Trust Bank
A one-week banking app concept exploring how layout, color, and hierarchy decisions shape the feeling of security.
Trust Bank
A one-week banking app concept exploring how layout, color, and hierarchy decisions shape the feeling of security.
Overview
Overview
Trust Bank is a self-initiated, one-week concept project. The question behind it was practical, not academic: when someone opens a banking app for the first time, they decide within seconds whether it feels safe enough to move their money through. I wanted to understand which design decisions drive that feeling — and design three screens around the answer.
Trust Bank is a self-initiated, one-week concept project. The question behind it was practical, not academic: when someone opens a banking app for the first time, they decide within seconds whether it feels safe enough to move their money through. I wanted to understand which design decisions drive that feeling — and design three screens around the answer.
This project aimed to create a concept design of the features that form the basis of a bank application in a short period of 1 week.
This project aimed to create a concept design of the features that form the basis of a bank application in a short period of 1 week.
Role
Role
Product Designer -
Solo Consept
Time
Time
2023
2023
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Trust Bank
Trust Bank
Trust Bank
It’s an app that provides health and adoption support to stray cats.
It is a banking app that allows us to do internet banking.
It is a banking app that allows us to do internet banking.
Scope
Scope
Scope
One week is not enough time to design a full banking product, so I didn't try.
I scoped down to the three screens where the stakes are highest:
login, home, and spending. These are the screens where a user either builds confidence or quietly leaves.
Throughout the project, I aimed for success by following
"Double Diamond" principles.
Throughout the project, I aimed for success by following
"Double Diamond" principles.
Throughout the project,
I aimed for success by following "Double Diamond" principles.
The User Problem
The User Problem
The User Problem
Users switching to a new financial app carry a specific anxiety: "If something looks unfamiliar or messy, can I trust it with my money?"
Unlike e-commerce, where a weak interface costs you a sale, in banking it costs you the relationship before it starts. So the design target was clear: an interface that feels immediately familiar, calm, and in control.
Throughout the project, I aimed for success by following
"Double Diamond" principles.
Throughout the project, I aimed for success by following
"Double Diamond" principles.
Throughout the project,
I aimed for success by following "Double Diamond" principles.
Research: Evaluative, not Generative
Research: Evaluative, not Generative
Research: Evaluative, not Generative
With one week, I made a deliberate trade-off: instead of generative user research, I ran an evaluative benchmark of İşCep and Garanti BBVA — the two most widely used banking apps in Turkey — plus a review of 6 community concepts on Dribbble to map where convention ends and differentiation begins.
With one week, I made a deliberate trade-off: instead of generative user research, I ran an evaluative benchmark of İşCep and Garanti BBVA — the two most widely used banking apps in Turkey — plus a review of 6 community concepts on Dribbble to map where convention ends and differentiation begins.
With one week, I made a deliberate trade-off: instead of generative user research, I ran an evaluative benchmark of İşCep and Garanti BBVA — the two most widely used banking apps in Turkey — plus a review of 6 community concepts on Dribbble to map where convention ends and differentiation begins.
With one week, I made a deliberate trade-off: instead of generative user research, I ran an evaluative benchmark of İşCep and Garanti BBVA — the two most widely used banking apps in Turkey — plus a review of 6 community concepts on Dribbble to map where convention ends and differentiation begins.
Two patterns stood out across both banking apps:
Two patterns stood out across both banking apps:
The most frequent actions (transfer, QR, payments) are reachable before login.
Each screen shows only the minimum information needed — balance, recent activity — and hides everything else behind intent.
The most frequent actions (transfer, QR, payments) are reachable before login.
Each screen shows only the minimum information needed — balance, recent activity — and hides everything else behind intent.
İşCep — İş Bankası
İşcep is one of Turkey's most popular and widely used banking applications. Due to this, in this benchmark, I tried to understand their user-friendly approach.
İşCep — İş Bankası
İşcep is one of Turkey's most popular and widely used banking applications. Due to this, in this benchmark, I tried to understand their user-friendly approach.
İşCep — Login Screen
İşCep — Login Screen
İşCep — Home Screen
İşCep — Home Screen
İşCep — Spending Screen
İşCep — Spending Screen
Garanti BBVA — Garanti Bankası
Like İş Bankası, Garanti BBVA is another application with the most users in the sector.
