From Chaos to Clarity: A Unified Communication Solution for Finance Sector
Syncline
Facing mounting compliance risks and fragmented internal communication, a leading financial firm needed a purpose-built solution. Critical conversations were scattered across unsecured platforms, creating inefficiencies and exposing the firm to regulatory breaches. To regain control, we designed Syncline — a secure communication platform tailored for the financial industry.
Client
Gloablline Network
Role & Responsibilities
Product Designer
Design Lead
Industries
Finance
Date
June 2021
Prevent Security Breaches
Implement robust encryption and granular access controls.Ensure Regulatory Compliance
Align with stringent financial data protection standards.Boost Productivity
Minimize time lost switching between disjointed tools.Lower Operational Costs
Replace costly third-party messaging platforms.Enhance Employee Retention
Improve experience through seamless, centralized communication.
Secure Conversations
Ensure sensitive data is protected from unauthorized access.Seamless Navigation
Easily locate messages, files, and team threads.Work-Life Separation
Keep personal and work communication distinct.Efficient Collaboration
Reduce delays in approvals and team discussions.Data Control
Set expiry on messages, track file-sharing history, and schedule reminders.
For Syncline, I focused on understanding how communication tools impact efficiency within financial firms, using data, user feedback, and industry insights to inform the design. Through qualitative and quantitative research, including surveys, interviews, and competitive analysis, I identified key pain points, essential features, and the broader impact on the firm's productivity and compliance.
Quantitative Analysis:
Surveys with 150+ employees across departments to understand tool usage and inefficiencies.Qualitative Research:
In-depth interviews with compliance officers, team leads, and IT security experts.Competitive Benchmarking:
Evaluation of Slack, Teams, Signal and WhatsApp to understand gaps in both experience and compliance features.
From the survey and interviews, I gathered four key insights about the impact of collaboration tools in the workplace.
Tool Fragmentation Wastes Time
67% of employees spent 45–60 minutes daily switching between tools.Notifications Overload Productivity
53% felt overwhelmed by constant app alerts and group messages.Security Gaps Were a Major Concern
6 out of 10 employees had shared sensitive info via unsecured platforms.Desire for Control & Simplicity
Users wanted a unified space with control over message deletion and file history.
To identify gaps and opportunities, I benchmarked Syncline against leading collaboration and communication platforms: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Signal, and WhatsApp. The focus was on security, usability, and compliance readiness — critical factors for the finance industry.
Tools | Strength | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
Slack | Real-time messaging, integrations, intuitive UI | Lacks end-to-end encryption; overwhelming notifications |
Microsoft Teams | Popular for enterprise use; integrates with MS Office suite | Complex navigation; difficult for quick task retrieval |
Signals | End-to-end encryption, secure messaging | Not built for team collaboration or workflow management |
Widely adopted, familiar interface | Limited admin controls, no data retention policies |
Key Takeaways:
Security features were often present but not tailored to enterprise workflows.
None offered granular message control (like scheduled deletions or protected file-sharing).
Over-reliance on integrations made existing tools cumbersome for time-sensitive, internal coordination.
Compliance and audit logging were either lacking or difficult to implement out-of-the-box.
This analysis validated the need for a dedicated, finance-friendly communication platform that merged the security of Signal with the workflow clarity of Slack—but with data control, simplicity, and auditability at its core.
From my mixed-methods research (survey + interviews + tool analysis), we uncovered the following outcomes that directly informed the design of Syncline:
I used the MoSCoW framework to prioritize features for the MVP. Core functionalities like a secure messaging dashboard, integrated task management, and file sharing with access controls were identified as "must-haves" to ensure immediate usability and compliance. Features such as message scheduling, smart reminders, and advanced analytics were categorized as "could-haves" for future iterations, allowing us to focus on delivering value quickly while keeping long-term scalability in mind.
I crafted a logical and user-friendly information architecture to help users effortlessly locate key tools and features, reducing cognitive load and boosting productivity.
