Santander
Reimagining corporate banking ecosystem
- Industry
- Fintech / Banking
- Timeframe
- 18 months
- My role
- Design Stream Manager \ Experience Lead
- Year
- 2022
Santander Reimagining corporate banking ecosystem
Industry
Fintech / Banking
Timeframe
18 months
My role
Design Stream Manager \ Experience Lead
Year
2022
Challenge
Santander's iBiznes platform, which serves SME and corporate clients by managing multiple company finances, requires evaluation (redesign vs. rebuild) to enhance customer satisfaction, business efficiency, and market competitiveness.
Flight Plan
PHASE 1: As-is State Assessment
The project was structured into experience, technology, and business streams. We began with an as-is assessment of iBiznes, focusing on its market position, pain points, and user experience. My primary involvement was within the experience stream, where we gathered customer insights and conducted a competitive analysis.
Highlights
Shadowing studies with system users to gain a profound understanding of their interactions both within and beyond the system, which led to the identification of four distinct user archetypes representing key behavioral patterns and needs
Usability tests combined with in-depth interviews to uncover customer needs and understand how they integrate the system into their daily workflows
A thorough analysis of direct and indirect competitors to identify market gaps and comprehend the competitive positioning of the system.
Strategic Decision Point
After a collaborative assessment and workshop series, Santander chose to rebuild the system from the ground up, resulting in significant improvements to both the user experience and technology.
PHASE 2: Experience Discovery
Our aim was to design a new system concept rooted in a deep understanding of user needs and behaviors. At the core of this effort was the Lighthouse Product — a long-term vision that not only guided product strategy, but also served as a unifying reference point to align diverse stakeholder perspectives.
Highlights
We explored various solutions to assess the strategic value delivered by the product
We developed two prototype versions and validated them with users from four distinct target groups. This approach enabled us to capture diverse perspectives, identify the strengths of each version, and synthesize them into a unified concept that addressed the needs and expectations of all key user segments
PHASE 3: MVP Delivery
We implemented a cross-functional design process (uniting product, business, and technology) that enabled continuous discovery, early hypothesis validation, and iterative, user-insight-driven solutions, strengthening design culture and ensuring senior stakeholder alignment.
Deep dive: Stakeholder Mapping
Key features
A customizable dashboard that allows for complete personalization and the selection of widgets to suit individual needs
Efficiently orchestrated approvals and comprehensive monitoring of operations
A communication module designed for seamless interaction among members of the financial team
A transparent transaction history and an operations audit module
A singular, all-encompassing form for executing various types of transfers
Advanced implementation of Open Banking and seamless management of multiple accounts
Concurrent multitasking capabilities paired with an efficient progress notification module
An advanced search engine for resources and files
Optimized for tablet use and split-screen mode
Additional aspects
The combination of delivery and discovery through a dual-track approach and continuous product discovery enables teams to work closely across disciplines
Communication consistency through a clear strategy and UX writing support that ensures a unified tone, style, and clarity across the entire product
Introducing Universal Design principles that support usability for all users regardless of their abilities or context
Ongoing market analysis and benchmarking of key UX elements to ensure the product remains competitive, user-friendly, and aligned with industry best practices
Interdisciplinary collaboration supporting the quality and transparency of results
Building and expanding the Design System for UX consistency and elevated time to market
Team training in Design Thinking and mentoring new designers from Santander
Contributing to the iBiznes mobile application - supporting tool for financial directors
PHASE 4: Growth & Scaling
We developed scalable, modular infrastructure and onboarding to accelerate corporate growth while focusing on KPIs to optimize activation, retention, and usability. This led to increased adoption and improved efficiency via new self-service tools, tiered support, and the expansion of advanced features and integrations for larger clients.
Key activities
Extending functional capabilities with features such as Trade Finance, e-FX, auto-generated reports, and comprehensive self-service tools across multiple products
Collaborating on the creation of marketing and onboarding materials to ensure consistency, clarity, and relevance for the target audience
Launching a Friends & Family group to validate ideas early and explore new strategic directions
Monitoring eNPS to understand user satisfaction and gather feedback on ongoing changes
Summary
Project in numbers
9
Months of work to implement MVP
over 30
Internal stakeholders involved
76
Respondents during regular usability studies
Outcomes
MVP implemented in 9 months — after our joint assessment, the bank committed to a full ground-up rebuild over an incremental redesign.
4,700+ companies onboarded within the first year of launch (publicly reported by the bank); by 2024 the platform served 26k+ corporate and SME customers.
Santander Bank Polska earned bank-level CX recognition, incl. Euromoney’s “Best Bank in Poland for Customer Experience” (2024).
