Bank of the West Microsite

Role: Lead Designer
Scope: UX wireframes, visual design, content layout, interaction design, dev oversight

To promote Bank of the West’s sustainability and environmental responsibility initiatives, I designed the Change microsite (bankofthewest.com/change)—a digital experience aimed at turning corporate values into an accessible story of positive impact.

Approach

The project began with a series of low-fidelity wireframes exploring how to balance storytelling with clarity. The goal was to structure information around two contrasting narratives: what the bank doesn’t finance (industries like coal, tobacco, and arctic drilling) and what it does (renewable energy, responsible production, and local partnerships).

Wireframes helped define a hierarchy that could communicate transparency without overwhelming users, establishing a rhythm of education, proof, and invitation to engage. Once validated, I transitioned the layout into high-fidelity designs emphasizing visual trust: open whitespace, editorial typography, and photography that reinforced environmental themes.

Design Highlights

• Hero section poses a provocative question—“What on Earth is your bank financing?”—to spark curiosity and frame the microsite’s ethical stance.
• Modular content sections combine photography, concise copy, and callouts for policy transparency.
• Interactive progression guides users from awareness to action with anchored scroll behaviour and clear CTAs (“Connect With Us”).
• Recognition and leadership sections add credibility, aligning with Bank of the West’s placement on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

Outcome

The microsite reframed the bank’s brand narrative around accountability and environmental ethics, helping differentiate it from traditional financial institutions. The result is a clean, modern experience that communicates trust and purpose while encouraging users to take part in a greener future.