DURATION: 6 months, Nov 2023 - Apr 2024
ROLE: Technology & Operations team, Visual Designer (Contract)
LOCATION: Toronto, ON
TOOLS: Adobe Suite, Figma, Mural, One Drive, Confluence, Webex
OVERVIEW
I joined Royal Bank of Canada's (RBC) Technology & Operations team to assist with several key migration activities related to RBC’s acquisition of HSBC. The Technology & Operations team is responsible for the strategy and overall management of global technology and operations for the bank. This includes innovation, applications development, infrastructure and enterprise operations.
PURPOSE
RBC's recent acquisition of HSBC, has integrated all of HSBC’s Canadian banking clients and employees under the RBC banner. The goal of the migration project was to enhance the value of the overall banking experience for HSBC clients and to better connect Canadian businesses and investors to expanded international markets.
The acquisition affected approximately 780,000 HSBC clients and 4,500 employees. The move follows RBC’s strategic decision to incorporate HSBC Canada’s operations into its network. With many functional channels to consider internally and externally, my team and I dedicated our efforts to optimizing the employee experience throughout the integration journey.
WHAT DID I CONTRIBUTE?
Leading one of the content design initiatives, I played a key role in facilitating the HSBC employee transition experience. I collaborated closely with cross-functional teams and stakeholders. Together, we crafted a comprehensive content strategy aligned to the brand’s voice and objectives at RBC. My designs culminated in the creation of engaging user guide handbooks for the 4,500 HSBC employees transitioning to RBC.
I also contributed to the design and implementation of UI updates and new features for RBC's employee tech assistant chat bot. I was tasked with re-designing to create an enhanced interface that created a highly intuitive and engaging user experience. I conducted comprehensive user testing sessions throughout the design process which positively impacted the effectiveness of the overall UI implementation.
👀 Sneak peak of some of the pages in the Canadian Banking Operations Handbook.
WHAT DID THIS INVOLVE?
• Presenting content designs to various teams and stakeholders, gathering feedback through design reviews and ensuring clarity in the body copy by collaborating with conversational designers.
• Throughout the design process, I meticulously adhered to RBC's brand guidelines and maintained a keen eye for detail.
• Numerous iterations and discussions took place to determine the optimal visual approach for presenting a diverse range of content to new onboarding employees.
Working both independently and collaborating with various RBC teams, the design assets I created for the HSBC migration project played a crucial role in facilitating the successful transition of HSBC employees into RBC.
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EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS
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📇 Collaborating with stakeholders
Collaborated closely with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to comprehensively gather all necessary data, ensuring that every piece of information was readily available for internal employees to grasp. By aligning with stakeholders' visions and addressing their wants and needs, we strived to deliver on their expectations effectively.
💾 Iterations upon iterations
Navigated through the entirety of the design lifecycle, starting from project conception within the T&O team, engaging in thorough discussions with other teams and developers to ascertain feasibility, and progressing through multiple iterations. Reflecting on outcomes post-release allowed for continuous refinement and enhancement, ensuring the end result met and exceeded expectations.
🛠️ Building design systems
Iterated on the design system, crafting elegant and reusable components that facilitated an efficient design process. Advocated to maintain high standards by staying up to date with usability and accessibility best practices.
Iterated on the design system, crafting elegant and reusable components that facilitated an efficient design process. Advocated to maintain high standards by staying up to date with usability and accessibility best practices.
🎤 User interviews
Conducted and evaluated user research interviews to test feedback and improve existing pages of RBC's chatbot platform using Figma.
Deeply understood pain points through continual research and user interviews to develop expert solutions for users.
Generated concise and comprehensive components, including user personas, conceptual models, site maps, functional flows, and annotated wireframes.
🚨 New features
Conceptualized UI/UX ideas that brought functional, user-friendly designs to RBC's internal tech assistant chatbot through creating new features and components.
Regularly reflected on design processes to encourage myself to continue growing and being intentional with my designs, iteration by iteration.
KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS & TAKEAWAYS
Working as a visual designer at RBC was an immensely fulfilling experience that fueled my growth as a designer every single day. Contributing significantly within RBC and helping with the smooth transition of HSBC was deeply satisfying to witness. Hearing positive feedback about our team's intuitiveness and user-friendly approach to the entire onboarding initiative was incredibly gratifying, knowing that I played a part in making an impact.
From the start, I continuously honed my visual and UI skills while further developing my work ethic and collaborative spirit during my tenure at RBC. Approaching every task with attention to detail and a creative mindset allowed me to consider functionality alongside visually captivating content throughout the process.
My role as a visual designer at RBC empowered me to perpetually expand my skills, fostering an environment where outside-the-box thinking is encouraged, and limitations are challenged. This enables me to craft engaging user journeys while breaking free from conventional processes, continually pushing boundaries to create innovative solutions.
