02 — Process

Understanding the problem before designing the solution

Before opening a single design tool, I ran structured research sessions with each affected department. The goal was to map the full picture — not just the surface complaints, but the underlying reasons these problems existed and what a realistic technical solution might look like.

03 — Solution

A self-service portal that puts customers in control of their own policies

The solution was to build a dedicated self-service portal where customers could log in with their existing Wataniya account and perform policy modifications themselves — without calling, without waiting, and without involving any member of staff.

I designed and developed the portal end-to-end on OutSystems, integrating with the eBao insurance platform for policy data. The portal was simultaneously delivered as a web application and as a native mobile app for both iOS App Store and Google Play.

04 — Outcome

Customers handle their own policies. Staff focus on what matters.

The Self-Service Portal became the first customer-facing digital platform in Wataniya Insurance's history. Customers can now log in and modify their policies independently — at any time, from any device — without needing to contact the company at all for routine changes.

The customer care team now operates in an oversight and excellence role — monitoring activity, resolving edge cases, and focusing on the complex customer situations that genuinely need a human. The operations team shifted from manual data entry to quality control. Both departments gained time back for work of higher value.

05 — Reflection

What I learned

02 — Process

Understanding every failure point before changing a single screen

Rather than immediately redesigning screens, I started with structured research across the product, the business, and the competitive landscape. The existing app had real users and real failure patterns — the data was already there, it just needed to be surfaced and understood.

03 — Solution

A self-explanatory experience that guides users to their goal — without confusion, without calling support

The core design principle was deceptively simple: every user should be able to find any function without asking for help. Not a power-user feature. Not a tutorial. Just a structure clear enough that the right path was always obvious.

This meant ruthlessly prioritising the most common tasks — transfers, balance checks, card management — and making them immediately accessible from the home screen. It meant reducing the number of decisions required to complete each journey. And it meant designing for the specific context of mobile banking in Saudi Arabia: users who might be completing transactions on the go, in Arabic or English, across a range of devices and network conditions.

04 — Outcome

Shipped into a pandemic. Used by millions. Recognised by five industry bodies.

The new UX was nearly complete when Covid-19 arrived and Saudi Arabia — along with the rest of the world — went into lockdown. Physical bank branches closed or severely restricted access overnight. Mobile banking shifted from a convenience to a necessity in the space of days.

The app launched on both the App Store and Google Play to an overwhelmingly positive public response. For a bank whose internet banking had been optimised for desktop PC use, the mobile app became the primary digital channel almost immediately. Customer care volume for routine banking tasks dropped significantly as users discovered they could complete transactions themselves — on their phones, at any time, without waiting.

Awards

Full award details: outsystems.com/case-studies/anb-mobile-banking-app

Project timeline