Inclusive banking: SEB and Tallinn University's joint effort in accessibility
In an era where digital transformation is reshaping every industry, the banking sector is not an exception. Accessible banking is relevant for all people, including those who have temporary or permanent physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments. As the population ages, digital platforms become essential, providing convenient access to services, fostering social connections, and enhancing overall quality of life. Elderly individuals, especially those with declining vision and cognitive abilities, often struggle with digital interfaces that are not designed with their needs in mind. Ensuring that these services are accessible is not just a legal obligation but a moral imperative. It enhances user satisfaction, fosters customer loyalty, and ultimately contributes to a more inclusive society.
Recognizing the importance of this issue, SEB partnered with Tallinn University to explore ways of making its digital banking services more accessible for citizens in the Baltic region. As part of the Human-Computer Interaction master's program, a three-student team focused on SEB’s transaction process, conducting background research, an accessibility audit, and interviews with SEB executives and senior customers. They identified that elderly users, particularly when interacting with the payment form page, often struggled with confusing non-mandatory fields, leading to errors. In response, the team designed a new interface and tested it with users to validate improvements.
“With the help of the students, we managed to get a better understanding of the age group, which is only growing. It is crucial for the bank to serve all customers and help them achieve their goals. Nobody should feel technostress because of a simple thing like doing a transaction. Digging deeper into accessibility is a very successful example of how collaborating with universities can be beneficial for us. We have access to different programs, which can result in research, prototypes, or even software development. Having an extra superpower in the form of a student team is a smart way to handle more projects, gain new insights, and get out-of-the-box ideas. Students can offer a different perspective from their academic studies and recommend the newest tools to try out. It enables innovation and a proactive mindset,” said Kristina Lillo, SEB Innovation Lead.
TLU lecturer Mustafa Can Özdemir mentions that one of the main goals of the Interaction Design Workshop course is to take take industry challenges and together with students, find ways to solve these problems collaboratively. "We aim to bridge the gap between academia and industry by providing novel approaches and solutions while blending theoretical knowledge with practical applications. This mutually beneficial collaboration between SEB and the School of Digital Technologies at Tallinn University is an exceptional example of such efforts. Witnessing harmonious cooperation and being able to make an impact on such an important topic of accessibility is something we are humbly honored by", says Mustafa.
The project evolved beyond a basic accessibility review into a deeper, user-centric study. The team adopted WCAG 3.0 guidelines and focused on Carol, a 74-year-old persona with macular degeneration, to assess the entire user journey. This shift from isolated interface changes to a holistic design approach resulted in a tested prototype and valuable insights into universal design. The collaboration underscored how targeted challenges can inspire innovative solutions that improve accessibility and inclusivity across digital banking platforms.
“This accessibility project was a revelation to me, despite my industry experience. We received extensive support from mentors, ample time for research, numerous calls and educational events, and the opportunity to conduct user interviews with SEB customers. The team's open-door policy fostered a collaborative environment. The positive feedback from both our lecturers and the SEB team affirmed the value of our research. This experience solidified my expertise and fuelled my confidence in web accessibility. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the SEB UX team. I am proud to have contributed to the company's knowledge base and am confident that our findings will have a lasting impact,” said Diana Miftakhova, a former HCI student and current alumna.
“We are very happy with our experience of collaboration with SEB bank” – said Vladimir Tomberg, an associated professor and head of the Human-Computer Interaction study. – “From one side, after learning the accessibility concepts and design methods in the Accessible Computing course the students had a great chance to apply their knowledge to the real industrial case. From another side, this collaboration improves the awareness about the importance of inclusivity and equity ideas among industrial players.”
Author Kristi Jänes