HSBC
HSBC Digital Intelligence is a prototype application that enables smarter and more efficient client relationships for bankers.
HSBC asked Publicis Sapient for a ‘blue sky/North Star’ concept for the future of their global internal banking software. No constraints. We happily obliged.
Agency
Publicis Sapient
Client
HSBC
Tasks
UX, UI, IxD, Data Viz
Challenge
Internal procedures for bankers (Client Relationship Managers) at HSBC are convoluted and inefficient, not to mention archaic. Managing clients usually involves scores of interns and juniors making photocopies of important documents, compiling a physical folder containing already out-of-date information.
Could we reduce the incredible hours bankers work each week at the same time as leveraging intelligent actions to address client portfolios?
Solution
I spent a total of 6 months at HSBC in Canary Wharf learning about all of the day-to-day tasks a banker performs so that I could design internal software for their current digital transformation. In addition, during one of my final months, a specialist lean team (including myself) was put together to tackle a sort-of ‘Skunkworks’ top secret brief: design the future of CRM software — not the next phase of their current tools, but the ULTIMATE North Star of banking software.
We designed and animated an up-to-date digital system that reduced workload and provide a more efficient and up-to-date way to manage important data, both internal and client-facing.
Collaboration and surfacing of key tasks that need addressing were key. Watch the video to see its myriad of advantages.
“we have interns & juniors photocopying and printing spreadsheets and compiling them into a paper folder which we take to the clients for portfolio reviews.
By the time we get to our clients the data is out-of-date.”
“we have to identify issues with client portfolios in multiple legacy softwares and files, make calls and emails to colleagues to ascertain the correct information, update it in the same poor legacy software, and create presentations of data for our colleagues to review.
It’s exhausting.”
We identified the core users and super-users so that collaboration paths and appropriate app functionality could be determined for each user-type
From chaos…
Emails, calls, meetings about issues and global/local insights
Rounds of feedback between heirarchy
Powerpoint decks, Excel spreadsheets and time-consuming processes
to streamlined collaboration
Linear, collaborative, top-down, passive, up-to-date, and with a sexy client-facing mode to present to clients!
VISUAL EXPLORATION
HOW IT EVOLVED
FROM THE ORIGINAL…
TO THE CURRENT RE-SKIN USING HSBC DESIGN SYSTEM…
DESIGNED BY MYSELF
TO THE ULTIMATE NORTH STAR VISION
DESIGNED BY MYSELF
OUTCOME
This ‘Skunkworks’ project secured Publicis.Sapient an extension of their contract with HSBC, but heralded the end of my contract… this was my ‘swan song’ — the ultimate global internal banking software for HSBC and its staff!
The prototype and the accompanying video were shown at EXCOs throughout the business and the new software was lauded as the ‘Future of Banking’ for HSBC. Not only that, but HSBC bankers (CRMs) loved the visualisations of data as it meant they weren’t having to peer ‘into’ detailed graphs and charts until a problem was highlighted.
The work I had done on the current transformation (the dark grey middle image above) was continued by another design team and represented a step-change from the archaic and inefficient legacy platforms.
I have no way of knowing if the prototype North Star ever became a reality, but I like to think it may have had a hand in elevating whatever platforms are in place and in-use within the bank.