Content design & UX writing for BMO
At BMO, I was the lead content designer and UX writer for an upgrade to their mobile digital banking app. The upgrade targeted first-time users following the acquisition of Bank of the West.
BMO Financal Group was interested in expansion to major new U.S. geographies, and California was a highly attractive market. The acquisition was a natural next step in their growth strategy, but they wanted to ensure first-time app users were met with an intuitive, friendly user experience.
This project was a huge success and helped onboard 1.8 million new BMO customers.
Challenges
- Welcoming new customers to the app in a semi-familiar way.
- Concisely explaining the nuances in nomenclature during the login process.
- Helping new customers understand and meet stricter security requirements than they were accustomed to.
- Staying compliant with California regulatory and legal requirements.
- Making sure the application remained fully accessible and WCAG compliant.
- Maintaining a consistent, empathetic brand voice throughout the process.
Perhaps the biggest challenge was trying to minimize turnover by providing an exceptional user experience.
Approach
I started by meeting with the members of the five agile teams I would be a part of, including product owners, strategists, and UX designers. Then I downloaded an emulator because the US mobile app is not available to Canadians, and I wanted to understand current customer journeys. Then I:
Came up with a way to temporarily combine Bank of the West and BMO colours into the login screen
Wrote helper text for the login screen including card/login ID, password rules, forgot password/ID, etc.
Wrote concise copy to encourage users to boost security either through two-step verification or app notifications—I also gently explained that while not all these steps were mandatory during first-time use, they will eventually be required.
Revised microcopy—button labels, error messages, field instructions—and helper text wherever I felt they could be improved in terms of accuracy and consistency
Wrote all the copy necessary to help new users understand how to locate and nickname their accounts, move money, and were to find help if they need it
Introduced AI-assisted content workflows to reduce iteration time while maintaining UX quality and brand voice.
Did almost all of my writing directly in Figma
I was also able to leverage AI to brainstorm variations, proof for consistency, and speed the process.
Impact
The revised BMO Digital Banking app was extremely successful of welcoming the new Bank of the West customers.
First-time users were welcomed with some level of familiarity and all the helper text they needed to login
Users were educated about the need for stricter security measures in a very concise and helpful manner
Fist time users were helped along their journey to log in, establish a secure password, sign up for either two-step verification or push notifications, nickname their bank accounts, make account transfers, send e-transfers, pay bills, open new accounts, and apply for credit.
BMO earned their new customers' trust by communicating in a very professional, conversational, and empathetic tone of voice.
BMO has enabled 1.8 million new customers with a smooth and secure mobile banking app.
The app is now in heavy use by new customers in California.
Final thoughts
With teammates spread across Ontario and California, this project was another clear example of how effective remote teams can be when collaboration is intentional. We met daily over video, worked together in live sessions, and maintained strong momentum throughout—proving that complex work doesn’t require everyone to be under the same roof.
What stood out most was the culture. Despite the expectations many people associate with a large financial institution, BMO was anything but boring or rigid. The environment was modern, collaborative, and genuinely supportive of good work. I partnered with product owners who set realistic expectations, worked closely with UX/UI designers in Figma, and collaborated with writers who eagerly proofed and improved one another’s work.
As with my best roles, the people made the difference. From thoughtful leadership to generous teammates, it was a team I’d gladly work with again—and one that reshaped my perspective on what innovation inside a large bank can look like.
“If you're looking for someone who makes sure they've got all the assets and info they need before they start creating effective, data-informed content for the web, it's Colin. Colin makes sure that he's set up for success from the get-go, allowing him to seamlessly juggle multiple content projects at once and create effective relationships with his business partners. Colin supported several projects on my team to introduce new features and optimize existing ones on our mobile banking apps. Over time he demonstrated a real knack for learning more about banking products, app functionalities and BMO in specific as a bank. He is an asset as a content designer/contributor to any digital team.”
Jeffrey Baynes – Sr. Manager, Content Experience & Design @ BMO