frame on confirmation messages
  • Confusion on Build Your Business Overview CTA when looking to upload docs, add “+ Upload Docs”
  • Add ability to add people during the registration flow
  • And more...

“That’s cool, because my doctors do that now... That’s really convenient, I like that[ability to message lender directly].”
- Business Owner Joni

Next Steps
Detailed next steps were given for all flows and designs were updated for MVP and suggestions for future releases.


Marketing Site

From user needs, personas, and user flows we can then start designing screens. Creating clickable prototypes to use for reviews and usability testing.

Desktop and mobile view of marketing site.
Desktop and mobile view of forms on marketing site.

Software Platform

From user needs, personas, and user flows we can then start designing screens. Creating clickable prototypes to use for reviews and usability testing.

We identified two distinct personas that were used to design two separate experiences of the platform and different parts of the marketing site.

Two screens of software lender platform.
Two screens of software business owner platform.

Results

We were able to help our client build a marketing site and software platform that aids in changing the commercial lending process and increasing access to capital for businesses across the US. The platform meets the needs of both businesses and financial lending institutions in delivering a streamlined and transparent way to access unbiased lending. Their business owner clients have been able to maximize growth in their businesses with the aid in finding commercial lending.


UX Lead: Amy Henty

UX Designer: Laura Wieloszynski

Jr UX Designer: Vespera Palmares

Business Analyst: Ashly Shield

Development Lead: RJ Salicco

Email me @ amy@theamylynn.com, follow me on Behance, or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Amy L Henty ©2023

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