the brand

Should you even touch a well established brand like BankID?

I get it. Change is hard and a lot of brands are getting redesigned just for the sake of redesign. It’s easy to say a brand/logo can be done ‘better’ from a design perspective. But most (re)designers forget that a logo is such an important part of a brand. Making a logo minimalistic, ‘better’ or more modern can have a massive impact on the brand. Designers and agencies should be more aware of that and step away from fancy rebrandings and go back to the essence of the rebranding process.

Rebranding is a lot more than making the logo match the latest design trends.

BankID is a great brand. I mean… Their logo is recognizable. It’s clean, scaleable and easy to implement, it’s not a bad logo, not at all!

The problem with the BankID brand is that it is so well established that nobody questions it. Every Swede gets a BankID when they hit puberty… It’s a part of their DNA. But I’m not a Swede. I’m an ‘invandare’. So I look at Swedish things with different eyes. So here’s my take on the institute that is BankID. With the eyes of a clueless Belgian designer.

the app

Examining the existing app

The current homepage feels clean and intuïtive. The team managed to focus on the essential info and got rid of distracting features and information. Primary actions are placed well into the reachable area.

It lacks a little hierarchy though. Both visual and funtional. The logo has a very prominent position and features all get the same ‘value’. Scanning action has more focus but doesn’t feel like a primary action. News and warning text gets a little lost in the ‘void’.

© This image is a screenshot of BankID’s app. I do not own the rights to images or copywriting in any way. All rights belong to BankID.

redesigning the app

Optimizing both UI and UX but keeping the app fast and recognisable

By resizing the logo the design does not only feel less overwhelming, it takes away the main focus from the logo. Since users already opened the app we may assume they know they’re using BankID so the importance of a prominent logo loses value.

Moving the account / settings action to a different location makes it stand out from other actions more specific to the app. The account / settings action is a very common action and should therefore be placed in more ‘familiar’ place.

Notifications are better aligned. They are placed in the optimal viewing area but do not hinder the primary actions. Giving it a ‘close’ button creates interaction by the user and enlarges the chance that people actually read these notifications.

The primary action – scanning a code – is now way more prominent. It has the focus and contrast it needs. Also for users with visual impairment. Users are directly focussed on this action and have no eye fatigue looking for the feature.

Secondary actions have a defined UI style more in line with the traditional but well known tab/nav bar. Icons have a similar overall style and feel more consistent throughout the app. Secondary actions are also placed in the optimal tap region.

dark mode

Creating a dark version that pops

Dark mode is not just a color inversion. Its a well designed version of the app that is easier on the eyes without sacrificing contrast to those who need it. It has the same benefits as the light mode but with its own ‘dark mode perks’.