00 // The brief​
How might we integrate artificial intelligent and machine learning capabilities into operations and client service email communication within investment bank (IB) and corporate bank (CB) functions to streamline E2E email-to-case workflows?
Intelligent Client Query Manager
Product Associate + Designer ⊛ Sept 2023 - Present
Intelligent Client Query Manager (ICQM) seeks to innovate operations and client service workflows by integrating AI and machine learning capabilities over existing process infrastructure.
01 // The context​
ICQM was created to address the inefficiencies within operations and client service email communication. The pain points ICQM is looking to address include the inefficiency when triaging emails, fragmented workflows, highly manual tasks and lack of mailbox transparency.​​
As the lead designer for the internal build, I have worked closely with the Product Owner, Business Analysts, Development teams and key stakeholders to design a comprehensive, E2E client relationship management (CRM) service from scratch. We are competing for a bid against established vendors, driving the project like a startup, with key deliverable:
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Proof of concept (POC)
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Minimal viable product (MVP)
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02 // My Role
As the lead product designer for this project, other than UX support from a graduate (6 months) and a recent onboarding of an associate UX designer (July 2024), my responsibility has spanned the product design effort for the entire project - with support from my Senior Product Designer.​
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My role has included:
> Design system development​​​
> Information architecture design
> Stakeholder presentations and demos​
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Please note that the following images have been blurred due to project confidentiality
> User Research
Following Deutsche Bank’s design thinking framework, I led the user research for ICQM. This included:​
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Conducting interviews with end-users
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Defining user personas
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Mapping out user journeys to identify key pain points and places to create opportunity
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Creating multi-system service blueprints to understand ICQM within the wider infrastructure ecosystem​
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These insights informed ICQM's design, ensuring the solution addressed both user needs and operational inefficiencies.
> Wireframes / Prototyping
As the lead UX designer, I was responsible for conceptualising and developing the ICQM platform from scratch which over a period of eight months amassed to:​
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Designing and iteratively refining 600+ individual wireframes
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Incorporating 50 use case agnostic workflows
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Designing flows to support 3 distinct business use cases.
My focus on adhering to the design system, accessibility guidelines, and scalability principles informed the development of reusable components and templates, therefore minimizing the need for bespoke development as new use cases were added.​
> Design system development
ICQM utilises a mature Design System consisting of reusable components and templates shared across all designers with Operations and Client Services. As a UX designer within the design chapter, I helped the wider design community by:
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Collaborating with senior UX designers to develop and document new, complex templates including a reusable email handler
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Attended weekly UX/UI guilds to feedback on other UX designers work
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Feedback on improvements to existing components and make suggestions for future components to be brought into The
Design System (TDS)​
> Information architecture design
My background in engineering has allowed me to contribute to the system architecture design. This has included:
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Working closely with led engineers to initially map out and understand the technical system flows of the software product.
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Translating technical mappings into comprehensive and visually compelling architecture diagrams that are easily digestible, all the while conveying complex technical concepts
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Designing over 10+ functional architecture diagrams used by senior engineers which have been used in critical stakeholder meetings to visually articulate the tech stack and prove technical feasibility.​
> Product Management
PM responsibilities have included:
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Feature defining and refinement during QBR (Quarterly Big Room) Planning sessions
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Using Atlassian Jira and Confluence to manage user stories and features
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Review and prioritise tickets during backlog grooming
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Working closely with the product owner and business analysts to write new user stories and features
> Stakeholder presentations and demos
I was trusted to deliver key presentations and demos at multiple stages of the ICQM project. These included bi-weekly sprint demos, stakeholder updates, and high-profile events such as:
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Technology, Data and Innovation Technology & Engineering Excellence awards final 2024
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Banking in Tech 2024
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Deutsche Bank Tech Summit 2024
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Senior stakeholder demos with the CIO and lead business sponsor
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​12+ internal product demos
These demos were pivotal in showcasing the project's progress and potential, directly influencing stakeholder confidence in the in-house build.
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Themes
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AI-first software product
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Rapid prototyping and wireframing
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Reusable components
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Designing for complex workflows
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Cross-functional collaboration
04 // The proposal
Intelligent Client Query Management (ICQM) is Deutsche Bank's E2E client relationship management (CRM) system that leverages AI/ML capabilities to streamline email-to-case workflows across the investment bank and corporate bank middle office.
04 // The outcome
The bid
The in-house solution won the bid against established vendors, securing the bid to proceed to production.
Recognition
CIO Corporate Bank Technology & Engineering Excellence Awards 2024 First place winner & Shirtlisted Finalist. See LinkedIn Post.
