Alfa-Bank
Alfa-Bank
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Alfa-Bank
Product design • Design Lead (Core flows)
Date
2021 — 2024
Info
Alfa-Bank is one of the largest privately owned commercial banks in Eurasia, offering a wide range of financial services to individuals, businesses, and institutions.
What did I do
I worked in the emotional design team ❤️, focusing on MAU, DAU, retention, feedback, and loyalty. Later, I took the lead role in the team.
Approach
Grow loyalty and everyday engagement by rolling out the Coach concept — contextual recommendations and value-led prompts — so users see clear benefits at the right moments. The goal was to lift retention and brand affinity across high-traffic journeys without adding friction.
Solution
Embedded the Coach system into key flows, turning success screens into benefit moments, backed by clear value storytelling in UI (copy, visuals, micro-interactions). Designed referral loops, games, and landing surfaces with Product/CRM to iterate virality. Shaped the Premium experience (app/web hub, benefits like airport lounges and taxi reimbursements, 2022 rebrand). Launched and grew the Kids Bank track (MVP, Piggy Bank, 3rd-party card) to create a child → parent loop and build early brand affinity for Gen-Alpha. Measurement ran via unified events and A/B tests; content stayed contextual, lightweight, and native to each journey.
Impact
• Shipped the Coach system, achieving up to 11% conversion on contextual prompts;
• Strengthened brand affinity with value storytelling in UI (copy, visuals, micro-interactions);
• Designed referral loops, games, and entry points with Product/CRM, reaching ~500K MAU and ~3M new-to-bank customers;
• Helped define the Premium experience (hub, benefits, rebrand) and features like lounges and reimbursements;
• Launched and grew the Kids Bank track (MVP, Piggy Bank, 3rd-party card), supporting Gen-Alpha loyalty.
Value
Emotions are significant for every product because they engage, entertain, and create connection between customers and a product, leading to increased loyalty.
How it works
Visceral: the immediate reaction — avoid frustration. Like when a button is too small and frustrates you. Good design avoids these frowns.
Behavioral: usability — make it clear and easy.
Reflective: the emotional story — guide users through product strengths.
In general, the main goal is to win the user’s heart.
Measuring
We tested multiple design hypotheses in a UX lab using tools like eye-tracking to assess emotional response before rollout.
Onboarding
First impressions are crucial. Instead of showing limits and restrictions, we presented opportunities and benefits. This storytelling-driven approach improved the onboarding experience and set a positive tone for new users.
Premium customer privilege levels
I shifted focus from bank conditions to client opportunities. By fulfilling just a couple of requirements, users could unlock benefits. This reduced the complexity of conditions and made gains more transparent.
Pripority pass business lounges
During the redesign, we found that users often registered for lounge access on the spot. To simplify the flow, we optimized a single-click path, prioritizing speed and usability over lengthy terms of use.
Loader
During one of the scoring stages, users had to stay in the app for about 30 seconds. To reduce drop-offs, we added dynamic status updates and clear explanations of ongoing processes.
Metals account
Through design and gamification, we significantly increased the conversion rate for purchasing precious metals. Users now experience their metal nugget growing in tandem with their account savings.
Release
To achieve greater authenticity, we consulted with a professional conductor. As a result, the main mechanics closely resemble the real movements of a conductor's baton.
Functionality
The visitor stands behind the conductor's panel with electronic music sheets and selects a musical composition. In front of them, they see the orchestra they will conduct or rather its projection.
The projection also displays the conductor's baton movements.
Sensors detect the speed of the player's playing according to the rhythm of the composition. Musical instruments are placed around the installation on figures that light up during the play of the particular quartet. At the end, the user sees their conducting result on the projection screen.
