100 years, one
bold transformation
Bridging tradition and technology with a website designed for both loyal customers and new-age users
Marking a century of excellence, Karnataka Bank went beyond a redesign, creating a future-ready website that merges trust, innovation, and seamless modern banking experience
Overview
Karnataka Bank is a trusted private-sector bank in India, known for its century-long legacy of banking excellence and customer-centric services.
This was more than a redesign, it was a full-scale digital reinvention. This meant a 360-degree overhaul of architecture, interface, and usability, ensuring a smooth and intuitive banking journey for all.
Role & Duration
Lead UX designer | Screenroot
Conceptualisation, Information architecture, User research, Stakeholder workshops, Content direction, Wireframing and Testing
Jul 2023 - Oct 2023
Status :
RESEARCH
Understanding needs, shaping experiences
To ensure Karnataka Bank’s new website truly resonated with its diverse audience, we conducted an in-depth stakeholder discussion and user research phase. Through workshops, data analysis, and customer interviews, we uncovered key insights about user behavior, pain points, and stakeholder expectations.
Leaders on the road ahead
"It’s the 100th year of the bank. We want to create a startup culture and shed the PSU culture. We are the digital bank of the future, we want to act like a fintech, behave like a fintech"
Shrikrishna Hari Hara Sharma, Managing Director & CEO
“Our biggest challenge is that we are perceived as a PSU”
Shekhar Rao, Executive Director
"We are not positioning ourselves as the right partner with the current website. We want to be the one stop solution for all financial needs"
Pankaj Gupta, Chief Digital & Marketing Officer
From users perspectives
RESEARCH
1. Digital first salaried professionals (24-35 years, Tier 1-3 cities)
💡 Wants
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A modern, seamless, and fast digital banking experience
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Easy-to-find information on loans, credit cards, and offers
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Transparency and attractive rewards
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Mobile-first, self-service banking
🚨 Pain Points
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Current website is not optimized for quick product discovery
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Perception that KBL lacks the "cool" digital experience offered by private banks
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Lack of engaging content and offers to attract younger customers
“If I have to find or apply for a product, and I’m not able to easily locate it on the website then the whole purpose of it is defeated.”
KBL Customer
“Use mobile for most usage and website is not easy to use on mobile”
KBL Customer
2. Local & Trust-Oriented Customers (Pan India Kannadigas, Tier 1-4 cities)
💡 Wants
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A strong human and personal connect in digital banking
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Omnichannel experience with easy access to branches
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A well-governed, trustworthy financial partner
🚨 Pain Points
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The PSU perception makes customers feel KBL lacks agility
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Need for assistance in decision-making for financial products
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Limited engagement tools on the website for a personal touch
“Unable to find a recently launched product on the website, heard through word of mouth”
KBL Customer
3. MSMEs, NRIs, & Corporate Users
💡 Wants
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Digital enablement and financial support for business needs
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Competitive rates, personalized services, and flexible loans
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Easy access to compliance and regulatory support
🚨 Pain Points
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Information overload and poor navigation make it hard to find relevant business services
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Lack of a partner-centric digital approach for MSMEs
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No visibility on fintech tie-ups and value-added services
RESEARCH OUTCOMES
What we learned
Website usability & engagement
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Information discovery is difficult – users struggle to find loan and deposit details
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Navigation is unintuitive, leading to frustration and drop-offs
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Mobile experience is weak, impacting engagement from digital-first users
Brand perception issues
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Strong PSU perception makes users think of KBL as outdated
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KBL is not seen as a fintech-friendly, modern bank despite digital initiatives
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Lack of engaging storytelling to convey a forward-thinking brand
Shift to digital first
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Younger users expect a seamless, personalised mobile-first experience,
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Legacy customers still value human touch and trust
Business challenges
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Low digital engagement – customers rarely revisit the website
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Poor visibility on partnerships and offers that could drive conversions
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Content management issues, making it hard to update the website efficiently
INSIGHTS & INFERENCES
Key insights
Visual appeal plays a crucial role in user perception
Digital users often associate visually appealing designs with being more modern, innovative, and forward-thinking. A well-crafted, aesthetically pleasing interface can also convey a digital forward experience making users feel more confident in the bank's services.
