CIBC

Web, Mobile, Tablet

Role: Product Designer
Platform: Web, Mobile
Tools Used: Figma

Overview

The CIBC Mortgage Switch Tool allows existing clients to switch or renew their mortgage online without visiting a branch. As the Product Designer on this project, I led the design initiative from research to high-fidelity prototypes, ensuring the process was seamless, intuitive, and accessible across web, mobile, and tablet.

Goals

  • Simplify the process: Make mortgage switching clear, guided, and stress-free.

  • Build trust: Use transparent design to increase client confidence during an important financial decision.

  • Optimize for all platforms: Ensure a consistent and responsive experience on desktop, mobile, and tablet.

  • Reduce friction: Minimize form fatigue, clarify next steps, and reduce drop-off rates.

Research & Discovery

  • User Interviews: Collaborated with stakeholders and customer service teams to understand pain points in the old process (e.g., confusion about required documents and timelines).

  • Journey Mapping: Created a step-by-step journey to visualize decision points and identify where users struggled.

  • Competitive Analysis: Reviewed mortgage renewal flows from other Canadian banks to benchmark usability.

Design Process

  • Wireframes & Flows: Created low-fidelity wireframes to streamline navigation and break down the process into manageable steps.

  • Hi-Fidelity Prototypes: Designed visually clear and accessible screens using CIBC’s design system for consistency.

  • Microcopy & Guidance: Added clear progress indicators, helpful tooltips, and contextual explanations to build user confidence.

  • Responsive Design: Designed layouts that adapted seamlessly for web, mobile, and tablet users.

Collaboration & Handoff

  • Partnered with developers and QA to ensure a pixel-perfect implementation and adherence to accessibility standards.

  • Presented designs at sprint planning sessions and iterated quickly based on stakeholder and compliance feedback.

  • Approved UI tickets post-development, maintaining quality and consistency.

Results & Impact

  • Increased Completion Rates: A more intuitive flow led to fewer user drop-offs during the switch process.

  • Improved Customer Experience: Clear, guided steps reduced calls to customer support.

  • Consistent Multi-Device Experience: A unified experience across web, mobile, and tablet made it easier for clients to complete their switch from anywhere.

Reflection

This project reminded me of the power of clear guidance in complex financial flows. By designing a guided, human-centered experience, we were able to turn a daunting process into one that felt approachable and easy, improving both user satisfaction and business outcomes.

Explore CIBC: CIBC Mortgage Switch Tool