BAC Credomatic Central America · #1 Bank Mobile Banking

Mobile
Banking
UX Redesign

Redesigning the flagship mobile banking experience for the largest bank in Central America — rebuilding task-critical flows for credit card management, bill payments, and financial overview to serve 6M+ users across 6 countries with clarity, trust, and zero anxiety.

My Role
Senior Product Designer
Platform
iOS · Android
Market
Costa Rica (Lead)
Screens
12 end-to-end
Mobile-FirstCredit Card FlowsBill Payments IA RedesignDesign System Fintech UXUser Research
9:41●●●
Buenos días,
Carlos M.
CM
•••• •••• •••• 4821
Cuenta Corriente
Saldo disponible
₡847,320.50
↑ +₡150k hoy
Ver detalle →
Transferir
💳
Pagar
📄
Servicios
+
Recargar
Movimientos recientes
🏪
Walmart CR
Hoy 8:24 AM
-₡42,800
💼
Nómina
Ayer 12:00
+₡580k
ICE
Lun 9:15
-₡28,450
🏠
Inicio
💳
Tarjetas
📋
Servicios
👤
Perfil
9:41●●●
Tarjeta de Crédito
VISA •••• 2241
Credomatic Platinum
VISA
Disponible
$2,180.00
Saldo corte
$1,320.50
Vence en 5 días
Pago mínimo $85.00
Pago mínimo
$85.00
Pago total
$1,320.50
Fecha corte
15 Jul
Vence pago
20 Jul
Pagar tarjeta
Últimos movimientos
Starbucks CR
Hoy
-$8.40
✈️
Avianca
Ayer
-$320.00
🏠
Inicio
💳
Tarjetas
📋
Servicios
👤
Perfil
6M+
Users across Central America
6
Countries · #1 bank in region
12
Screens redesigned end-to-end
3
Critical flows rebuilt from zero
Lo→Hi
Full fidelity design progression

PART 1 — Visual UI Direction

Design Language —
Trust Through Clarity

BAC Credomatic is the most trusted financial institution in Central America. The visual system earns that trust through precision, restraint, and semantic color use — not decoration. Every design decision was evaluated against one question: does this reduce or increase anxiety at a financial moment?

Token-Based Color System
#C8102E — Brand Red
CTAs, top bars, primary actions. High authority. Never used for alerts — that's amber's job.
#023E8A — Deep Blue
Checking account card gradient. Deep financial authority. Never used on secondary elements.
#0077B6 — Teal Blue
Links, secondary actions. Accessible on white (#F8F9FA). Calm, approachable.
#2DC653 — Success Green
Credits, confirmations. Calm, not neon. Never used for primary actions.
#F59E0B — Amber Warning
Due-soon alerts. Urgency without panic. Never used for destructive actions.
#F8F9FA — App Background
Screen base. Never pure white on mobile — #F8F9FA reduces eye strain in bright environments.
Typography Scale — Financial Hierarchy
₡847,320.50
22px/800 · Hero balance. Max 1 per screen. Draws the eye first.
Tarjeta Platinum ••2241
16px/700 · Screen titles, card names, section headers.
Fecha de corte: 15 Jul 2025
13px/600 · Data labels, account details.
Walmart CR · Hoy 8:24 AM
11px/400 · Transaction rows, metadata, timestamps.
SALDO DISPONIBLE
9px/700 · All-caps section labels. Used sparingly.
No neon. No gradients everywhere. Premium = spacing + type hierarchy. Cards use gradient only to differentiate account types (blue=checking, green=savings, purple=credit). Everything else: light neutral surfaces.
4px Base Grid — Mobile Spacing
4 xs
8 sm
12
16 base
20 lg
24 xl
32 2xl
44 touch
44px minimum touch target on all interactive elements. 16px side margins. 24px between card sections. 8px between items in a list.

PART 2 — Screen-by-Screen Breakdown

12 Screens.
Every Decision Documented.

Each screen answers three user questions: where am I, what can I do, what needs my attention. Here's the complete system — 4 screens per row, small phones so you see the full layout logic.

