Unique. Sustainable. Digital. – The Development of the GLS Banking App
Sustainable banking with 100% impact
Since its founding in 1974, GLS Bank has set the standard for responsible banking and established itself as a pioneer of social-ecological finance. With a focus on people and their positive impact on society, GLS Bank’s values needed to be reflected in the digital age. This project aimed to develop a sustainable banking app that meets current market standards while embodying the core principles of GLS Bank.
Project goal: Developing a sustainable, forward-thinking app
The goal of this project was to create a new banking app that could compete with other sustainable banks and be user-friendly and tailored to the needs of its users. One key function was the introduction of self-service features to reduce the burden on customer support, as well as a strong educational component to inform users about social and ecological issues, and make the impact of their money visible.
My role in the project
As the UX/UI designer, my main task was to bring the user’s perspective into the development process, ensuring that the app was both intuitive and informative. I worked closely with the GLS Bank team to understand the bank’s impact and translate it into specific app features. The app needed to clearly demonstrate the impact of users’ money, while upholding high standards of sustainability and transparency.
Key features of the GLS Banking App
Impactboard: Making the impact of money visible
A central feature of the app is the Impactboard, which visualizes the sustainable impact of users’ money. There are two levels:
- Individual Impactboard: This shows users the impact of their own money – for example, which projects are supported by their investments or transactions.
- Collective Impactboard: This board displays the cumulative impact of the entire GLS community, demonstrating how much can be achieved together when many people invest and use their money responsibly.
This feature helps users understand how their money contributes to positive societal and ecological change, reinforcing the concept of sustainable banking.
CO2 Tracker: Keeping track of the individual carbon footprint
Another key highlight is the CO2 Tracker, which allows users to track and understand their personal carbon emissions based on their transactions. The goal was to make complex data easily understandable and accessible. Key considerations included:
- Personalization of CO2 values: The app displays individual CO2 data, tailored to each user’s specific transactions.
- Easy-to-understand presentation: Numbers and facts are presented in a relevant context, helping users to better interpret them.
- Delivering information at the right time: The app provides targeted information at the appropriate moment to avoid information overload.
According to user feedback, transparency and comprehensive data were particularly important, as well as additional explanations to help users understand and assess their CO2 values. The educational aspect, explaining how users can influence their carbon footprint, was also positively received.
Schenkgeld: Encouraging social engagement
The “Schenkgeld” feature gives users an interactive way to experience money as a tool for social change by allowing them to make regular donations. Users can immediately see the impact of their donations, whether in social projects or ecological initiatives.
Design requirements for this feature included:
- Minimal information flow: Users should quickly and effectively understand the impact of their donations with minimal information.
- Building trust: An intuitive user flow and GLS Bank’s clear impact promise were crucial in building user trust in the app and the bank.
- Encouraging regular donations: Proactive design and reminder features were implemented to motivate users to donate regularly.
Challenges and insights
One of the biggest challenges in the project was striking the right balance between providing detailed information and maintaining intuitive usability. Users needed to be well-informed about social-ecological issues without being overwhelmed by too much information. It was essential to incorporate user feedback early on and iteratively adjust the design.
Additionally, it was important to ensure that the educational aspect of the app was relevant to both users with a strong awareness of sustainability and those who were new to the topic.
Conclusion: A forward-thinking banking app with social value
The new GLS Banking App successfully combines market-standard functionality with the values of GLS Bank, translating these into the digital space in an innovative way. With self-service features, the Impactboard, CO2 Tracker, and Schenkgeld, the app serves as a unique tool that guides users toward a more conscious and sustainable approach to their finances.
Through my work in UX/UI design, I contributed to making the app not only functional but also inspiring and sustainable – a banking solution that promotes both individual and societal change.