Meet “Kåken”
During my studies at Noroff Oslo I had the pleasure to work with Sparebanken Vest for my final exam. My task in this project was to make the mortgage calculator more user-friendly for a younger target group. In connection with the mortgage calculator, I identified a need for a simpler solution. Therefore, I created “Kåken,” which aims to change the current process.
Kåken allows users to paste a link to a property listing, then calculates a budget showing what they need to be able to purchase the property. Additionally, users can chat with Kåken if they have questions. Over time, this could free up time for customer advisors while also establishing Sparebanken Vest as a knowledge resource for young people
Task: Improve usability in digital mortgage loans
Role: UX-Designer / lead
Type: Case Study, Internship Assignment at Noroff, Spring 2024
Tools Figma, Figjam
Date: April - May 2023
Overview of process
I utilized the design thinking process throughout the project. This ensured good structure and provided me with the opportunity to iterate along the way.
Empahtize
I looked into existing research by using literature review and competitor analysises. I then expanded with my own findings through in-depth interviews with customers. The purpose of theese interviews was to uncover who among them had used a mortage calculator before, and how they had navigated it.
Define
Based on our research, I drew some insights and brainstormed on it. I did this using Affinity mapping and Atomic research. I also created a persona, and although this is not something the bank actively uses, I find that it helps me keep the user in focus throughout the whole process.
Key findings
Atomic research lead to the following conclusions. I categorized them by time, which resulted in two of the conclusions being achievable within the weeks I was there. Due to the time limit on the project, we did not prioritize to involve the marketing team in this stage.
Final wireframes
In user interviews, several users mentioned that they check finn.no before visiting the bank. This indicates that users are dreaming and looking at properties, and that this is where the mortgage process actually begins; they have an expectation of what they want to buy before they come to the bank. Therefore, I saw an opportunity for Sparebanken Vest to differentiate itself from other competing mortgage calculators by flipping the process using "Kåken”. With “Kåken”, users can paste a finn.no link to a property they've viewed and get an estimated budget for important costs associated with the property.
“During the internship period, Johanne has created a design that addresses both customer needs and the bank’s business requirements, which is excellent and far beyond expectations”