Overview
Full case study
We conducted a deep dive into friction across both the online Mortgage Application and the Loan Center, with a clear goal:
help members move through the process faster, with fewer errors, and more confidence at every step.
Our mixed‑methods study combined a member survey (n ≈ 100), six 60‑minute loan officer interviews, competitive analysis,
and end‑to‑end product walkthroughs.
Across these inputs, we heard consistent themes: confusing language around key milestones (like pre‑qualification vs. pre‑approval),
a step flow that made it easy to get lost or start in the wrong place, limited in‑app tools to answer questions in the moment,
and weak status and re‑entry cues when members returned to finish an application. These insights gave us a clear roadmap for change.
Problem
- Bank jargon and unclear CTAs increased cognitive load for first‑time buyers.
- Redundant questions and scattered groupings created context switching.
- Lack of calculators and practical tools led to avoidable calls to loan officers.
- Weak re‑entry and status visibility caused confusion after breaks.
Goals
- Simplify language and instructions so members proceed with confidence.
- Reduce redundant steps and reorganize questions into an intuitive flow.
- Introduce in‑app tools (budget, calculators, agent connect) to enable self‑serve.
- Make re‑entry obvious and surface status to reduce frustration and support load.
Constraints
Mortgage workflows come with real limits: regulation, required disclosures, legacy integrations, and fixed delivery timelines.
Regulatory & legal compliance +
All changes had to remain compliant with lending regulations and pass legal/risk review, which limited how radically we could simplify some language and disclosures.
Legacy systems & required fields +
The front end needed to integrate with existing back‑end services and required fields, so we focused on restructuring and clarifying the flow rather than rebuilding it from scratch or removing system‑required steps.
Design system alignment +
The UI had to align with the existing enterprise design system, which constrained typography, components, and interaction patterns and influenced how far we could push new UI ideas.
Timeline & engineering capacity +
We were working against a fixed release timeline and limited engineering bandwidth, so we prioritized high‑impact UX improvements that could ship using existing services and components.
Research plan & methods
Survey
Member survey (n ≈ 100) to understand where people got stuck, what they expected, and what pushed them to call.
Loan officer interviews
6 × 60‑minute interviews to capture recurring member confusion, rework, and the real “why” behind calls.
Evaluation
Heuristic audit + competitive review + end‑to‑end walkthroughs to identify friction and missed guidance.
Key findings
Keep it simple (language)
Replacing bank jargon with common language improves comprehension and reduces errors.
“We need more common language for the member.” — Loan officer
- Simplified labels and helper text
- Clear next‑step CTAs and expectations
Intuitive flow
Prioritize key questions and group related inputs (military, assets, liabilities) to reduce context switching.
- Remove redundancies; collapse rarely used branches
- Use progressive disclosure instead of long pages
In‑app tools & calculators
Members need practical tools to self‑serve: budgeting, payment, taxes, and agent connection. This reduces avoidable calls.
- Collect and connect real‑estate agent info
- Surface calculators contextually, right when members need them
Re‑entry & status
Make return paths obvious and show what’s left. Proactive status updates reduce confusion on uploads and review steps.
- Persistent progress and “what’s next” guidance
- Notifications for requests, approvals, and missing documents
Recommendations → design directions
Language system
Rewrite jargon, strengthen microcopy, add examples inline.
Question architecture
Prioritize and group inputs to match member mental models.
Practical tools
Budget and payment calculators; agent connect workflow.
Re‑entry & status
Findable re‑entry, clear status, proactive communication.
Design highlights
A few screens from the guided flow and financial information capture.
Task entry
Members pick a goal (purchase, refinance) and get set‑up guidance before starting the guided pre‑qualification flow.
View prototype
Choose your next step
A scannable hub routes members into the right flow (pre‑qual, application, refinance) with “Best for…” and clear CTAs.
View prototype
Gather income information
Step 3 of 4 (Finances) breaks income capture into clear sections and prevents mis‑categorization with targeted guidance.
View prototypeExpected impact
- Higher completion rate via clearer language and a better‑sequenced flow.
- Fewer loan‑officer calls due to calculators and in‑flow guidance.
- Less confusion during restarts with stronger progress and status visibility.
Next steps
- Prototype problem–solution pairs and run usability tests.
- A/B test microcopy and entry routing in MDX.
- Define event instrumentation for progress, re‑entry, and drop‑off.