Garanti BBVA — Garanti Bankası
Like İş Bankası, Garanti BBVA is another application with the most users in the sector.
Garanti — Login Screen
Garanti — Login Screen
Garanti — Home Screen
Garanti — Home Screen
Dribbble Shots
I examined the designs in the community to understand other keywords such as youthful and trustworthy.
Dribbble Shots
I examined the designs in the community to understand other keywords such as youthful and trustworthy.
The takeaway I designed around: in banking, removing information builds more trust than adding it.
The takeaway I designed around: in banking, removing information builds more trust than adding it.
The takeaway I designed around: in banking, removing information builds more trust than adding it.
Design Decisions
Design Decisions
Color
Color
I chose blue as the primary color, but the reason matters more than the choice: blue is the category convention of established banks. In fintech, breaking convention costs you trust before it earns you differentiation — so I differentiated through layout and motion instead of color.
I chose blue as the primary color, but the reason matters more than the choice: blue is the category convention of established banks. In fintech, breaking convention costs you trust before it earns you differentiation — so I differentiated through layout and motion instead of color.
I chose blue as the primary color, but the reason matters more than the choice: blue is the category convention of established banks. In fintech, breaking convention costs you trust before it earns you differentiation — so I differentiated through layout and motion instead of color.
Typography and Grid
Typography and Grid
Plus Jakarta Sans on an 8-pt grid. Consistent spacing isn't an aesthetic preference here; irregular spacing reads as "unfinished," and unfinished reads as "unsafe" when money is on the screen. The grid also keeps developer handoff predictable.
Plus Jakarta Sans on an 8-pt grid. Consistent spacing isn't an aesthetic preference here; irregular spacing reads as "unfinished," and unfinished reads as "unsafe" when money is on the screen. The grid also keeps developer handoff predictable.
Plus Jakarta Sans on an 8-pt grid. Consistent spacing isn't an aesthetic preference here; irregular spacing reads as "unfinished," and unfinished reads as "unsafe" when money is on the screen. The grid also keeps developer handoff predictable.
Hierarchy Strips
Hierarchy Strips
Here I showed how I designed the designs with a user-friendly approach. Here I show how I approach the page layout with a user-friendly approach. I selected and positioned the functions in the page layout in a way that would create a good experience for the users.
Here I showed how I designed the designs with a user-friendly approach. Here I show how I approach the page layout with a user-friendly approach. I selected and positioned the functions in the page layout in a way that would create a good experience for the users.
Final Screens
Final Screens
I attempted to convey information through various hierarchies using different color combinations and iconography to create a dynamic and youthful interface design.
I attempted to convey information through various hierarchies using different color combinations and iconography to create a dynamic and youthful interface design.
Validation
Validation
I tested the prototype with 3 participants in informal guerrilla sessions — no tasks, no direction, only one question: "How does this feel to use?"
I tested the prototype with 3 participants in informal guerrilla sessions — no tasks, no direction, only one question: "How does this feel to use?"
I tested the prototype with 3 participants in informal guerrilla sessions — no tasks, no direction, only one question: "How does this feel to use?"
3 out of 3 participants compared it to the banking apps they actively use, and 3 out of 3 described it as easy to understand. For a concept whose goal was category-convention trust, being mistaken for an established bank's app was exactly the pass condition.
3 out of 3 participants compared it to the banking apps they actively use, and 3 out of 3 described it as easy to understand. For a concept whose goal was category-convention trust, being mistaken for an established bank's app was exactly the pass condition.
3 out of 3 participants compared it to the banking apps they actively use, and 3 out of 3 described it as easy to understand. For a concept whose goal was category-convention trust, being mistaken for an established bank's app was exactly the pass condition.
What I'd Do Differently Today
Since this project, I've been working on enterprise-scale interfaces and design systems, and that changed how I'd run this sprint:
Since this project, I've been working on enterprise-scale interfaces and design systems, and that changed how I'd run this sprint:
Since this project, I've been working on enterprise-scale interfaces and design systems, and that changed how I'd run this sprint:
I'd build a small token-based component set first and derive screens from it, instead of designing screens directly.
I'd replace open-ended sessions with a 5-second test and a first-click test — trust perception is measurable, and 3 informal sessions can only suggest, not confirm.
I'd design the error and edge states before the happy path. In financial products, trust isn't defined by the screens where everything works — it's defined by what the product does when something goes wrong.
More Works
More Works
More Works