UX Review of PFCU.org by BloomCU showing the good, the OK, and the ugly of the website's user experience from the perspective of two personas, Ashley and John. The purpose of the UX Review is to show what could be improved to get more signups for memberships, loans, and other services for Pasadena Federal Credit Union.

1. pfcu.org
User
Experience
Review
The Good, the Okay, and the Ugly
Get more signups for
memberships and loans

2. The day you start talking
to your audience and it’s
about them, that’s the
day that business really
happens.
SCOTT STRATTEN
UX Review PFCU.org

3. What’s on the menu?
1. ASHLEY WANTS TO BECOME A MEMBER
2. JOHN, A MEMBER, NEEDS AN AUTO LOAN
3. UX SCORECARD
UX Review PFCU.org

4. 1. Ashley wants to become a member
Ashley, a younger woman, is interested in becoming a
member. She heard about your credit union from a
coworker. She currently banks at Wells Fargo.
UX Review PFCU.org

6. Let’s see if I
want to
become a
member of
Pasadena FCU.

7. This is where
my eyes went
first.

8. Logo w/text looks
professional

9. My eyes next
went to this
image.

10. Nice, smily
people :)

11. Nice, smily
people.
Interesting,
they’re in the
middle of a
grass field with
a computer.
Nice, smily
people :)

12. The word
“teach” looks
out of place.

13. The word
“teach” looks
out of place.
Editor’s note: The
visual style of the
word “teach”
doesn’t flow
with the image.)

14. What does “teach”
have to do with
Pasadena FCU?
Teaching doesn’t
appear to be a
theme anywhere
else on the website.
The word
“teach” looks
out of place.

15. My first
impression is that
Pasadena FCU is
a bit old school
and stodgy.

16. My first
impression is that
Pasadena FCU is
a bit old school
and stodgy.
Overall, pfcu.org
lacks the engaging,
clean feeling I
expect from a
forward-thinking
organization.

17. 0My first
impression is that
Pasadena FCU is
a bit old school
and stodgy.
Overall, pfcu.org
lacks the engaging,
clean feeling I
expect from a
forward-thinking
organization.
Editor’s note: Let
me point out a few
things that make
the website say,
“I’m out of date and
not very engaging.”

18. The site is more
narrow than most
modern sites. Big
visuals are naturally
more engaging.

19. These look more like
plain links in a table
than they look like drop-
down navigation, which
communicates to the
user, “These might not
help you get right where
you want to go.”

20. There is an
overwhelming
amount of info
packed into this
small space. Good
websites focus
first on quality of
content rather
than quantity.

21. This looks
unprofessional with
its alternating colors
and clip-art-looking
checkmarks.

22. These images
rotate before I
can finish
reading them,
let alone act
upon them.

23. Links for days! Links
are boring unless it’s
just what you’re
looking for. These
belong in a navigation
drop-down, not
occupying valuable
homepage real estate.

24. This color
combination is
stodgy (tan/beige
and slate blue
grayish).

25. Editor’s note: Sorry
for the onslaught of
Ugly comments, but
I had to tell you :-/

26. Editor’s note: Sorry
for the onslaught of
Ugly comments, but
I had to tell you :-/
Editor’s note: Hopefully
these comment help
explain why Ashley’s first
impressions of Pasadena
FCU is “a bit old school
and stodgy.”

27. So, to learn more
about being a
member of PFCU, I
should check out
these pages.

28. I’m going to look at
this one first.

29. Before going to
“How to Join,” let’s
check out “Our
History.”

30. I liked learning
about the history.

31. It’s good to know
that 3rd party
organizations
have given PFCU
good ratings.

32. I’m wondering
what PFCU has
to offer me that
Wells Fargo
doesn’t. Why
should I join?

33. I want to learn
a bit more.

35. Let’s check out
“How to Join”

37. OK, sounds like
PFCU is saying
they offer better
service than Wells
Fargo.

38. Oh good, I qualify
because of where
I work.

39. Hmmm, I have to
“download” the
application? I
can’t submit
something
online?

40. Hmmm, I have to
“download” the
application? I
can’t submit
something
online?
Editor’s note: The call to action,
download the application, is
hidden on the page. Best practice is
to make it big and bold on the
page so it stands out and visitors
know exactly how to act.

41. Well, I’ll
check it out.
Hmmm, I have to
“download” the
application? I
can’t submit
something
online?
Editor’s note: The call to action,
download the application, is
hidden on the page. Best practice is
to make it big and bold on the
page so it stands out and visitors
know exactly how to act.

43. I guess I have to
go into a branch
or mail in this
application to
start the process.
I won’t have time
for that today.

44. Wow, this is a
pretty hefty form.
It reminds me of
filing forms with
the IRS.

45. Wow, this is a
pretty hefty form.
It reminds me of
filing forms with
the IRS.
I’m not sure yet if I
care to become a
member, so I don’t
think I can justify
spending the time
to complete this
form.

46. Wow, this is a
pretty hefty form.
It reminds me of
filing forms with
the IRS.
I’m not sure yet if I
care to become a
member, so I don’t
think I can justify
spending the time
to complete this
form.
Let’s see if I can
learn more about
reasons I should
join. I’m going back
to the last page.

