Work

HDFC

My role

Worked on the end-to-end design for HDFC’s digital onboarding flows, simplifying journeys for

savings, current, and fixed deposit accounts

Team

Geetika and I collaborated on design direction, content hierarchy, and final delivery.

The Problem

Onboarding at HDFC feels complicated both for customers and bank staff. Whether someone wanted to open a savings account, a current account, or book a fixed deposit, customers often had to fill out similar details multiple times, leading to frustration.

The Solution

"To address these challenges, we took a step back and reimagined the entire onboarding process from a user-centric perspective. Our goal was to build an experience that adapted to the user’s context rather than forcing them to adapt to the system."

Information Architecture

We designed a unified onboarding flow that intelligently differentiated between New to Bank (NTB) and Existing To Bank (ETB) users. Following this IA, new users only had to complete KYC once after logging in, and it carried over to all their journeys.

High fidelity

  1. Agent assisted login

We designed a flexible login flow that made it easy for agents to onboard users, whether they were using their own device or switching to the customer’s device through a referral link. This way, agents could provide hands-on help without any hassle.

  1. Current account journey for New to Bank users

KYC

The flow initiates with the KYC (Know Your Customer) process as the first step. Since it is a current account, the system fetches the GSTIN from the PAN entered by the user. This automated step reduces manual input.

Once the GSTIN is successfully fetched and verified, the user is prompted to enter their Aadhaar number to complete the Aadhaar-based KYC verification. An OTP (One-Time Password) is sent to the mobile number linked with the Aadhaar for secure authentication

Business details

For business address, we designed to automatically fetch for both GST-registered and PAN-registered addresses. Displaying these options upfront reduces manual input and minimises errors. Additionally, to accommodate cases where neither address is accurate, users have the flexibility to manually enter a new address.

Personal details

For the personal details, key information are automatically fetched from the previously completed KYC. This eliminates the need for users to re-enter information that has already been verified, streamlining the onboarding process.

Below is the end-to-end prototype for the current account journey.

  1. Fixed deposit journey for Existing to Bank users

For this journey, we’ve assumed that the user already holds a savings account with the bank and is now looking to open a fixed deposit. We’ve skipped the KYC step, since the user's KYC details are already verified through their existing savings account.

Customise FD

Fund FD

To fund the fixed deposit, the user’s existing savings account is used and there’s no need to link external accounts or make separate transfers.

Below is the end-to-end prototype for the fixed deposit journey.

  1. Edge cases and error screens

Edge cases

Error screens

Usability testing

Usability testing

Due to tight deadlines, extensive user testing wasn't feasible. However, after designing the first set of screens, we conducted quick usability tests with few users to gather initial feedback. The insights helped us make small but impactful adjustments while carefully balancing user expectations and HDFC's business requirements.

Check out user testing notes here

Due to tight deadlines, extensive user testing wasn't feasible. However, after designing the first set of screens, we conducted quick usability tests with few users to gather initial feedback. The insights helped us make small but impactful adjustments while carefully balancing user expectations and HDFC's business requirements.

Check out user testing notes here

Current status

Current status

After finalising the design, HDFC handed it over to an external agency for development. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much transparency into the implementation or how the final product performed. It was a bit of a challenge since we couldn’t track how well the experience translated into the real world.

After finalising the design, HDFC handed it over to an external agency for development. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much transparency into the implementation or how the final product performed. It was a bit of a challenge since we couldn’t track how well the experience translated into the real world.

The Problem

Onboarding at HDFC used to feel complicated both for customers and bank staff. Whether someone wanted to open a savings account, a current account, or book a fixed deposit, each process was disconnected and repetitive. Customers often had to fill out similar details multiple times, leading to frustration.