High customer retention — iBiznes24 positioned as the preferred tool through Open Banking.
Santander Reimagining corporate banking ecosystem
Industry
Fintech / Banking
Timeframe
18 months
My role
Design Stream Manager \ Experience Lead
Year
2022
Challenge
Santander's iBiznes platform, which serves SME and corporate clients by managing multiple company finances, requires evaluation (redesign vs. rebuild) to enhance customer satisfaction, business efficiency, and market competitiveness.
Flight Plan
PHASE 1: As-is State Assessment
The project was structured into experience, technology, and business streams. We began with an as-is assessment of iBiznes, focusing on its market position, pain points, and user experience. My primary involvement was within the experience stream, where we gathered customer insights and conducted a competitive analysis.
Highlights
Shadowing studies with system users to gain a profound understanding of their interactions both within and beyond the system, which led to the identification of four distinct user archetypes representing key behavioral patterns and needs
Usability tests combined with in-depth interviews to uncover customer needs and understand how they integrate the system into their daily workflows
A thorough analysis of direct and indirect competitors to identify market gaps and comprehend the competitive positioning of the system.
Strategic Decision Point
After a collaborative assessment and workshop series, Santander chose to rebuild the system from the ground up, resulting in significant improvements to both the user experience and technology.
PHASE 2: Experience Discovery
Our aim was to design a new system concept rooted in a deep understanding of user needs and behaviors. At the core of this effort was the Lighthouse Product — a long-term vision that not only guided product strategy, but also served as a unifying reference point to align diverse stakeholder perspectives.
Highlights
We explored various solutions to assess the strategic value delivered by the product
We developed two prototype versions and validated them with users from four distinct target groups. This approach enabled us to capture diverse perspectives, identify the strengths of each version, and synthesize them into a unified concept that addressed the needs and expectations of all key user segments
PHASE 3: MVP Delivery
We implemented a cross-functional design process (uniting product, business, and technology) that enabled continuous discovery, early hypothesis validation, and iterative, user-insight-driven solutions, strengthening design culture and ensuring senior stakeholder alignment.
Deep dive: Stakeholder Mapping
Key features
A customizable dashboard that allows for complete personalization and the selection of widgets to suit individual needs
Efficiently orchestrated approvals and comprehensive monitoring of operations
A communication module designed for seamless interaction among members of the financial team
A transparent transaction history and an operations audit module
A singular, all-encompassing form for executing various types of transfers
Advanced implementation of Open Banking and seamless management of multiple accounts
Concurrent multitasking capabilities paired with an efficient progress notification module
An advanced search engine for resources and files
Optimized for tablet use and split-screen mode
Additional aspects
The combination of delivery and discovery through a dual-track approach and continuous product discovery enables teams to work closely across disciplines
Communication consistency through a clear strategy and UX writing support that ensures a unified tone, style, and clarity across the entire product
Introducing Universal Design principles that support usability for all users regardless of their abilities or context
Ongoing market analysis and benchmarking of key UX elements to ensure the product remains competitive, user-friendly, and aligned with industry best practices
Interdisciplinary collaboration supporting the quality and transparency of results
Building and expanding the Design System for UX consistency and elevated time to market
Team training in Design Thinking and mentoring new designers from Santander
Contributing to the iBiznes mobile application - supporting tool for financial directors
PHASE 4: Growth & Scaling
We developed scalable, modular infrastructure and onboarding to accelerate corporate growth while focusing on KPIs to optimize activation, retention, and usability. This led to increased adoption and improved efficiency via new self-service tools, tiered support, and the expansion of advanced features and integrations for larger clients.
Key activities
Extending functional capabilities with features such as Trade Finance, e-FX, auto-generated reports, and comprehensive self-service tools across multiple products
Collaborating on the creation of marketing and onboarding materials to ensure consistency, clarity, and relevance for the target audience
Launching a Friends & Family group to validate ideas early and explore new strategic directions
Monitoring eNPS to understand user satisfaction and gather feedback on ongoing changes
Summary
Project in numbers
> 26k
Active corporate and SME customers (2024)
> 30
Internal business stakeholders involved
76
Respondents in regular usability studies
Outcomes
MVP implemented in 9 months — after our joint assessment, the bank committed to a full ground-up rebuild over an incremental redesign.
4,700+ companies onboarded within the first year of launch (publicly reported by the bank); by 2024 the platform served 26k+ corporate and SME customers.
Santander Bank Polska earned bank-level CX recognition, incl. Euromoney’s “Best Bank in Poland for Customer Experience” (2024).
