HDFC Bank changed their ATM workflow: A Case in bad redesign.
Holidays are here, as I started my morning commute today to office, two things were on my mind: stuff I need to take care of at office before the long weekend and stuff I need to take care of for the travel later in the night. One of the things from that second bucket was draw cash from an ATM on the way. So I stop to withdraw cash, it was supposed to be the same old 2 minute interaction with a dull machine, that I had gotten used to work with a few times a month and the interactions are pretty much muscle memory by now. My mind was still trying to process the planning on the stuff I talk about above. Little did I know that HDFC Bank recently changed their workflow process of their ATM machines and it is going to throw me off my thoughts and keep wondering “What just happened?”
Background 1: I have accounts with two banks… both of which have different workflow steps for their ATM machines. One where you swipe your card first and do your transaction and the other(HDFC Bank) where you feed the machine your card, do your transaction and take your card back at the end of the transaction.
Background 2: Redesigns and their effect on end users has been talked about before. Interactions cause human to take decisions, when they the bad kind, they stick on in your head and trouble you throughout the day. This is an article documenting both the old and new workflows and bring out a few points to highlight why you need to consider the end user experience while redesigning your system interactions.
Workflow of withdrawing cash on an HDFC ATM Machine
I am used to this workflow, to the extent that I let my mind wander while the process of withdrawing cash happens. I don’t think about it twice. I am in and out of the ATM vestibule in as little time as possible. Well until today!
If you look at the workflow from an overall steps, nothing changes. The differences in the intermediate steps, really did throw me off my thought process, my emotional state went from thinking about the day/planning the travel to surprise, shock, disbelief and wondering if I did something wrong.
Let me first call out the steps in the new workflow and how my emotional reactions varied:
Step 1:
Task: I put in my card, expecting to see a welcome screen with my name on it(validation that my authentication has started), so I can enter my PIN number
Emotional state: this is a regular task, let me get out of here as soon as possible
Step 2:
Task: Card is thrown out… take the card. Look at screen for error message. The screen still showing some promotional splash screens.
Emotional state: Surprised. My first reaction was to look for an error message: “ATM machine not working” or worse: “Your card is blocked”. While waiting for a few seconds for the screen to move from the promotional material to the next screen, I was already running a scenario of card being blocks, no cash in hand to travel, wondering if I should try a different ATM vestibule, and mind already calculating where the next vestibule is on the way to office.
Step 3:
Task: On seeing the list of things I can do(change pin, cash withdrawal, mini statement… etc.). Few seconds of wondering what just happened? Before I select Cash Withdrawal
Emotional State: Disbelief. questions in my mind: did they redesign the workflow? Am I authenticated? wait… I did not enter my PIN number. Is this my account I am interacting with?
Step 4:
Task: Enter the amount I want to withdraw
Emotional State: Disbelief. Am I in the middle of this hack where people have gamed the ATM machines to fool people into entering their details and the money never comes out. Should I try with a safe amount(read minimum withdrawal possible) to withdraw to check if I am being fooled?
Step 5:
Task: Enter the pin number
Emotional State: Worry. Why are you asking my PIN number now… this does not make sense. Should I even enter my PIN now?
Step 6:
Task: Take cash. While on the screen they start showing a splash screen with promotional material
Emotional State: Phew… there the cash. but wait now what? Am I done?
Step 7:
Task: I don’t want my receipt. So say no and wait to see if there is anything else.
Emotional State: Worry. something does not feel right. Am I done? Do I have my card, yes.. I have cash…maybe i just walk out. Is there an exit button anywhere? Maybe I should just press the cancel button on the keypad and wait to see what happens. I actually waited 15 seconds watching the promotional splash screens.
Step 8:
Task: walk out of the vestibule
Emotional State: That was an emotional roller coaster ride… Am I sure I have everything I should be collecting before I walk out of here. Let me double check my wallet for card and cash.
What just happened and why?
A few design issues I think are worth noticing in this new workflow:
Security: Seeing your name splash on the screen after card swipe/insert. Is a good feedback to the user, gives a sense of security before you can enter your ATM PIN number. Moving this step to the 5th step, all the while asking the user what they want to do in this transaction feels a little strange. With financial transaction, you want to make sure you have taken care of security part of it even before you can start your transaction
Responsiveness of the machines: HDFC ATM machines have always been slow to load/change screens. With the new design of workflow steps, they just tinkered with the process steps without considering what the feedback at each step/interaction should be. What would have happened if I left after step 1, when my card was thrown out and seeing the splash screen I think there was something wrong here? What would have happened if I left after withdrawing cash, seeing the splash screen of promotional material, the next person in line would be asked if they want a receipt of my transaction and they would be able to see my balance…
Change Management: Redesign and changes are always costly projects, you are not just improving the process/screens/product… you are also tasked with communicating the redesign to the end user to make sure they are comfortable with the new system. In this case there is not even an email communication, HDFC: you do send me these random emails almost every other day, why cant you send me an email with these changes? Can you not put up a poster on the ATM that this is changed?
Card Swipe vs Card Insert at ATM vestibule: I understand why a card swipe is better design, you don’t have to worry about your card getting stuck in the machine, if there is a power failure or a system failure. If you want to change the Card insert to card swipe: change your machines to actually swipe, dont ask the user to insert, and then then return the card, what happens if there is a system or power failure in between card inserting and card return? This is just a case of bad redesign with the existing machines/technology.
Finally, what are your thoughts on this redesign? Have you faced similar situations? Leave a response.
I did really appreciate recommending and sharing this article below.
