TOYOTA FINANCE

Project

Reusable finance application flows designed to convert customers across multiple brand design systems and dealer partner data sources.

My Role

Lead UX Designer

Toyota Finance needed to replace fragmented finance and insurance application experiences across several white-labelled brands with a reusable digital framework.

Working as Lead UX Designer alongside a UI Lead, I developed application flows and reusable templates that could accommodate different brands, vehicle data and complex customer circumstances while working within legacy-system constraints. The resulting patterns provided a foundation that could be reused across Toyota Finance’s that could be reused across multiple finance brands and dealer partners.

DISCOVERY

Discovery focused on understanding the existing application process for users, the needs of different brands and the technical constraints of creating a reusable solution. I worked with stakeholders, business analysts and back-end teams, and reviewed comparable finance experiences to understand where the existing process could be simplified.

Early direction:

A set of user-flows were produced that would minimise manual data entry for customers and finance managers, while complying with the requirements of legacy finance systems.

Early prototypes and copy were developed and tested with customers, using Toyota Finance’s PowerTorque sub-brand, for comprehension and ease of use.

INSIGHTS

Early tests demonstrated that many customers:

  • were confused by the terminology of car finance, and

  • were concerned about the time and effort required to apply for a vehicle loan.

In response, I streamlined the application steps and introduced a simple explanation at each stage, giving customers a clearer understanding of the information required and the time involved.

I revised the progress indicators and navigation to show how many steps remained, what had been completed, and allow customers to review or revise earlier information.

Working with client product owners and the legal team, I also revised copy and terminology throughout the application.

DESIGN & DELIVERY

Working closely with a UI Lead, I developed:

  • set of templates for generating an initial quote for vehicle finance.

  • flexible modules for completing the full application process for joint loan applications and users with complex finances.

The customer journey was focused on:

  • helping applicants understand what was required before they began an application

  • providing clear and simple instructions for customers to help them feel comfortable with the process

  • reducing unnecessary customer input and repeated data entry

  • giving finance managers the required details to complete the process without needless contact with applicants.

Outcomes:

The project delivered a complete set of development-ready designs for the PowerTorque brand, as well as a library of components and flow templates that could be reskinned to any Toyota Finance brand without redesign. Dealer networks across those brands could ingest used car details and provide personalised quotes on any vehicle, with the interface adapting to the originating dealer platform's data automatically.

The interface modules and form components were designed for reuse across the broader business, and digitised a significant portion of existing offline processes. What began as a finance application project became a design system foundation for the organisation's digital operations.

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