Box Configuration Manager

Product Design

Project Overview

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s Box File Transfer Service (Box FTS) is a product which enables external organisations to share sensitive information with the Reserve Bank.

Due to reliability issues, the decision was made to rebuild Box FTS and deliver a new service that’s fit for purpose, intuitive and enables the smoother transfer of files between the bank and external organisations.

The challenge I faced was to reimagine the user experience and streamline key tasks while maintaining high degrees of control and security required for financial data exchange.

My Role

I led the end-to-end design of the new Box Configuration Management (BCM) application. I was responsible for:

Discovery - Engaging with externals and internal teams to uncover issues they have with the current service.
Co-design - Running workshops and design reviews to make sure the solution was intuitive and aligned with the needs of end users
User Flows & Information architecture - Designing the method of how users will seamelessly navigate through the application
Interface design - Wireframing and prototyping screens in Figma
Usability testing - Validating designs with real users and iterating based on feedback

Understanding what's important to users and the main issues with the current product

I began by reviewing past artefacts and then ran a series of internal interviews with stakeholders to understand how they care currently using the tool and what challenges they were facing. Key internal pain points included:

A steep learning curve for new users of the tool
Clunky, error-prone permission forms for managing user access
A lack of feedback when files are transferred
Over-reliance on the Service Desk for help and carrying out basic tasks

Working alongside another designer, we conducted interviews with external users to better understand their experience with the Box FTS platform. Our focus was on learning how they currently use the platform within their internal operations and workflows. Key external pain points included:

Issues related to version control of permissions
Frustrations related to the complexity of onboarding new user
Confusion around setting access permissions and lack of confidence in whether permissions were set accuratly
A disjointed experience to find information and get help

Making sense of our findings

After completing stakeholder interviews, I synthesised the findings using affinity mapping to surface key themes such as onboarding challenges, permission management issues, and support inefficiencies. This process helped the team build a clear understanding of the current state experience from the end user's perspective.

To ensure confidence in the findings, I validated the insights with subject matter experts. Their feedback confirmed the patterns and revealed areas with the greatest potential for impact.

These validated insights directly informed future design decisions and helped the team prioritise where to focus time and resources for maximum value.

Designing & Prototyping an intuitive and user friendly experience

I led the end-to-end interface design for the Box Configuration Management (BCM) application, with a focus on usability and consistency. The interface was designed to support low-frequency users, provide maximum control and utalise the Angular Material design system. Key contributions included:

Designing the sitemap and user flows to empower smooth navigation
Creating Figma wireframes and UI mockups, refined through weekly co-design sessions with stakeholders
Configuring the Material Angular design system so it aligns with RBNZ branding
Documenting design decisions and creating a reusable design pattern framework, which accelerated development and enabled developers to confidently make design choices themselves

This work provided everything the development team needed to effectivly build out the interface of BCM.

Testing & Iteration

I led multiple rounds of usability testing to evaluate how intuitive the interface was, focusing on task completion, navigation flow, and the clarity of language used throughout the experience.

Testing revealed strong task success rates, confirming the overall usability of the platform. However, it also surfaced opportunities to improve terminology and reduce ambiguity in areas. I incorporated this feedback by refining the language and labels to better match users’ mental models.

These iterative improvements enhanced the overall usability of the application and increased user confidence in completing tasks independently.

Impact and reflection

This project demonstrated the power of lean, iterative design in a complex context. Working within an agile team, I delivered tested and well-documented designs on time, enabling developers to move forward with clarity and confidence. The solutions were tailored to real user needs, reducing reliance on the service desk and making it easier for users to complete their tasks independently.

Beyond delivery, the deep insights gathered from both internal and external users influenced the direction of the product itself. By combining research, co-design and rapid prototyping, this work proved that even in regulated, security-sensitive settings, designs that are user friendly and meet the needs of end users can still be delivered.