ATF Sign
Security and experience side by side
CLIENT
ATF
SERVICE
Product Design
YEAR
2024
LOCATION
Porto Alegre, BR
Overview
ATF Sign is a simple and functional app developed to temporarily address banking security concerns. In addition to authenticating requests on ATF Bank's Internet Banking platform, it fulfills a specific need: collecting information such as facial biometrics for accounts opened via back office — in other words, accounts where the user didn’t have the opportunity to complete security validations or create an access password.
In this project, I was responsible for defining and structuring the user flows based on the status of their account, ensuring an intuitive and secure experience. I also collaborated closely with the development team to find the best solutions and made sure the screens followed ATF Bank’s design system in place at the time.
The main tools used were Figma and FigJam, which supported the creation of prototypes, user flows, and team communication.
Methodology
We adopted an agile methodology for the app project and also applied the Double Diamond framework to guide the process of understanding the problem, defining the challenge, developing the solution, and delivering the final product.
Challenge
ATF Sign was initially conceived as an app to authenticate operations on Internet Banking while the bank’s full-featured app was still under development. However, as the project progressed, we identified a new need: to include three additional login flows to address different user scenarios.
To ensure security and usability in these cases, we added essential steps to the flow, including resetting the temporary password. This temporary password is sent via email after the account is opened, allowing the user to begin the authentication process in a secure and efficient way.
To support our design decisions, we conducted a competitor analysis, evaluating the account opening flows of major banks in Brazil. This study allowed us to identify best practices and improvement opportunities to offer a more efficient and secure experience.
The typical ATF Sign user is primarily a professional responsible for managing their company’s bank accounts. Therefore, the solution was designed to provide simple and fast journeys, ensuring an agile and secure process for authenticating banking operations.
Solution
All ATF Sign flows are variations of the login process. When the user enters their login credentials, the system automatically identifies the account status and directs them to the appropriate flow.
This process ensures that each user follows the correct path, maintaining a smooth and secure experience.
Design and prototyping
During development, the team faced technical limitations related to the code and integration with third-party services. This required me to explore new solutions while maintaining constant and effective communication with the development team.
It was a challenge, especially given the tight deadline and the risk that the new flows could negatively impact the user experience. However, we were able to find a viable alternative in the code without compromising usability, ensuring an efficient and intuitive flow.
One of the key takeaways from the project was understanding the limitations that can arise when working with third-party digital solutions, and how we can integrate our experience without compromising usability or, at the very least, minimizing friction. Clear communication also proved essential throughout the project so that everyone involved could reach a consensus — a skill that I was able to further develop during this work.
Looking at the final result of ATF Sign, I see that we delivered an efficient solution that fulfills its purpose in a simple and straightforward way, within the constraints we had. However, upon closely reviewing the app, I do have a few suggestions for improvement, such as:
Making the interface more user-friendly and emotionally engaging, for example by adding illustrations.
Reducing the number of steps in the user journey, in collaboration with the development team.
Looking for a new security service provider that offers more customization options for biometric capture interfaces.
Although it was designed as a temporary app, I believe ATF Sign has the potential to become a permanent solution — a lightweight version of the main banking app. It could serve users who prefer not to use up mobile storage and choose to access their accounts via Internet Banking, using ATF Sign solely to authenticate their operations and ensure account security.
Testing and improvements
Throughout the development process, we conducted functional tests in close collaboration with the QA team to ensure the app behaved as expected across all user scenarios. Special attention was given to edge cases, such as failed biometric captures or invalid document uploads, to guarantee a seamless experience even in situations where errors might occur.
Feedback from internal stakeholders and early users was also key to identifying usability bottlenecks and fine-tuning the flows. Based on this input, we made incremental improvements — such as clearer instructions, better microcopy, and visual cues to guide the user — all aimed at reducing cognitive load and increasing confidence during authentication.
These iterations not only improved the overall experience but also helped us validate that the app could be used with minimal support, which was essential given its role as a temporary solution.