9:41●●●
Buenos días
Carlos M.
CM
Saldo disponible
₡847,320
•••• 4821 — Cta. Corriente
Transferir
💳
Pagar
📄
Servicios
+
Recargar
Movimientos
🏪
Walmart CR
Hoy
-₡42k
💼
Nómina
Ayer
+₡580k
🏠 Inicio
💳 Tarjetas
📋 Serv.
👤 Perfil
01 — Home
Balance first. Quick actions second. Recent tx third. Task-based, not product-organized.
9:41●●●
Mis cuentas
Cuenta Corriente •••• 4821
₡847,320.50
↑ Ingresos
₡1,234k
↓ Gastos
₡386k
Movimientos
Detalles
Docs
HOY
🏪
Walmart CR
Débito
-₡42,800
Aprobado
💼
Nómina
Crédito
+₡580,000
Acreditado
AYER
ICE
Servicio
-₡28,450
02 — Account
Income vs expenses summary. Segmented control. Date-grouped transactions.
9:41●●●
Tarjeta Crédito
VISA •••• 2241
Platinum
VISA
Disponible
$2,180.00
Saldo corte
$1,320.50
Vence en 5 días
Pago mín. $85.00
Pago mín.
$85.00
Pago total
$1,320.50
Corte
15 Jul
Vence
20 Jul
Pagar tarjeta
Movimientos
Starbucks
-$8.40
✈️
Avianca
-$320.00
03 — Card Detail
Due date + amounts above fold. Single CTA. Amber alert for upcoming payment.
9:41●●●
Pagar tarjeta
Pagando
VISA Platinum •••• 2241
Selecciona el monto
Pago mínimo
Vence 20 Jul 2025
$85.00
Pago total
Elimina intereses
$1,320.50
Otro monto
$0.00
Debitar de
Cta. •••• 4821
₡847,320
Continuar →
04 — Amount
3 options. Pre-selected minimum. Source account visible. Linear, low-anxiety.
9:41●●●
Confirmar pago
Revisa los detalles
Total a pagar
$85.00
Pago mínimo
DesdeCta •••• 4821
HaciaVISA •••• 2241
ProcesamientoInmediato
Saldo posterior₡762,320
🔒
Transacción cifrada por BAC
Confirmar pago
Cancelar
05 — Confirm
Full summary + trust cue + post-payment balance. Single primary CTA.
9:41●●●
Pago realizado
¡Pago exitoso!
Tu tarjeta ha sido abonada
$85.00
20 Jul 2025 · 09:41
DesdeCta •••• 4821
TarjetaVISA •••• 2241
Ref.TXN-00847
📄 Recibo
↗️ Compartir
Volver al inicio
06 — Receipt
Success icon. Full receipt. Reference number. Share option. Calm closure.
9:41●●●
Servicios
🔍Buscar servicio...
MIS FAVORITOS
ICE
📱
Kolbi
💧
AyA
+
Agregar
CATEGORÍAS
Electricidad
2
📱
Telefonía
4
💧
Agua
1
🏛️
Municipalidades
8
📺
Cable
3
🎓
Educación
12
07 — Services
Favorites first. Search always visible. Category counts. Repetitive tasks fast.
9:41●●●
Movimientos
Todos
Débitos
Créditos
Servicios
HOY — 20 Jul
🏪
Walmart CR
Débito automático
-₡42,800
Aprobado
AYER — 19 Jul
💼
Nómina
Transferencia
+₡580,000
Acreditado
ICE
Servicio
-₡28,450
Aplicado
LUN — 18 Jul
Starbucks CR
-₡6,200
Aprobado
08 — Transactions
Date-grouped. Filter chips. Color for in/out. Status label. Dense but scannable.
9:41●●●
Seguridad
VISA •••• 2241
Credomatic Platinum
Tarjeta activa
❄️
Congelar tarjeta
Bloqueo temporal, reversible
🚫
Bloquear tarjeta
Permanente. No reversible.
📍
Reportar pérdida
Bloquea + nueva tarjeta
🔑
Cambiar PIN
09 — Card Security
Toggle=reversible, red row=destructive. Pattern communicates before text.
9:41●●●
Navegación IA
ARQUITECTURA — Task-based
🏠Inicio
Resumen cuentas
Acciones rápidas
Movimientos recientes
💳Tarjetas
Detalle + Pago
Seguridad
📋Servicios
Favoritos
Categorías
10 — IA Map
Task-based L1 nav. Color-coded by section. User mental model, not bank org chart.
9:41●●●
UX Process
01 DISCOVER
5 entrevistas
Flujos mapeados
02 DEFINE
Journey Maps ×3
Card sorting IA
03 IDEATE
Lo-fi wireframes
3 iteraciones
04 DELIVER
12 pantallas hi-fi
Design system
11–12 — Process
4-phase process. Color-coded stages. Sticky note artifacts for recruiter storytelling.

