Discover FICO Credit Monitoring Dashboard

Overview

Brief:
The FICO score page needed a complete redesign to improve its user experience, align with the latest branding guidelines, and address identified accessibility issues. The existing page, both on desktop and mobile, was outdated and did not adhere to current style standards, with accessibility challenges that hindered usability.

Objective:
The goal was to refresh the FICO page’s design to enhance its visual appeal, interactivity, and overall user engagement. Key updates included redesigning fonts, graphs, tables, and calls to action (CTAs), as well as ensuring that all copy (including FAQs) was accurate, up-to-date, and fully compliant with accessibility standards.

Research:
Both primary and secondary user research were conducted to inform the redesign process. Insights gathered from user interviews and usability testing helped guide the design direction and ensure that the final product met user needs and expectations.

My role

Lead Researcher and Designer

The team

Project Manager, Account Lead, Client Product Owner and Stakeholders, UI team, and Copywriter

Timeline

February 2024 - October 2024

Project Goals

  • Understand User Needs. Identify and understand the needs, pain points, and goals of users interacting with the DFS FICO score dashboard.

  • Analyze Competitors. Conduct research on similar financial products and industry standards to inform design decisions and best practices.

  • Create an Accessible Dashboard. Design a clear, intuitive, and accessible FICO dashboard that accommodates users from diverse financial backgrounds and varying levels of financial literacy.

  • Design Progressive Disclosure. Develop a solution that enables clear communication of complex financial information, using user-controlled progressive disclosure to simplify the experience.

  • Prioritize Accessibility. Integrate accessibility best practices, ensuring that the dashboard complies with relevant guidelines and provides an inclusive experience for all users.

  • Evaluate Technical Feasibility. Assess and identify any technological constraints or limitations that could impact the design and functionality of the dashboard.

Research

I began this research by assessing existing FICO experiences through an audit of direct competitors including:

  • Chase (chase credit journey)

  • Capital One (Credit wise)

  • Citi

  • American Express

  • Bank of America

  • Credit Karma

  • Experian

I also assessed indirect competitors from the realms of Finance and Health/Wellness to our competitive analysis. These are experiences that show users dashboards and data visualization similar to the complexity present in the FICO dashboard.

My analysis focused on:

  • Visual Design Elements

  • Content Importance

  • Information Hierarchy

  • Adherence to UX best practices

  • Application of social psychology principles

Findings

Direct Competitors Summary: Based on our research, the most successful FICO and credit score pages showcased a minimalistic approach in terms of color and design.  These pages effectively highlighted content that would be most valuable and relevant to users, providing support throughout their credit journey.  By prioritizing user needs and focusing on simplicity, these pages successfully created an engaging and comprehensible user experience.People love the School Based Health Center and think that it is an excellent resource

Best in Class Visual Design:

  • a clear and prominent FICO score

  • consistent use of color

  • a minimalist design approach

Best in Class Content: 

  • Topics were organized to support both comprehension and scannability

  • Important or meaningful information is presented first

  • Detailed and complex information is available to user through progressive disclosure

  • The user is in control of how much detail they see and interact with throughout the experience

More coming soon…

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