TD Bank Case Study

My Role

• Led a design team of UX Designers, UI Designers, and a UX Copywriter to redesign the alert experience
• Collaborated with Product Owners and Cross-Functional teams to define user requirements and technical constraints
• Defined and executed long-term UX strategy for U.S. digital banking alerts for Business and Personal Account holders
• Directed design sprints and workshops to co-create user-friendly solutions to enable customers to mitigate fraud risks
• Led the production of high-fidelity wireframes and interactive prototypes using Figma

Introduction & Objectives

The Challenge We Faced:

• Customers were experiencing alert fatigue - many had disabled notifications entirely, leaving them vulnerable to fraud
• Existing alert system generated too many irrelevant notifications, causing users to ignore critical security warnings
• Complex setup process prevented customers from configuring alerts that matched their actual needs

Project Objectives:

• Improve real-time communication and user control
• Empower proactive financial behavior
• Strengthen security and fraud prevention

Our Solution Approach:

Redesign the alert system to enhance customer awareness, prevent fraud, and support financial planning by notifying users of key account events, like low balances or unusual activity. Enable users to lock cards, report issues, or transfer funds promptly.

Overview of TD Bank's redesigned alert system architecture and user experience

Features & Functionality

ACH Credit Alerts (Threshold Alerts)

Alerts credit threshold is met. For example, an alert triggers if a credit of any dollar amount or a specific minimum dollar as set by the user is met. Customizable via online or mobile banking.

Design Rationale: We designed flexible threshold options so users could either set simple alerts once or customize them based on their banking habits, like getting notified when their weekly $500 deposit arrives, reducing unnecessary logins and customer service calls.

ACH Credit alert configuration showing threshold and notification options

Fraud Alerts (Credit / Access Cards)

Instant SMS alerts for suspicious card activity. Recipients can reply "Y" to confirm legitimate transactions or "N" to block the card immediately. Seamless fraud control within the messaging channel.

Design Rationale: We expanded the SMS response system to accept multiple reply formats (Y/Yes, N/No) so users could respond naturally, with "Yes" allowing transactions to proceed and "No" flagging them as fraud and escalating to specialists.

Mobile fraud alert interface with quick response options

Alert Management & Customer Control

Alerts are fully customizable (type, threshold, delivery method). Tools allow locking cards temporarily, reporting theft, initiating transfers, or reacting to suspected fraud quickly.

Design Rationale: We simplified the alert management interface by grouping related controls together and providing clear on/off toggles, making it easier for users to customize their experience without navigating through multiple screens.

Simplified alert management interface with toggle controls

Commercial / Treasury Alerts (eTreasury Platform)

Business users can set up over 20 alert types: balance changes, wires, ACH activity, template status, user entitlement changes, payment status, security alerts, and more.

Design Rationale: We organized the 20+ alert types into logical business operation categories (Cash Management, Transaction Processing, Security & Access) rather than technical system groupings, making it easier for business users to find and configure alerts based on their operational needs.

Commercial/Treasury alert dashboard showing organized business alert categories and management controls

Benefits & Impact

• Empowered, informed customers: Users can stay on top of finances and respond quickly to issues
• Enhanced fraud protection: Proactive blocking and verification reduce risk
• Flexible control: Customizable thresholds and delivery channels adapt to individual preferences
• Operational efficiency: Automated alerts reduce manual monitoring—especially beneficial for commercial operations

Implementation Considerations

• Integration across platforms: Alerts are accessible via the mobile app and EasyWeb online banking
• User experience: Needs intuitive settings, clear instructions, and seamless opt-in/out processes
• Scalability & reliability: Must handle high-volume real-time notifications without delays or overload
• Data security: Alerts must be delivered securely without exposing sensitive data in transit

Mobile implementation showing cross-platform alert management and user control options

Challenges & Mitigations

Alert Fatigue

Over-notification may desensitize users. Balancing frequency and relevance is key.

Solution: Implemented smart defaults and user-defined thresholds to reduce irrelevant notifications.

False Positives

Ensure alert systems are accurate—false alarms can erode trust.

Solution: Refined fraud detection parameters and provided clear context in alert messages.

Configuration Accuracy

Users must set thresholds appropriately to avoid missing or triggering too many alerts.

Solution: Added suggested threshold amounts based on account history and spending patterns.

Regulatory Vigilance

Particularly after recent compliance shortcomings, robust monitoring and alert systems are critical.

Solution: Worked with compliance team to ensure mandatory alerts met regulatory requirements while preserving user choice for optional notifications.

Outcome & Key Metrics

Summary Table