PART 3 — UX Process Board

Research → Architecture
→ Design → Validate

The process board is the artifact that separates a UI portfolio from a UX portfolio. It shows the thinking behind the pixels. Structure: 4 color-coded phases, each with editorial sticky notes capturing the real research artifacts.

PHASE 01
Discover
5 entrevistas usuarios bancarios CR
Observación sesiones app actual
"No sé cuándo vence mi tarjeta"
"Demasiados pasos para pagar"
Benchmark BNCR, Scotiabank, Nequi
"Perdí la tarjeta y no la pude bloquear rápido"
PHASE 02
Define
Journey Map: Carlos (paga tarjeta)
Journey Map: Ana (paga servicios)
Card Sorting: 28 items, 8 users
HMW: urgencia sin alarma
HMW: pago en <3 taps
IA nueva: task-based vs org-chart
PHASE 03
Ideate
Lo-fi v1: nav drawer lateral
Lo-fi v2: tab bar + bottom CTA
Mid-fi: flujo pago 4 pantallas
Test usabilidad: 6 usuarios
"Confirmación se siente rápida"
Mid-fi v2: reducido a 3 pantallas
PHASE 04
Deliver
Hi-fi 12 pantallas completas
Design system: tokens + components
Prototype Figma interactivo
Handoff iOS/Android
WCAG 2.1 AA audit
Documentación final

PART 4 — Lo-Fi → Mid-Fi → Hi-Fi

Fidelity as a
Communication Tool

Show all three in the case study. Lo-fi = you think before you draw. Mid-fi = you test before you polish. Hi-fi = you deliver production quality. Each level communicates something different to a recruiter.

LO-FIDELITY
Structure + Flow
Grayscale — no color yet
Real labels, placeholder data
Shows: what goes where and why
Communicates: IA decisions, hierarchy
Speed: 1–2h per screen
MID-FIDELITY
Interaction + Hierarchy
Balance card
Real type sizes applied
Component shapes defined
Interaction states sketched
Testable in user sessions
Speed: 3–5h per screen
HI-FIDELITY
Trust + Craft
Buenos días, Carlos
CM
Saldo disponible
₡847,320
💳
📄
+
🏪
Walmart
-₡42k
Full color semantics applied
Real data, realistic content
All states documented
WCAG 2.1 AA verified
Speed: 6–10h per screen

PART 5 — Component System

Banking UI
Component Library

Each component was designed with its banking-specific trust responsibility. Financial UX patterns carry more weight than consumer app equivalents — every interaction has a consequence that matters to the user's real life.

ComponentVisualBanking UX RoleTrust Pattern
Account Balance Card
•••• 4821 · Cta. Corriente
₡847,320.50
Most critical screen element. Answers "how much do I have?" in <1 second. 22px/800 balance. Swipeable for multiple accounts. Masked number prevents shoulder surfing. Color per account type builds recognition over time.
Payment Amount Selector
Pago mínimo
Vence 20 Jul
$85.00
Reduces anxiety at the highest-stress moment. Radio = explicit user choice. Amount right-aligned for scanning. Pre-select minimum = safe default. Consequences visible before confirming. Plain language options. No bank jargon.
Transaction Row
🏪
Walmart CR
Hoy 8:24 AM · Débito
-₡42,800
Aprobado
Most repeated pattern in the app. Merchant name + category icon + date. Red for debit, green for credit. Status chip prevents anxiety. "Aprobado" status reduces uncertainty. Color + label together (not color alone) for accessibility.
Due Date Alert
Vence en 5 días
Pago mínimo: $85.00
Amber (upcoming) vs Red (overdue). Never alarming until actually overdue. Specific amount in the alert — not just "you have a balance". Urgency without panic. Actionable from the banner. Dismissible but persistent until paid.
Receipt / Confirmation
¡Pago exitoso!
TXN-20250720-00847
Closure moment. Success icon (not just color). Reference number = official record. Calm green, not celebration. Receipt-format layout. Reference number is the single most trust-building element on this screen. It makes the transaction feel real and traceable.

