Inclusive Design & Vulnerable Customers
Redesigning communications and journeys to improve accessibility, clarity, and fair outcomes
Company
UK regulated lender
Date
2023–2025
Project Overview
Context
In financial services, vulnerability is often treated as a compliance requirement rather than a real user need.
At TSB, this created a gap:
products, communications, and journeys were not consistently designed for customers in difficult or changing circumstances.
With increasing regulatory focus (Consumer Duty), there was a need not just for policy — but for practical ways to design better experiences.
My Role
Led the integration of inclusive design and vulnerability into product development and customer journeys, working across product, design, operations, and risk.
Translated vulnerability policy into practical improvements in journeys, communications, and decision points
Introduced structured user testing to validate customer communications and product changes before release
Identified high-risk moments in journeys (e.g. financial difficulty, life changes) and redesigned them for clarity and support
Worked with cross-functional teams to embed inclusive design into day-to-day product decisions
Created tools and guidance to help teams design more consistently for real customer needs
Key Highlights
Impact
Improved clarity and tone of customer communications across key journeys
Increased use of user testing in product and communication changes
Reduced risk of harm by identifying and redesigning high-friction moments
Enabled teams to make better product decisions by incorporating real customer needs earlier
Aligned product, operations, and risk around a shared understanding of customer vulnerability
Most importantly, it helped shift the mindset from “how do we stay compliant?” to “how do we reduce harm and support people better?”
Why this matters
Vulnerability isn’t an edge case. It’s part of everyday life and something any of us can experience.
When organisations design with that reality in mind, they create services that are clearer, fairer, and more resilient for everyone.
Go Back
