This deck was delivered as part of our capstone project for the User Experience Design Immersive program at General Assembly (Fall 2014 in Boston).

1. SomeBank
Rethinking How Borrowers Manage
Their Mortgages Online
GA UX Team:
Amy Derdzinski
Gabe Orlowitz
Hitomi Abiko
Steffan Antonas

2. THE BRIEF
Altisource:
Provides software solutions for real estate, mortgage,
asset recovery and customer relationship management.
Challenge:
Design a portal for borrowers that communicates
information about their mortgage in a clear, consistent,
and unified interface.

3. What is the customer’s current
experience like?
Research Sources
● Complaints database: Consumer Finance Protection
Bureau (CFPB)
● User Surveys & Interviews
● Stakeholder interviews
● Whitepapers

4. Top things people do online with their
mortgage.

5. Complaints Database and CFPB whitepapers
85.2%
Loan modifications & payments

6. Root Causes of Users’ Problem Areas
“I’m confused why I’m accumulating all these fees!”
Root Cause: Borrowers are not informed
“I received a letter in the mail after I missed a payment. Receiving the letter
sooner would have saved me a lot of trouble.”
Root Cause: Timing of events is critical.
“I can never find my year-end tax documents online.”
Root problem: online account interfaces are disorganized.

7. Designing For When Things Go Smoothly...and
when they don’t...
When things work:
- Small number of simple transactions
- Payments, Taxes, Statements
- Very little interaction
When things dont:
- Complexity increases, processes and options are opaque
- Stakes are high, people sometimes behave irrationally.

8. PERSONAS

9. Mortgages Are Event-Driven
- People have a long
relationship with their
mortgages.
- Events drive interaction.
- Most events that happen
during the life of a mortgage
can be distilled into just a
few categories
- We designed a consistent,
easy to understand interface
around these events that
educate and inform the user.

10. Events create meaning by informing and telling
clear stories...

11. Activity Feed is Front and Center on the Home Screen

12. It’s tax season.
Stan needs to
view his tax form.

13. Here is his tax form.

14. Stan needs to make a
payment.

18. Debbie missed a payment!

19. Challenges when things don’t go smoothly...
Challenges:
- Complexity increases, processes & options are opaque
- Stakes are high, people sometimes behave irrationally.
Common Questions:
- What if I can only make partial payments?
- What are my options if I can’t pay at all?

21. Distressed Debbie
I just lost my job and
missed my first
payment.

22. Distress Scenario (Desktop)
http://invis.io/HX1MQR656

23. Looking forward...
- Targeted interviews with mortgage
servicers and user testing
- Further experimentation with event types
- Digging into regulations for design
opportunities

24. Thank you!
Questions?
Team:
Amy Derdzinski
Hitomi Abiko
Gabe Orlowitz
Steffan Antonas

25. Appendix A: List of Loan Assistance Programs
Deed in Lieu
FHA Home Affordable Modification
Forbearance
Foreclosure
Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives
Home Affordable Modification
Home Affordable Refinance
Home Affordable Second Lien Modification
Home Affordable Unemployment Program
Home Equity Assistance
Home Affordable Modification Program Military Modification
Refinance
Traditional Short Sale Process

26. Appendix B: Design Process - Sketching