Small loan
Increase completion and adoption by clarifying the application process and improving user confidence.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
2006
E-commerce
$1.578 billion (2019)
5,000+
Challenge
Users were reaching the final steps of a financial product application only to abandon the process, even after a hard credit pull. Through research, data and design expertise I discovered a deeper trust and comprehension issue within the experience.
Solution
We redesigned the experience to explain how the application works, not just the product itself.
Key enhancements included:
Inline guidance clarifying each step’s purpose.
Progress indicators that set transparent expectations.
Contextual messaging to reassure users about data use and next steps.
This approach helped reduce uncertainty and built trust throughout the journey.
17%
More completed applications
15+
Ideas for improvement
74%
Approval from users
Process
Define & Discover
I partnered with the line-of-business team to analyze behavioral data, review drop-off points, and conduct user interviews.
Findings showed users needed:
A clearer understanding of how the application process works.
Reassurance about data use and next steps.
A less cognitively demanding form experience.
💡 Design Approach
To align stakeholders and prioritize solutions, I created an idea catalog — a matrix mapping impact vs. effort (tech, time, budget).
This approach helped us:
Identify high-impact, low-effort wins.
Foster collaboration between design and product teams.
Build a framework for iterative improvements.
Conclusion
Designing for trust and transparency proved just as critical as usability. By aligning data, empathy, and collaboration, the redesign turned user hesitation into confidence and improved both conversion and relationships across teams.