Reimagining how millions of customers experience their banking app on a daily basis
NatWest App Transformation
YEARS: 2020 — 2022
PROJECT: Product Design & Branding
ROLE: Product Lead
How to help an iconic British bank evolve to stand tall against challengers and attract new customers with an app that’s loved and used by 8 million people?
Step into a transformed NatWest banking experience.
Designed with customers, for customers
This multi-year digital transformation was unveiled gradually, made possible through an agile approach and the app’s monthly release cycle.
Ongoing, diverse research methods ensured we stayed aligned with both business goals and real user needs.
The result is a banking experience that is easier, more personalised, more secure, and more memorable than ever.
A first impression grounded in trust, security, and confidence
One of the first milestones in this digital transformation was a refreshed visual welcome for the app, used daily by over 4 million customers.
I led the design of the new splash screen and elevated NatWest’s iconic cubes. The animation brings them together to represent data securely aligning. As they form the logo, they subtly evoke the unlocking of a safe, reinforcing trust and setting the tone for a secure digital experience.
Helping customers achieve their goals by improving their financial health
The first features were launched during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, including mobile cheque deposits and a new Help environment designed to support customers and SMEs in vulnerable situations. Our agile approach enabled us to respond quickly, effectively, and at scale.
Building on that foundation, we introduced the UK’s first in-app credit checking tool, empowering customers to better understand and manage their credit health. By February 2022, it had been used by over 4.4 million customers, marking a significant step forward in delivering accessible, impactful financial tools.
Millions
users regularly check their credit score and see how to improve it
+25%
1.57m new visitors in the spending tab in the first 3 months of launching Categories
10.1k
users setting a budget in the first 3 months of launching Budget
Intuitive
payment journeys increased overall user satisfaction
All of these improvements have given people better control over their spending, budgets and day-to-day finance, all supported through the app.
Designed for everyone
Accessibility and inclusivity have been central to every stage of the app reimagination. We conducted dedicated user research with people who have specific accessibility needs, helping us design components that meet the highest standards, such as custom scripts to improve compatibility with screen readers for visually impaired users.
The app experience has been rebuilt across iOS and Android, optimised for both mobile and tablet, and designed to work seamlessly in both portrait and landscape modes to reflect individual preferences.
We also introduced new features like Dark Mode, with 40% of users choosing to opt in, enhancing usability and comfort for a wide range of users.
One core design system for all NatWest Group Brands
The app serves multiple NatWest Group brands, each with its own identity. A flexible, white-labelled design system allows visual elements like colour palettes, illustrations, icons, and materials, to adapt elegantly to each brand, delivering a personalised experience while maintaining one cohesive core.
I led the brand new iconography work for the NatWest brand, bringing a sense of friendliness and confidence to the overall app experience, whilst making some of the user journeys easier to understand.
Real results & meaningful impact
4.8
stars on the Apple App Store
4.7
stars on the Google Play Store
“I am loving the app, nice fresh look. Easy to use. No need to go in branch anymore.”
Joan Spencer, 16/02/2022
“Really like the spending budget section. App is great. Like the new update.”
Jamie Wallace, 20/02/2022
PRODUCT LEAD
Elphège Barthe
PROJECT MANAGERS
Jek Tan
Munjeet Mehmi
Penny Burns
RESEARCHERS
Jennifer Robison-Bird
Joel Tebbett
Lauren Roberts
DESIGN TEAM
Adam Marsh
Alessio d’Angelo
Anthony Attafuah
Byron Abbott
Collin Gallagher
David Chapon
Juliana Lua
Lilymae Prescott
Melodie Hoke
Moses Odagbu
Paulo Mota
Tom Hawksfield
William George-Carey