Aimme: Empowering Credit Unions

2018-2021

Building a User-Centric Financial Platform for Credit Unions

Securian Financial Group, Inc.

Aimme is a SaaS platform empowering credit unions with modern tools to optimize savings habits, provide personalized financial solutions, and compete with larger banks.

My roles & work led ⇢

User-Centered Design

Designed intuitive interfaces and interaction patterns to support savings optimization and personalized financial tools.

Design System Development

Created a scalable system that ensured consistency across features like savings gamification and dashboards.

Front-End Implementation

Delivered responsive and visually polished web pages, maintaining high performance across devices.

Aimme was developed as a SaaS platform within Securian Financial’s Innovation Lab to empower credit unions with tools to optimize their members’ savings habits and financial health. Built for credit unions that lacked the in-house capabilities to deliver modern digital services, Aimme provided a competitive edge with features like savings gamification, purchase round-ups, and streamlined user interfaces.

My role focused on creating the platform’s UI and interaction design, developing a cohesive design system, and implementing front-end solutions. This case study walks through the design process, showcasing how Aimme was crafted to balance user needs with business goals while maintaining a sharp focus on scalable and efficient design practices.

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Process: Phase 1 ✺

Identifying the Problem

Credit unions faced challenges competing with larger banks that offered polished digital experiences and modern financial tools.

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Many lacked the internal resources to build platforms that could effectively engage members, promote savings, or handle complex financial interactions.
The existing solutions in the market were fragmented and did little to help credit unions maintain a competitive edge or grow their membership base.

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The challenge was to create a centralized platform that addressed these gaps, providing credit unions with tools to optimize savings and enhance member engagement.

Understanding the Users

The project had two primary user groups:

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Credit Union Members: Everyday consumers who needed tools to boost their savings habits and access intuitive financial features. Key needs included:

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Savings Gamification: Encouraging better habits through challenges and incentives.
Round-Up Features: Automating savings through everyday transactions.
Simple, Intuitive Design: Ensuring accessibility for users across all skill levels.

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Credit Union Teams: Administrators managing the platform and analyzing member data. Their needs included:

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Dashboards to track member activity and savings trends.
Tools for delivering personalized financial solutions.
Easy-to-navigate interfaces to reduce friction in daily tasks.

Exploring the Solution

Began with stakeholder interviews, member feedback, and competitive analysis to uncover opportunities for differentiation.

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Focused on balancing the sophistication of big-bank features with the approachability credit unions required to connect with their members.
Conducted rapid prototyping and iterative user testing to refine core features like gamification, savings automation, and dashboards.

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The resulting platform prioritized simplicity and usability, creating a digital experience that was both engaging and easy to navigate.

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Process: Phase 2 ✺✺

Creating the Solution

UI and Interaction Design:

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Designed interfaces to simplify complex financial tasks, ensuring a smooth and intuitive user experience.

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Design System Development:

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Built a cohesive design system that supported scalability, efficiency, and visual consistency across all platform components.

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Front-End Implementation:

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Leveraged modern tools to translate designs into responsive, high-performance web pages, ensuring seamless functionality across devices.

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Aimme's design system encompassed every aspect of the platform, from typography to interaction patterns, providing credit unions with a polished and professional aesthetic.

Collaboration and Rollout

Partnered closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the platform aligned with their goals and resonated with their members.

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Worked with developers to bridge the gap between design and implementation, ensuring high fidelity from concept to delivery.
Delivered detailed documentation and design specifications to support scalability and adoption across multiple credit union organizations.

Testing and Iteration

Conducted usability testing with credit union members to refine navigation, workflows, and gamification features.

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Collected feedback from credit union teams to optimize dashboards and administrative tools.
Iteratively enhanced the design system based on user feedback, ensuring it continued to meet the evolving needs of credit unions and their members.

Outcomes

Member Engagement:

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Delivered tools like savings gamification and round-up features that improved member savings habits and financial health.

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Scalable Design System:

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Established a robust foundation for credit unions to easily customize and grow the platform to meet their unique needs.

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Operational Efficiency:

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Simplified daily workflows for credit union teams, improving both member satisfaction and administrative productivity.

Reflections and Key Takeaways ☻

Aimme was an opportunity to deliver a high-impact solution for underserved credit unions, helping them provide services on par with larger banks.

It was rewarding to see the platform resonate with its users, thanks to a focus on understanding their needs and balancing simplicity with functionality. This project also demonstrated the value of collaboration and iteration, from refining early concepts with feedback to crafting scalable solutions that set the stage for continued growth and innovation.

Reflecting on the experience, I’m grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such an inspiring team. Their creativity and dedication made this project a defining moment in my career and a benchmark for how collaboration and innovation can thrive in the right environment.