Challenge
At the time, Okra’s design foundation was still maturing, which made it difficult to scale products efficiently or optimise them through iteration. Core experiences like the Open Finance Widget and Business Dashboard required rethinking to improve conversion, but the lack of supporting analytics and feedback loops limited visibility into performance and friction points.
Design Team Processes & Systems
Centralised design processes were introduced to improve product consistency and support faster, more collaborative iteration across design, product, and engineering. Alongside new tools and rituals that structured feedback loops and supported team growth, we introduced a strong focus on large-scale data analysis to uncover friction points and improve conversion across key journeys. Mentorship and alignment helped the design team grow in confidence and capability, contributing to more scalable and customer-focused outcomes.
Re-designing core products
In redesigning Okra’s core products, I set up the open finance widget to track analytics more effectively, allowing for more precise diagnostics of key flows. This enabled us to create personalised authentication experiences tailored to different banking partners. Additionally, I conducted audits on the Business Dashboard, optimising the consolidation of API records and customer data to enhance the developer experience across all products.
Design and front-end engineering partnered to rebuild the design system from the ground up, improving component usability and enabling faster iteration as we tested and evolved the product.
A new Okra brand
The Okra brand underwent a redesign, starting from scratch to ensure alignment with the company's evolving direction. Originally focused on data, Okra had expanded to include payments, requiring a shift in the brand's positioning.
The new strategy aimed to reflect this broader scope while maintaining a competitive edge, specifically targeting our primary B2B audience of engineers and product teams. We redefined key elements such as colour palette, typography, and illustration style to craft a visual language that resonated with a more technical, developer-centric audience. The goal was to create a brand identity that was both functional and visually compelling, effectively positioning Okra as a leader in open finance and API payments.
Impact
Increase in user activation post-onboarding redesign
28% Improvement in bank authentication rates post re-design
14% increase signup conversion rate on website beta
300% increase in brand engagement across social and web post re-brand
Improved NPS reflecting stronger perception of both product and brand