Introduction

ACCA - Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, provides education and training for its 780,000+ worldwide members and globally has over 110 offices and centres in 51 countries.

Problem statement

ACCA face the challenge and direct need to shift to digital and update many legacy systems for a consolidated experience. The systems are slow, inefficient, and costly and have had little to no design resulting in unsatisfied customers with a 43% customer satisfaction.

Research & discovery

Stakeholders Interviews
I conducted interviews with key stakeholders to understand business objectives and project requirements.

Secondary research
I leveraged secondary research to gather valuable insights and support my arguments. By examining existing literature and data, I strengthened the foundation of my work, providing a well-rounded perspective on the topic at hand.

KEY FINDINGS

The solution

UI components

A focus was on consistency, elevating the user experience, and creating reusable designs. I contributed to a library of UI components and worked closely with the development team when building the library to guarantee technical feasibility.

There needed to be synergy between B2B and B2C portals as they would both be using the same design system, this was still in its infancy but would be evolving as the project progressed. (Below is a small selection of the screens)

Deliverables

The project was across more than 2 years which allowed us to create multiple journeys across B2B and B2C that elevated the digital transformation strategy for ACCA.

Key features and journeys:
Making all the complex processes below simpler in the portal and across the .com website

• Bulk registration
• Groups
• Dashboard and notifications
• Information architecture and navigation
• ODCBE - On-demand computer-based exams
• Exchange
• Agreements
• Partner linking
• Prospect application
• Becoming an ACCA Approved Learning Partner

Bulk registration

This application allows the partners to upload multiple applicants and will allow them to have full control of each individual's data. (Below is a small selection of the screens)

Groups

ACCA partners manage multiple students and applicants, this can be difficult to manage and keep track of where each contact sits and their progress. To create the structure we created the ability to create groups and broke down the key information the user needed to see for each contact and group. (Below is a small selection of the screens)

ODCBE - On-demand computer-based exams

The exams are conducted at centres which are licensed by ACCA. The approval and registering process was a massive pain point the client needed to fix. The application created allows the ability to register centres and provide relevant details for submission. This method allows users to easily update their information, and check on their status and provides a seamless ability to renew when needed. (Below is a small selection of the screens)

Dashboard and notifications

Refreshing the common masthead pattern across the B2C and B2B customer portals and the ACCA Global.com website with small variances based on context. Notifications were added to let users know they have an action to take or important information to read.

Information architecture and navigation

A new B2B portal IA was required, a framework that was flexible enough to facilitate different partner types and exposing them to varying amounts of information. From early mapping, card sorts, workshops, the new navigation structure formulated then tested and iterated until finalised.

Result

• a more connected experience as there was consistent navigation between the portal and .com
• a streamlined design library to increase the reusability of front-end components
• a user-centric site structure was achieved and complex processes made simple
• cost savings - by centralising finance applications onto a single platform, the organisation’s costs have been reduced by £470,000 per year, while also improving customer service
• all analogue communications were successfully shifted to digital methods.

Reflection

• The project lacked strong ownership within ACCA and a sound strategy for delivery from the IT solution provider, these factors have hindered the projects progress. The project was paused in Spring 2023 to source a replacement  IT service provider. Subsequently I didn’t see the project launch.
• The ways of working and the delivery model were changed many times meaning I had to be adaptable and resilient.
• It was enjoyable and also challenging working on such a large project with a steep learning curve around a difficult subject matter.
• Also great to be part of a large design team with the ability to sense check thoughts and ideas with them. I've learnt to trust my team-mates and that daily stand-up meetings were key to our success.