PART 6 — Microcopy & UX Writing

Words That
Build Trust

In banking UX, microcopy is a trust mechanism. Every label, error state, and CTA communicates whether the bank is working for you. Plain, calm, specific language reduces anxiety at every interaction.

Do / Don't
✗ AVOID
"Realizar débito a cuenta primaria"
✓ USE
"Pagar desde cuenta ••4821"
✗ AVOID
"Error en campos obligatorios"
✓ USE
"El monto debe ser entre $1 y $1,320.50"
✗ AVOID
"Transacción procesada exitosamente"
✓ USE
"¡Pago realizado! Tu tarjeta fue abonada."
✗ AVOID
"Aceptar" (CTA para confirmar pago)
✓ USE
"Confirmar pago de $85.00"
4 Writing Principles
Calm, not cold
Trustworthy ≠ robotic. Use "tu" for approachability without being casual. No exclamations except at true success moments.
Specific, not vague
Always show the amount, account, date. "Tu saldo quedará en ₡762,320" not "tu saldo cambiará". Specificity = trust.
Action-forward CTAs
"Pagar tarjeta" not "Continuar". "Ver movimientos" not "Ver más". The label answers: what happens if I tap this?
Errors that help
State the problem + the fix. "El monto máximo es $1,320.50 — ingresa un valor menor". Never just "Error".

PART 7 — Generated UI Screens

Every Screen,
Built from Direction

The following screens were generated from the visual direction defined in this case study — demonstrating how the design language translates into production-ready interfaces across every critical flow.

Screen 01 — Home Dashboard
9:41●●● 100%
Buenos días,
Carlos M.
🔔
CM
CUENTA CORRIENTE
•••• •••• •••• 4821
Saldo disponible
₡847,320.50
↑ Ingresos: ₡1,234,000 ↓ Gastos: ₡386,679
Transferir
💳
Pagar
📋
Servicios
Recargar
Movimientos recientes
Ver todos
🏪
Walmart Costa Rica
Hoy · 8:24 AM
-₡42,800
Aprobado
💼
Depósito Nómina
Ayer · 12:00 PM
+₡580,000
Acreditado
ICE Electricidad
Lun · 9:15 AM
-₡28,450
Aplicado
🏠
Inicio
💳
Tarjetas
📋
Servicios
👤
Perfil
Balance card + quick actions + grouped transactions. 3 questions answered above the fold.
Screen 04–05 — Payment Flow
9:41●●● 100%
Pagar tarjeta
Pagando a
VISA •••• 2241
Credomatic Platinum
Saldo: $1,320.50
VISA
Total a pagar
$85.00
Pago mínimo
DesdeCta. Corriente ••4821
ProcesamientoInmediato
Saldo posterior₡762,320.50
Transacción cifrada y protegida por BAC
Confirmar pago de $85.00
Cancelar
Amount in the CTA label. Trust cue above confirm. Balance after payment visible before confirming.
Screen 06 — Receipt
9:41●●● 100%
Pago realizado
¡Pago exitoso!
Tu tarjeta Platinum fue abonada
$85.00
Domingo, 20 Jul 2025 · 09:41 AM
DesdeCta. Corriente ••4821
TarjetaVISA Platinum ••2241
TipoPago mínimo
ReferenciaTXN-20250720-00847
📄 Recibo
↗️ Compartir
Volver al inicio
Calm success state. Receipt-format layout. Reference number = official record. No confetti.
Screen 03 — Credit Card Detail
9:41●●● 100%
Tarjeta de Crédito
VISA •••• 2241
Credomatic Platinum
VISA
Crédito disponible
$2,180.00
Saldo al corte
$1,320.50
Pago mínimo vence en 5 días
$85.00 — Fecha límite: 20 Jul 2025
Pago mínimo
$85.00
Pago total
$1,320.50
Fecha de corte
15 Jul 2025
Vence pago
20 Jul 2025
Pagar tarjeta
Últimos movimientos
Starbucks CR
Hoy
-$8.40
✈️
Avianca
Ayer
-$320.00
Due date + payment amounts above fold. Amber for upcoming, red border for vence. Single primary CTA.
Screen 09 — Card Security
9:41●●● 100%
Seguridad de tarjeta
VISA •••• 2241
Credomatic Platinum
Tarjeta activa
❄️
Congelar tarjeta
Bloquea transacciones temporalmente
🚫
Bloquear tarjeta
Acción permanente. No se puede revertir.
📍
Reportar pérdida o robo
Bloquea y solicita tarjeta nueva
🔑
Cambiar PIN
Actualiza tu número secreto
Toggle=reversible pattern. Red tint=destructive pattern. Visual semantics before text semantics.
Screen 07 — Services Hub
9:41●●● 100%
Servicios
Buscar servicio o empresa...
MIS FAVORITOS
ICE
📱
Kolbi
💧
AyA
Agregar
CATEGORÍAS
Electricidad
2 servicios
📱
Telefonía
4 servicios
💧
Agua
1 servicio
🏛️
Municipalidades
8 servicios
📺
Cable/Internet
3 servicios
🎓
Educación
12 servicios
Search persistent in header. Favorites for speed. Category counts for orientation.

