Image Credit : First State Super, Arq Group, Unsplash
Project Overview
First State Super partnered with Arq Group to design and build the First State Super iOS and Android apps to provide members with a better financial future through a safe, secure and quality financial advice experience. The app experience provides members with the easiest way to stay on track, manage and visualise their future.
“Our initial research indicated upto 50% of members check their Super accounts only few times in a year. This was a compelling design challenge for the team to create an impactful experience that is engaging, interactive and fun.”
Knowledge, behaviours and attitudes of Australians towards Superannuation are fast evolving. Rich insights from the upfront research phase empowered the product experience team to formulate design challenges to craft an engaging and interactive experience that is available on the go for the First State Super members. The app also integrates seamlessly with other digital and non digital touchpoints to offer a secure means for members to stay on top of their relationship with First State Super.
Arq Group ran a series of member focused research, experience strategy and co-design workshops to gain a deep understanding of member needs and technology enablers. The outcome of these formulated an experience that is aligned to First State Super’s digital vision of being the most member centric superannuation provider in Australia.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
First State Super
Ahmad Racheha, Head of Digital
Rhoda Barsalli, Digital Program Manager
Lesley Devine, Senior Manager, IT Solutions Delivery
Marco Patruno, UX Designer
Richard Ponsford, Lead BA
David Reeve, Delivery Lead
Navneet Lakra, Solution Designer
Christian Di Sisto, Business Analyst
Arq Group
Shriman Kalyan, Design Director
Shani Tomkins, Product Strategist
Kristin Delafuente, UX Lead
Chris Dale, UI Designer
Nam Dang, UI Designer
Melinda Jamieson, Senior Business Analyst
Jannilla Liden, Senior Business Analyst
Azfar Siddiqui, Tech Lead
Rick Wu, iOS Developer
Cathy Tang, Project Manager
Ilya Ievchenko, iOS Developer
Tuan Pham, iOS Developer
Muthu Rama, iOS Developer
Natalia Chuzhmarova, Android Developer
Vaishali S Kumaran, Android Developer
Mike HongWei Bai, Android Developer
Basavaraj Biradar, QA
Robin John, QA
Shailja Gadi, QA
Project Brief
The project focused on delivering research, discovery, design and development of the optimal iOS and Android app experience, as well as the most efficient design of backend and middleware interactions. The vision for the mobile channel is to deliver a simple, easy and frictionless digital experience with no dead-ends and drive member uptake, retention and engagement. The apps aim to visually assist members to understand their financial position, complete their next best action and interactively plan for their future.
Key capabilities of the app include
- Secure and seamless login experience
- Glanceable smart dashboard
- Overview of member’s super balances for 6 years of historical data
- An Investment allocation graph to educate members on their funds' investment stratagems
- Quick overview of personal details and easy ability to share membership details with an employer
- Easy access to current and historical superannuation contributions and deductions
- BPAY details to make contributions easier from the app
- Ability to initiate consolidation of accounts
- Seamless way of contacting First State Super for an enhanced relationship with the brand
The iOS app was pilot launched to selected members to obtain feedback on the experience for continuous evolution of the app. The iOS app is currently available on the App Store with the Android version to be launched in July.
Project Need
With up to 60% of digital interactions taking place from a mobile device, First State Super wanted to build on their strong member centricity ethos by delivering a member designed iOS and Android app, allowing member interaction available on the go. The goal of the app was to make it as easy as possible for members to engage with their super fund and to make Super an enjoyable experience. Majority of the members work varied hours meaning that the traditional way of engaging with their super fund to maximise their retirement, simply isn’t available to them.
“Our member research indicated that 70% of members believed an engaging app would help them stay with their Super provider.”
The mobile apps were to serve as the foundation for a highly secure and performant digital interaction touchpoint for future scalability of both product capabilities and new emerging channels in future. There was also an opportunity to make managing Super allocations easier for the members.
User Experience
Discovery & research:
The upfront research phase facilitated by Arq Group delivered deep insights into the member needs and expectations throughout the brand interaction journey and Superannuation lifecycle. The research included a survey with 1750 members and non-members, followed by interviews with the business leaders to develop a clear understanding of the member needs as well as the overarching business vision. The intensive research phase had a weekly testing touchpoint with the pilot member group to ensure the app was being designed to suit the expectations and the needs of the target audience. This helped refine and evolve the experience to be as intuitive and insightful as possible.
Experience design:
The outcomes from the research phase were used to develop the strategic experience framework ensuring there were quantified decisions around ideas and feature possibilities. Each of these were measurable through app metrics, experience principles and aligned with First State Super’s digital vision. Participative co-design along with rapid prototyping helped validate and refine the interaction design nuances to improve product usability. Understanding each user’s profile and serving content based on the next best action helped surface the right capabilities on the dashboard for nudging actions aimed at members’ Superannuation wellbeing.
Superannuation can be a complex financial experience but the app design principles aim to make Super easy to understand by empowering the members with the right information and tools.
Project Marketing
The app was pilot launched for First State employees for a period of 6 weeks to obtain feedback on the functionality and experience before the market launch for the iOS app on the 21st June 2019 and the Android app launch in July. Internal communication and marketing initiatives such as roadshows, flyers and email comms were rolled out leading into the market launch.
A website campaign and competition, web log out and chat banners, video promo, social media campaigns and flyers are being rolled out to engage existing members and the wider marketplace.
The consumer responses have been positive with the app receiving a rating of 4.8 in the App Store (as of 24 June 2019).
Project Privacy
The technology solution adheres to best in class privacy and security measures following the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) and OAuth 2.0 guidelines, starting from the backend systems and all the way up to the iOS and Android mobile apps.
Digital - New Service or Application
This can be any new service or application from a start-up to an industry leader. It’s not just bells and whistles we're after but true innovation, exceeding expectations and filling a void that had previously been open.
More Details