Antonio Schibono
CIBC_Overview.png

Upgrading CIBC Private Wealth

Client: CIBC Private Wealth
Role: Senior UX Design & Strategy Lead
Duration: 1 Year Contract - 2017

In 2017, CIBC embarked on a major transformation to become a relationship-oriented, digitally enabled bank. The Private Wealth line of business, in response to significant market shifts, began adapting to a new generation of self-directed, digitally savvy clients poised for substantial wealth transfer. To support this evolution, the Private Wealth family of web properties required a complete overhaul and a forward-looking strategic approach.

I was engaged by CIBC to develop a pre-sign on UX strategy for the Private Wealth line of business and manage the design and execution of it.

My Role
Leading a team of three UX designers in collaboration with the internal research and analytics group, we developed the strategy, vision, and roadmap for the project, and executed on its design components.

The Research
We began the process by conducting a content and UX audit of the existing pre-sign on eco-system of websites, evaluating them both qualitatively and quantitatively.

We conducted interviews with both financial advisors and clients to define personas and map the client onboarding journey. Our goal was to pinpoint where and how the pre-sign-on websites could best support the onboarding process and strengthen the advisor-client relationship.

Out of the research a few key insights were identified:

  1. Prospective clients weren’t finding it easy to find an advisor online that matched their needs.

  2. The existing Private Wealth websites weren’t communicating offerings effectively, leaving users confused and they were leaving the sites.

  3. Needs vary by life stages and events. It was important to build an understanding of the clients POV by these stages in order to communicate with them effectively.

  4. A new generation of clients have emerged and want to self serve more than their parents do, but still want an advisor at hand.

  5. None of the other banks use a common approach to marketing private wealth. There is a big opportunity to do better and differentiate.

The Strategy
Based on the research, we developed client personas and built a framework for communication and content development for each segment. This would serve as a guidelines for copywriters and content producers.

We re-organized and greatly simplified the Private Wealth web eco-system, consolidating many sites into one under the Private Wealth brand - clarifying the brand architecture to web visitors which was previously confusing.

A roadmap was developed for the execution of the re-design. The main strategic directives were:

 1. Build confidence through communicating that CIBC understands intergenerational wealth and provide a best-of-class online experience

2. Facilitate client relationships by providing relevant and current investing advice online

3. Build brand trust by making information personalized, easily accessible and engaging

The Execution
As part of CIBC’s transformation, the bank was undergoing a major rebranding initiative. My team collaborated closely with the brand team and digital design teams across all lines of business to translate the new brand identity into a component-based UI library. The goal was to create efficiencies in ongoing UX work and ensure consistency across all CIBC digital experiences. The brand architecture included a master brand and sub-brand style guide, which the UI for digital applications needed to reflect. Shared elements were used across both master and sub-brands, with distinctive visual details to differentiate each line of business.

My team developed the sub-brand UI kit, which was then shared with other lines of business that fell under the sub-brand umbrella.

The Outcome
The new design system and website launched in 2020 with the opening of the new CIBC Square in Toronto.