High customer retention — iBiznes24 positioned as the preferred tool through Open Banking.
Santander Reimagining corporate banking ecosystem
Industry
Fintech / Banking
Timeframe
18 months
My role
Design Stream Manager \ Experience Lead
Year
2022
Challenge
Santander's iBiznes platform, which serves SME and corporate clients by managing multiple company finances, requires evaluation (redesign vs. rebuild) to enhance customer satisfaction, business efficiency, and market competitiveness.
Flight Plan
PHASE 1: As-is State Assessment
The project was structured into experience, technology, and business streams. We began with an as-is assessment of iBiznes, focusing on its market position, pain points, and user experience. My primary involvement was within the experience stream, where we gathered customer insights and conducted a competitive analysis.
Highlights
Shadowing studies with system users to gain a profound understanding of their interactions both within and beyond the system, which led to the identification of four distinct user archetypes representing key behavioral patterns and needs
Usability tests combined with in-depth interviews to uncover customer needs and understand how they integrate the system into their daily workflows
A thorough analysis of direct and indirect competitors to identify market gaps and comprehend the competitive positioning of the system.
Strategic Decision Point
After a collaborative assessment and workshop series, Santander chose to rebuild the system from the ground up, resulting in significant improvements to both the user experience and technology.
PHASE 2: Experience Discovery
Our aim was to design a new system concept rooted in a deep understanding of user needs and behaviors. At the core of this effort was the Lighthouse Product — a long-term vision that not only guided product strategy, but also served as a unifying reference point to align diverse stakeholder perspectives.
Highlights
We explored various solutions to assess the strategic value delivered by the product
We developed two prototype versions and validated them with users from four distinct target groups. This approach enabled us to capture diverse perspectives, identify the strengths of each version, and synthesize them into a unified concept that addressed the needs and expectations of all key user segments
PHASE 3: MVP Delivery
We implemented a cross-functional design process (uniting product, business, and technology) that enabled continuous discovery, early hypothesis validation, and iterative, user-insight-driven solutions, strengthening design culture and ensuring senior stakeholder alignment.
Deep dive: Stakeholder Mapping
Key features
A customizable dashboard that allows for complete personalization and the selection of widgets to suit individual needs
Efficiently orchestrated approvals and comprehensive monitoring of operations
A communication module designed for seamless interaction among members of the financial team
A transparent transaction history and an operations audit module
A singular, all-encompassing form for executing various types of transfers
Advanced implementation of Open Banking and seamless management of multiple accounts
Concurrent multitasking capabilities paired with an efficient progress notification module
An advanced search engine for resources and files
Optimized for tablet use and split-screen mode
Additional aspects
The combination of delivery and discovery through a dual-track approach and continuous product discovery enables teams to work closely across disciplines
Communication consistency through a clear strategy and UX writing support that ensures a unified tone, style, and clarity across the entire product
Introducing Universal Design principles that support usability for all users regardless of their abilities or context
Ongoing market analysis and benchmarking of key UX elements to ensure the product remains competitive, user-friendly, and aligned with industry best practices
Interdisciplinary collaboration supporting the quality and transparency of results
Building and expanding the Design System for UX consistency and elevated time to market
Team training in Design Thinking and mentoring new designers from Santander
Contributing to the iBiznes mobile application - supporting tool for financial directors
PHASE 4: Growth & Scaling
We developed scalable, modular infrastructure and onboarding to accelerate corporate growth while focusing on KPIs to optimize activation, retention, and usability. This led to increased adoption and improved efficiency via new self-service tools, tiered support, and the expansion of advanced features and integrations for larger clients.
Key activities
Extending functional capabilities with features such as Trade Finance, e-FX, auto-generated reports, and comprehensive self-service tools across multiple products
Collaborating on the creation of marketing and onboarding materials to ensure consistency, clarity, and relevance for the target audience
Launching a Friends & Family group to validate ideas early and explore new strategic directions
Monitoring eNPS to understand user satisfaction and gather feedback on ongoing changes
Summary
Project in numbers
9
Months of work to implement MVP
over 30
Internal stakeholders involved
76
Respondents during regular usability studies
Outcomes
MVP implemented in 9 months — after our joint assessment, the bank committed to a full ground-up rebuild over an incremental redesign.
4,700+ companies onboarded within the first year of launch (publicly reported by the bank); by 2024 the platform served 26k+ corporate and SME customers.
Santander Bank Polska earned bank-level CX recognition, incl. Euromoney’s “Best Bank in Poland for Customer Experience” (2024).
High customer retention — iBiznes24 positioned as the preferred tool through Open Banking.