Overview
An Post, one of Ireland’s largest companies, provides a range of postal, distribution, and financial services. The An Post Money app is a digital banking platform offering current accounts, credit cards, loans, and budgeting tools.
The Challenge
As a state-owned entity, An Post faced budget constraints and strict accessibility requirements. Additionally, public perception of An Post as an “old Irish post office” rather than a modern financial provider presented a significant branding challenge.
The previous An Post Money app was outdated, offering only basic account functionality through a third-party provider, Omnio. The UX/UI was fragmented, inaccessible, and failed to integrate An Post’s full suite of financial products.
The Goal
The objective was to redesign and integrate An Post’s financial services into a single, user-friendly app. The new app needed to:
Improve usability and accessibility (AA standards)
Enhance customer acquisition and retention
Position An Post as a trusted financial provider
Integrate multiple banking products into a seamless experience
My Role & Responsibilities
I built the UX team from scratch, hiring highly skilled UX designers and researchers to drive a user-centered redesign. My key responsibilities included:
Reworking the UX/UI to align with An Post’s brand and business needs
Building and leading a team of UX/UI designers and researchers
Leading usability testing (moderated & unmoderated) to validate design decisions
Developing a scalable, AA-accessible design system
Collaborating with key stakeholders (product owners, developers, and brand teams)
The existing UI design lacked a modern look and there was no consideration given to personas, user journeys or customer testing.
Embedding user centric design methodology into an Agile delivery model
Initial Focus
✔ Redesigning key areas while maintaining existing development work
✔ Conducting A/B user testing to validate improvements
✔ Resolving legacy UX issues from the previous app
This approach allowed us to rework the UX/UI without disrupting delivery timelines.
User-Centric Design Approach
To ensure an intuitive and accessible experience, I followed a structured user-centered design process:
1. Understanding User Needs
✔ Conducted moderated user interviews
✔ Mapped out customer pain points from existing feedback
✔ Defined personas, including key target users like Ciara, a working professional managing finances for life goals
2. Redesigning the UX/UI
✔ Created low-fidelity wireframes to explore new design solutions
✔ Developed high-fidelity prototypes and presented them to stakeholders
✔ Ensured AA accessibility compliance across all components
3. Testing & Iteration
Conducted A/B unmoderated click tests (50 users) comparing old vs. new designs
Measured navigation efficiency and task completion rates
Identified missing features (e.g., security information, quick access to IBAN details)
Used feedback loops to continuously refine designs
Key UX/UI Improvements
Enhanced Accessibility → Passed AA standards for usability
Stronger An Post Branding → Improved brand alignment and customer trust
Jar Savings Feature Prioritised → Given top-level visibility in the UI
Reduced Cognitive Overload → Simplified layout and more breathable UI
Navigation Enhancements → Clearer account sections and transaction views
Scalability Improvements → App performs better across all device sizes
These refinements led to a significantly improved user experience.
User Testing Results & Insights
A/B Click Test Results (50 Users)
✔ 54% preferred the new UI, citing better readability and transaction display
✔ 90% found navigation easier, reducing confusion from previous card-based account views
✔ Users wanted clearer security features, prompting additional design iterations
Moderated Testing (12 Users)
✔ Improved ease of use → Users rated navigation 8.5/10
✔ Stronger look & feel → Majority found the app modern and professional
✔ Simplified account access → Faster access to IBAN details & account settings
SUS score each moderated test
Launch Campaigns
Current Account
The core of the new An Post Money app is the Current Account feature:
Money Mate
As part of the suite of features we built for the An Post Money app, Money Mate is the dedicated app for kids, which helps them get access to funds out and about and also teach them money skills for life:
Money Manager
Money Manager is the budgeting tool we build from scratch, tested, iterated and pushed to market in phase II of the app:
Customer goodwill
The app has generated high levels of recommendation based on the “An Post voice of customer report, scoring 59 from a possible 70, also meeting the design principles An Post customers expect.
Easy to navigate
Look & feel improved
Easy to find relevant information
App doesn’t time out
App is now outperforming web
High Satisfaction level have been recorded, averaging between 85%-92%
Final Outcomes & Impact
📈 85%-92% customer satisfaction (measured via An Post’s Voice of Customer report)
📈 Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 59/70, exceeding industry benchmarks
📈 Significant increase in app engagement, outperforming web usage
📈 Reduced reliance on customer support, thanks to improved self-service options
An Post Feedback
"Alan is an outstanding product & UI/UX specialist and knows his subject very well. Both, I and him, worked on the An Post greenfield project where we built a grounds up digital bank in the Irish market. For our project, he built a high performing creative team of UX, UI and research consultants from scratch and eventually led that team for a successful delivery. I found him extremely passionate about building a best in class user experience journeys and always look for opportunity to continuously improves the overall experience. He connects well with senior client stakeholder and leverages his experience well for the betterment of project and for the organisation. I would surely recommend him."
— Amit Bhardwaj, Program Director, Cognizant (An Post Money)
