I worked as a Senior Graphic Designer at Bay Federal Credit Union, the Central Coast’s largest locally owned financial institution. Serving more than 95,000 members across Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito counties, Bay Federal provides banking services throughout the region.
Project Overview / RoleI
led the UX/UI design of a touchscreen member experience for the launch of a new Bay Federal Credit Union branch. The interactive 42-inch tabletop display transformed how members engaged with financial products by creating a seamless experience that supported both self-guided exploration and meaningful conversations with branch representatives.
led the UX/UI design of a touchscreen member experience for the launch of a new Bay Federal Credit Union branch. The interactive 42-inch tabletop display transformed how members engaged with financial products by creating a seamless experience that supported both self-guided exploration and meaningful conversations with branch representatives.
Creative Brief / Challenge
Creative Brief / Challenge
After several unsuccessful design rounds with an outside agency (shown below), I was brought in to establish a new creative direction. Working within an aggressive production timeline, I redesigned the experience, aligned stakeholders, and helped move the project toward a successful branch launch.
Creative Brief / Challenge
After several unsuccessful design rounds with an outside agency (shown below), I was brought in to establish a new creative direction. Working within an aggressive production timeline, I redesigned the experience, aligned stakeholders, and helped move the project toward a successful branch launch.
Discovery & User Considerations
Before designing the interface, I evaluated how members and branch staff would interact with the experience in a physical environment. The goal was to create a tool that could support both independent exploration and guided conversations, while making complex financial products easier to understand.
Before designing the interface, I evaluated how members and branch staff would interact with the experience in a physical environment. The goal was to create a tool that could support both independent exploration and guided conversations, while making complex financial products easier to understand.
User Journey Mapping
I mapped the member journey to identify key decision points and simplify the path from exploration to action. The experience was structured around intuitive product categories, allowing members to quickly find relevant solutions while giving Financial Service Officers a flexible tool to support conversations.
I mapped the member journey to identify key decision points and simplify the path from exploration to action. The experience was structured around intuitive product categories, allowing members to quickly find relevant solutions while giving Financial Service Officers a flexible tool to support conversations.
(1) MEMBER ARRIVES (2) Explores Financial Options (3) Discovers Relevant Products (4) Learns Through Interactive Content (5) Connects With Financial Advisor (6) Confidently Takes Action
Wireframing & Prototyping
I developed early wireframes in Figma to test content hierarchy, navigation, and interaction patterns. Because the interface would live on a large tabletop display, I considered physical interaction, viewing distance, and touch targets throughout the design process. These early prototypes allowed me to quickly validate ideas and refine the experience before development.
I developed early wireframes in Figma to test content hierarchy, navigation, and interaction patterns. Because the interface would live on a large tabletop display, I considered physical interaction, viewing distance, and touch targets throughout the design process. These early prototypes allowed me to quickly validate ideas and refine the experience before development.
Visual Design System
I translated Bay Federal’s existing brand guidelines into a digital interface, creating a clean and approachable visual system through typography, iconography, photography, and reusable UI components.
I translated Bay Federal’s existing brand guidelines into a digital interface, creating a clean and approachable visual system through typography, iconography, photography, and reusable UI components.
Designing for a Physical Experience
Unlike a traditional web or mobile interface, this experience needed to account for a shared, physical environment. I tested layouts by recreating the tabletop interaction at home, using my TV as a stand-in for the 42-inch display to evaluate scale, accessibility, and ease of use.
Unlike a traditional web or mobile interface, this experience needed to account for a shared, physical environment. I tested layouts by recreating the tabletop interaction at home, using my TV as a stand-in for the 42-inch display to evaluate scale, accessibility, and ease of use.
In an early iteration, I tested a vertical navigation pattern inspired by familiar TV interfaces like the HBO app. User feedback revealed that the icon-based navigation lacked clear affordances, making it difficult to understand which elements were interactive. I refined the design to improve clarity, hierarchy, and ease of use within the touchscreen environment.
Above: I explored larger rectangular buttons to improve usability and introduced an image carousel for featured products, such as auto loans. The carousel served a dual purpose: helping members discover relevant offerings while providing space for promotional content.
Above: As the visual direction was refined, I partnered with a copywriter to develop content for each user journey throughout the application. I also integrated Bay Federal’s signature lime green into the interface, creating a stronger connection to the brand while ensuring the color supported hierarchy, navigation, and overall usability.
Final Round
Under a compressed timeline, I led the final design phase—refining layouts, iconography, and photography direction for approval within eight days. By working directly with developers in Figma and iterating quickly, I helped bridge the gap between design and production, bringing the touchscreen experience back on track and successfully launching the product three weeks later.
Under a compressed timeline, I led the final design phase—refining layouts, iconography, and photography direction for approval within eight days. By working directly with developers in Figma and iterating quickly, I helped bridge the gap between design and production, bringing the touchscreen experience back on track and successfully launching the product three weeks later.
Final Experience
The final interface transformed a traditional product conversation into an interactive member experience, giving customers a more engaging way to explore financial solutions while providing branch staff with a flexible conversation tool.
The final interface transformed a traditional product conversation into an interactive member experience, giving customers a more engaging way to explore financial solutions while providing branch staff with a flexible conversation tool.
Impact
The project introduced a new digital touchpoint within the branch environment, replacing static printed materials with an interactive experience that improved member education, supported staff conversations, and created a more engaging way to explore financial solutions.
The project introduced a new digital touchpoint within the branch environment, replacing static printed materials with an interactive experience that improved member education, supported staff conversations, and created a more engaging way to explore financial solutions.
Additional Bay Federal Projects
A selection of additional marketing and brand initiatives created for Bay Federal Credit Union.
A selection of additional marketing and brand initiatives created for Bay Federal Credit Union.
Below: Promotional campaign mockups designed to drive member engagement through a strategic partnership with Amazon.
Below: Final production-ready campaign assets.
Below: social media post templates