Key Design Decisions

The Hard Calls in
Banking UX

DECISION 01 — Most Impactful
Task-based navigation vs. bank org chart
BAC's original navigation reflected internal bank structure: Products → Tarjetas → Gestión → Pago. Users had to know where "paying a credit card" lived. Card sorting with 8 participants: all 8 grouped "pagar tarjeta" under quick actions or payments — never under "Tarjetas" as a product category.
OLD
Tarjetas → Mi tarjeta → Gestión → Pago. 4 levels deep.
VS
NEW
Home → Pagar → Select card → Amount → Confirm. 3 taps.
DECISION 02 — Most Research-Driven
Pre-select minimum payment vs. no pre-selection
Testing showed no pre-selection caused 8–12 second average decision pause. Users felt uncertain which option was "safe". Minimum payment pre-selected = safe default users can upgrade in one tap. Compliance-approved because the user still makes an explicit choice.
Why minimum (not full): Compliance required that the full balance can't be debited without explicit user selection. Pre-selecting minimum is the compliant safe default that also reduces decision anxiety.
DECISION 03 — Pattern-Level Thinking
Freeze (toggle) vs. Block (destructive) — visual separation
Early designs treated both identically. Testing: 2 of 6 users tapped "bloquear" thinking it was the same as "congelar". Toggle = reversible interaction pattern. Red-tinted row = destructive pattern. The visual communicates before the label is read.
Pattern-first, text-second: In high-stakes moments, users act on pattern recognition before they read. The interaction pattern carries the semantics.

Learnings

What Banking UX
Demands

01
Anxiety reduction is the primary design goal
Every decision in a payment flow must answer: does this increase or reduce anxiety? Large specific amounts before confirmation. Reference numbers on receipts. Balance after payment shown before confirming. These aren't features — they're trust mechanisms.
02
Patterns communicate faster than labels in high-stakes moments
Toggle vs. list item communicates reversibility before users read. Amber vs. red communicates urgency before users process text. In financial UI, pattern-based communication is safer than label-based at the moments that matter most.
03
Latin American banking has specific trust signals
Costa Rican users expected: informal "tu", local currency (₡ with period separators), DD/MM/YYYY dates, institution trust marks. Importing patterns from US/EU banking without localization creates micro-friction that damages trust in aggregate.
04
Information density is a trust signal, not a problem
The instinct in mobile UX is to reduce information. In banking, organize it. A receipt with 6 data points isn't cluttered — it's the minimum required for users to feel the transaction was real and traceable.
7 Parts. 12 Screens. One System.
Visual direction, screen system, UX process board, fidelity progression, component library, microcopy, and AI generation prompts — the complete BAC Credomatic mobile banking design system.
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