Bank Of Ireland: Dementia Market

Research shows that unusual financial behaviour's, such as impulsive or forgotten purchases, can appear up to six years before a clinical dementia diagnosis. In a unique collaboration between Bank of Ireland and The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, I served as the Lead Digital Designer to translate this data into a Reverse E-Commerce platform. I was responsible for the end-to-end UX/UI strategy, architecting a system that uses the familiar language of online shopping to educate users on these early warning signs while providing a seamless donation framework to support those living with the condition.

Design Challenge: The core challenge was to bridge the gap between financial data and human empathy. Bank of Ireland identified that compulsive or forgotten purchases are often the first sign of dementia. We needed to design a platform that didn't just ask for money, but educated the public on these early warning signs by mimicking the very behavior "online shopping" that signals the onset of the condition.

Research: I analysed behavioural data related to impulsive spending in elderly demographics and collaborated with Alzheimer's Ireland to understand the specific "forgotten items" most commonly purchased (e.g., garden gnomes, multiple sets of chairs). This research informed our User Scenarios and Storyboards, where we mapped out the emotional journey of a family member discovering these unexplained purchases on a bank statement.

Prototyping & User Testing: I developed Conceptual Models that flipped the standard e-commerce flow. Instead of a traditional "checkout," I prototyped a Navigation Flow where clicking a product leads the user into a story deep dive. We conducted lo-fi testing to ensure that the transition from a Shopping mindset to a donation/awareness mindset felt refined and magical rather than jarring. I used Figma to troubleshoot the interaction between the product grid and the personal video narratives to ensure a seamless Safety by Design experience.

Final Outcome: The result was a high fidelity Dementia Market platform. The UI features a clean, bank-grade aesthetic that houses emotional, story driven content. Key features include an annotated product catalog of forgotten items and a simplified, 3 click donation flow (linked to €2, €5, and €10 tiers) to reduce friction while the user is emotionally engaged by the stories of Mary, Eddie, and Katie.

Impact: By using data driven Iteration, we optimized the landing experience to highlight the statistic that 20-30% of people with dementia experience compulsive shopping. The project successfully raised significant funds for Alzheimer’s Ireland and transformed Bank of Ireland’s financial oversight into a proactive tool for community health awareness.