After multiple iterations, usability testing, and validation with stakeholders, the final design for Syncline was crafted to strike a balance between security, simplicity, and seamless collaboration. The interface focuses on clarity, minimizing distractions while empowering users to communicate and manage tasks efficiently in a highly regulated environment.
These screens represent the polished version of Syncline — built on the foundation of user needs, research insights, and an intuitive experience strategy tailored for enterprise users.
To ensure Syncline delivers a seamless and intuitive experience while meeting enterprise-grade expectations, I conducted multiple rounds of usability testing with a mix of internal stakeholders and real users from the financial sector.
Testing Objectives
Validate navigation clarity and feature discoverability
Ensure the task and message workflows feel intuitive
Gauge user confidence in security and data control features
Identify pain points or friction in the onboarding and dashboard experience
Positive Feedback
Clean and Professional Interface
Users felt the interface was minimal yet robust, which built immediate trust — especially important for a secure, enterprise app.Centralized Dashboard
Testers loved having messages, tasks, and files in one place. It reduced the need to context-switch and increased their productivity.Secure Features Felt Intuitive
Features like scheduled message deletion and file-sharing history were seen as helpful, and users appreciated being in control of their data.Integrated Task Management
Users found it convenient to assign and track tasks directly within the communication flow, helping align work without jumping into separate tools.Quick Onboarding
The streamlined sign-in and setup process was praised, especially the SSO integration.
Suggested Improvements
Feature Visibility
Some users didn’t notice advanced features (e.g., file history, smart reminders) right away — a clearer onboarding/tour or icon enhancements were recommended.Search Experience
Search filters needed refinement. Users wanted more options like filtering by sender, date, or file type.Limited Notification Preferences
Users wanted more granular control over desktop notifications (e.g., mute channels during meetings, alert types by priority).
Compliance Confidence Increased
The legal and IT teams reported higher confidence in meeting internal audit requirements, thanks to encrypted communication and scheduled deletion features.Operational Efficiency Boosted
By consolidating messages, tasks, and file sharing in one secure workspace, teams reduced time lost switching between tools by ~38% (as measured during a 4-week internal rollout).Adoption Rate Exceeded Expectations
Within 3 weeks of launch, over 85% of employees actively used the app daily, without formal training — indicating a highly intuitive experience.Fewer IT Support Tickets
Compared to previous toolsets, Syncline resulted in a 28% drop in support requests, particularly related to file sharing, lost messages, or app switching confusion.Stronger Data Control & Traceability
File tracking, access logs, and scheduled deletion helped the organization stay audit-ready and compliant, with improved oversight and reporting.
Next Steps
Introduce AI-Powered Enhancements
Features like smart message summarization and task prediction are planned for future releases to further improve efficiency and reduce cognitive load.Add Admin Analytics & Reporting Dashboard
To provide decision-makers with usage insights, compliance tracking, and channel health metrics.User Roles & Permissions Management
Advanced control for admin-level users to assign access levels and manage data visibility across teams.Cross-Team Beta Rollout
Expansion to other departments and partner vendors to test inter-organizational collaboration securely.Explore Native Integrations
Start with Outlook and calendar syncing, then gradually roll out integrations for internal finance/HR platforms.
Key Takeaways
Security Can’t Compromise Usability
Users embrace secure platforms when they're built with familiar UX patterns and low cognitive friction.Centralization Reduces Chaos
Bringing messages, tasks, and files into a single system not only saves time but improves team clarity and accountability.Research-Led Design Pays Off
Early qualitative and quantitative insights directly shaped a solution that aligned with actual user behaviors, not assumptions.Testing in Context Is Essential
Testing in real workplace scenarios (e.g., team meetings, project deadlines) revealed edge cases and performance expectations that static mockups didn’t expose.
This project highlights my ability to design secure, scalable solutions that address real-world enterprise challenges while delivering measurable business impact. From aligning business goals with user needs to leading ideation, prototyping, and testing, I applied a strategic UX approach that balanced compliance, usability, and efficiency.
Syncline is not just a communication tool — it reflects my commitment to designing with intention, validating through research, and translating complexity into clarity.