Convenience and personalisation matters
Users value banking websites that feel personalized to their financial needs, allowing them to easily access relevant products without having to sift through options that don't apply to them.
Reviews and testimonials are powerful trust-building tools
users often look for social proof to validate the reliability and quality of a service. Positive feedback from real customers, particularly highlighting aspects like security, ease of use, and customer support, can significantly enhance a bank's credibility, making users feel more confident in choosing and engaging with the platform.
From insight to experience
INSIGHTS & INFERENCES
Change PSU perception and brand positioning
Communicate effectively that we are a progressive, forward thinking, private sector bank with rich history.
Develop a modern and dynamic brand image through an expanded color palette and vibrant brand imagery
Use social proofing and show recent reviews and experiences of existing satisfied customers upfront in order to build trust
Improve information and product discovery
Website should have simple and intuitive navigation to access relevant product information easily
Improve the information hierarchy and structure of products and services to aid decision-making
Use strategic need-based content with relevant keywords to boost SEO
Drive businesses through engagement
Personalized experience for new and existing customers by leveraging internet cookies and past engagement
Efficient and interactive tools
with effective micro interactions to engage users and help them in decision making
Contextual, actionable nudges to drive conversions through effective lead generation
Digital first approach
Mobile first, responsive web experience which helps in product discovery and decision-making
Optimise website for fast load speed and performance
Establish efficient website content management through CMS for regular timely updates
Forward thinking & Digital first
Emphasizing innovation and a tech-friendly banking experience
Forward thinking & Digital first
Emphasizing innovation and a tech-friendly banking experience
TONALITY & COMMUNICATION
Building Karnataka Bank’s digital voice
The digital transformation needed a tone that reflected its dual identity—an innovative, forward-thinking bank with a 100-year legacy. Our approach balanced digital-first modernity with trust, warmth, and inclusivity, ensuring communication that resonates with all target groups.
Forward thinking & Digital first
Emphasizing innovation and a tech-friendly banking experience
Human touch & personalisation
Making banking feel approachable, clear, and customer-centric
Trust & legacy
Reinforcing a century of excellence as a well-governed private sector bank
Inclusivity & accessibility
Ensuring communication speaks to diverse audiences across India and beyond
Exploring possibilities
CONCEPTS & IDEATION
The initial concepts that shaped the new Karnataka Bank
Communication led experience
Communication centered on a digital-first banking experience, appealing to Gen Z and Millennials while reinforcing legacy and trust
Goal-based product discovery
Personal goal-driven product discovery and informed decision-making
Engagement through learning
Bite sized learning content to boost engagement
Easy to access to services
Quick and easy access to banking services as per user convenience
CONCEPTS & IDEATION
Final design direction
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
Designed for discovery: Making navigation effortless
Personalized picks: Finding what works for you
Know your products inside out
Seamless access, anytime, anywhere
Designed for scale
Results and Outcomes
76% increase in the average session duration
Significant increase in the digital loan applications. The percentage of sanctions under Home loans, Car loans and MSME loans through digital mode has exceeded 91%
Reflecting on the journey
Power of planning, clarity and team management
Large-scale projects like these with 100+ pages require meticulous planning and coordination across all phases—from research and design to development and deployment. Managing multiple stakeholders, aligning teams, and ensuring seamless collaboration were essential to keeping the project on track. A well-structured process and an efficient actinable plan prevented bottlenecks
Communicating with non tech-savvy stakeholders
A crucial aspect of the project was articulating ideas and solutions to stakeholders who were not as familiar with the technical aspects. Instead of overwhelming them with jargon, active discussions and simplified explanations helped bridge the gap. Taking the time to understand their needs and expectations ensured alignment and led to better design decisions