48. I saw this
earlier. Maybe
this page will
give me some
good reasons to
join.

50. Nope, I’m on the
application again.
I’m going back.

53. Anything else I
should read?

54. By the way, these
tools tips are kind
of bothersome;
they get in the
way.

55. I don’t see any
other pages that
would tell me the
benefits of
joining PFCU.

56. I don’t see any
other pages that
would tell me the
benefits of
joining PFCU.
Well, I’m off to
lunch!

57. I don’t see any
other pages that
would tell me the
benefits of
joining PFCU.
Well, I’m off to
lunch! Editor’s Note: The greatest
failure of this whole
process is there are zero
opportunities for me to
submit my name and
contact info online saying
I’m interested in
becoming a member. I
can’t overemphasize the
importance of lead
capture if growth is truly
one of the CU’s goals.

58. RECAP - Ashley wants to become a member
The Good
The OK
The Ugly
• Professional-looking logo
• Helpful information on the “Our History” page about PFCU’s history and awards
• Big image on the home page of mother and son is decent
• PFCU seems well-established, but “behind-the-times”
• No lead capture; no way to submit my name and contact information online
• I couldn’t find compelling reasons to join PFCU

59. 2. John needs an Auto Loan
John, a member of Pasadena FCU, needs an auto loan
to buy a new car.
UX Review PFCU.org

60. Let’s see if
Pasadena FCU
can give me a
good deal on
an auto loan.

61. OK, there are
few things
here I’d like to
check out.

62. Let’s try this
one first, to
get a better
idea of rates
and what I
can afford.

64. That’s what I
need.

65. Perfect, I’m
buying a new car.

66. Perfect, I’m
buying a new car.
These looks like
good rates. I want
the 1.99%. So, I
have to have a
term between
36-60 months.

67. I’m not
ready to
apply.

68. I’m not
ready to
apply.
But where is that
calculator?

69. I’m not
ready to
apply.
But where is that
calculator?
Too bad they
don’t have a
calculator on this
page. That would
be convenient.

71. Let’s go use the
calculator now
that I know
their rates.

73. Wow, this page
is kind of
overwhelming
with all the
links.

74. The way this is sticking
out looks kind of like it
was hacked together. It
looks unprofessional.

75. Where are you
auto loan
calculator?

76. Where are you
auto loan
calculator?
I’m not seeing
it here Lloyd.

77. Let’s scroll
down.

79. Ah, that’s what I
want.

81. Hmmm. Weird how this
calculator is only on half
of the page and it has it’s
own scroll bar.

82. OK, let’s enter
my desired
numbers.

83. OK, all
entered.

84. OK, all
entered.
Now,
calculate.

86. Awesome! I can
spend more than
I thought.

87. Awesome! I can
spend more than
I thought. Now what should I do? I
guess I can search for
more info about getting
an auto loan from PFCU.

89. Let’s look
here.

91. Lots of
features.

92. Lots of
features.
How do I
benefit from
these features?

93. I don’t know for
sure yet what
car I’m going to
buy, so I’m not
sure I’m ready
to apply.

94. I don’t know for
sure yet what
car I’m going to
buy, so I’m not
sure I’m ready
to apply.
Editor’s note: I good call
to action for John
would be to get pre-
qualified/pre-approved
for an auto loan.

95. I don’t know for
sure yet what
car I’m going to
buy, so I’m not
sure I’m ready
to apply.
Editor’s note: I good call
to action for John
would be to get pre-
qualified/pre-approved
for an auto loan.
But, I guess I
can see what
the application
process is like.

97. Woah! Maybe I don’t want
to learn about the
application process.

98. Woah! Maybe I don’t want
to learn about the
application process.
I guess I can at
least take a look.

100. Well, this
doesn’t look
too bad.

102. Shucks, what
was the loan
amount that
calculator said?
I think it was
$28,000.

104. And, continue.

106. Ouch. You’re going to
ding my credit?

107. Ouch. You’re going to
ding my credit?
I’ll come back
when I’m more
ready to apply.

108. Ouch. You’re going to
ding my credit?
I’ll come back
when I’m more
ready to apply.
Well, I’m off to
lunch.

109. Ouch. You’re going to
ding my credit?
I’ll come back
when I’m more
ready to apply.
Well, I’m off to
lunch.
Editor’s Note: Maybe I’m beating a
dead horse, but again, the greatest
failure of this whole process is there
are zero opportunities for me to
submit my name and contact info
online saying I’m interested getting an
auto loan. Maybe there would have
been an opportunity if I continued
with the application, but there should
be a lower risk opportunity to submit
my name. I can’t overemphasize the
importance of lead capture if growth is
truly one of the CU’s goals.

110. RECAP - John needs an auto Loan
The Good
The OK
The Ugly
• I was able to find a lot of good information about getting an auto loan from PFCU
• The auto loan calculator does not have the best design (look and functionality) nor
did it call me to action after calculating; nevertheless, it was useful.
• No lead capture; few calls to action
• John had to forge his own path to learn about getting an auto loan from PFCU; he
found information, but how much better it would have been to lead him along with
calls to action.

111. 3. UX Scorecard
UX Review PFCU.org
Along with this UX Review, we have
provided you with a UX Scorecard.
The scorecard goes hand-in-hand
with this review to show PFCU.org’s
strengths and weaknesses.
Ultimately, we hope this information
will be used to increase PFCU.org’s
capability to help the credit union
achieve its goals, like generating
more leads for memberships, loans,
and other services.