Auto Loan Application Redesign

Reducing loan application abandonment by surfacing requirements earlier in the process.

UX Lead | 6 months | Cross‑functional team of 8

Context

Members were abandoning auto loan applications when unexpected requirements appeared mid‑process. The business needed to improve completion rates without compromising fraud prevention or regulatory compliance.

As UX Lead, I redesigned the application to surface all requirements upfront, coordinating Legal, Compliance, Content, and Engineering teams through a 6‑month rebuild.

Problem

Members abandoned when they couldn’t quickly find answers to:

  • Which loan type fits my needs? (purchase, refinance, lease buyout)

  • What documents do I need? (insurance, income, trade‑in — often appearing unexpectedly)

  • How long until approval? (no timeline visibility)

With 67% on mobile, the dense layout and poor hierarchy made these questions hard to answer, leading to drop‑off at critical decision points.

Challenge

I had to balance strict legal requirements with clear guidance across seven stakeholder groups.

CORE TENSION: simplify a regulated process without becoming incomplete or misleading.

Research & Discovery

Analytics review showed members were abandoning the application at key decision points, especially during product selection and information‑gathering steps.

  • Mobile behavior analysis revealed that 67% of members were on mobile, where dense content and weak hierarchy increased cognitive load.

  • Cross‑functional reviews with Legal, Compliance, Content, and Product clarified disclosure requirements and where they conflicted with clarity.

  • Prototype testing validated messaging, layout, and progressive disclosure patterns before development.

  • Weekly alignment sessions surfaced risks early and ensured shared understanding across seven teams.

Original design lacked guidance in the member experience.

Solution

I established the core principle: surface all requirements upfront through progressive disclosure, preventing users from being surprised mid‑process.

KEY DECISIONS

  • Loan type comparison tool with eligibility criteria

  • Upfront checklist of all required documents

  • Visual timeline showing approval process and current status

  • Mobile‑first, collapsible layout for 67% mobile traffic

I coordinated weekly with Legal, Compliance, and Product to ensure each iteration met regulatory requirements while maintaining usability.

Redesigned experience with progressive disclosure, clear hierarchy, and mobile-optimized layout.

Results

19% decrease in dropouts at product selection

  • 10% projected lift in new loan applications

  • Design patterns adopted across three other lending products

  • Reduced support calls related to application confusion

Next

Auto Loan FAQ design