Financial Services Information Architecture Template

Financial platforms serve users with urgent needs and low error tolerance: checking balances, transferring money, paying bills, and managing investments. This template helps you organize accounts, tools, and features in a way that builds trust and enables fast, confident financial decisions—not confusion.

Why Financial Services IA Matters

The financial services reality:

73% of banking is now digital (mobile app or web)
Users abandon financial apps with 3+ failed attempts to complete a task
81% of users say they'd switch banks for better digital experience
Trust and security are top concerns (poor UX signals lack of trust)
Mobile-first: 67% of banking transactions happen on smartphones

Card sorting reveals:

How users think about accounts vs. transactions vs. tools
Whether users expect "Checking" and "Savings" separately or under "Accounts"
Where payments, transfers, and bill pay belong
How to structure investing, loans, and credit cards in navigation

Template Overview

What's Included

Ready-to-use cards (50 financial platform elements):

Accounts & balances (Checking, Savings, Credit Cards, Investments, Loans)
Transactions (Transfer Money, Pay Bills, Send Money, Deposit Check)
Financial tools (Budgeting, Spending Analysis, Financial Goals, Calculators)
Products & services (Open Account, Apply for Loan, Investment Products)
Support & security (Customer Support, Security Settings, Dispute Transaction)

Recommended study type: Hybrid card sort (provide suggested categories, allow custom)

Suggested participants: 30-40 banking/fintech users (diverse financial needs)

Time to complete: 10-12 minutes

Analysis time: 3-4 hours

The Template: Financial Services IA Card Sort

Cards to Sort (50 items)

Accounts & Balances (10 cards):

Checking Account
Savings Account
Credit Cards
Investment Accounts
Retirement Accounts (IRA, 401k)
Loans & Mortgages
All Accounts Overview
Account Details / Statements
Rewards & Points
External Accounts (linked)

Transactions & Payments (12 cards):

Transfer Money Between Accounts
Send Money to Someone (Zelle, Venmo-style)
Pay Bills
Schedule Payments
Deposit Check (Mobile Deposit)
ATM / Branch Locator
Transaction History
Pending Transactions
Recurring Payments
Stop Payment
Wire Transfer
International Transfer

Financial Management Tools (10 cards):

Budgeting Tools
Spending Insights / Analytics
Financial Goals (Save for...)
Bill Reminders
Cash Flow Forecasting
Credit Score Monitoring
Net Worth Tracker
Tax Documents
Financial Planning Advice
Notifications & Alerts

Products & Services (8 cards):

Open New Account
Apply for Credit Card
Apply for Loan / Mortgage
Investment Products
Insurance Products
Business Banking
Financial Advisor Services
Compare Products

Security & Support (7 cards):

Security Settings (2FA, Alerts)
Report Lost/Stolen Card
Dispute Transaction / Fraud
Customer Support / Chat
Messages from Bank
Document Vault
Privacy Settings

Investing (if applicable) (3 cards):

Buy / Sell Stocks
Portfolio Performance
Research & Market Data

Suggested pre-made categories (for hybrid sort):

Category 1: My Accounts
Category 2: Move Money
Category 3: Manage Finances
Category 4: Get Products & Services
Category 5: Security & Support

Instructions for participants:

Welcome! We're redesigning our financial services platform.

Please organize these banking features, tools, and services into groups that make sense to you.

You can use the suggested categories or create your own.

Think about how you manage your money—what would you look for first?

Takes about 12 minutes. Thank you for helping us improve your banking experience!

Real-World Example: Digital-First Bank

Before Card Sorting

Original navigation (bank's internal structure):

├─ Accounts
│  ├─ Checking
│  ├─ Savings
│  ├─ Credit Cards
│  └─ Loans
├─ Transfers & Payments
├─ Services
│  ├─ Bill Pay
│  ├─ Mobile Deposit
│  └─ Wire Transfer
├─ Apply
│  ├─ Open Account
│  └─ Get Loan
├─ Support
└─ Settings

Problems:

52% of users couldn't find "Pay Bills" (was it Transfers? Services?)
Mobile check deposit buried 3 clicks deep (most-used feature!)
Users expected all account balances on one screen, not separate tabs
"Transfer money" and "Send money to someone" felt identical to users
Investment accounts hidden under "Services" (users expected under "Accounts")

Card Sort Results

35 bank customers sorted 50 financial elements. Key findings:

"My Money" / "Accounts" group (88%+ agreement):

- All Accounts Overview (dashboard)
- Checking Account
- Savings Account
- Credit Cards
- Investment Accounts
- Loans
- Account Details

"Move Money" / "Payments" group (82%+ agreement):

- Transfer Between My Accounts
- Send Money to Someone
- Pay Bills
- Deposit Check
- Schedule Payments
- Transaction History

"Manage & Plan" group (73%+ agreement):

- Budgeting Tools
- Spending Insights
- Financial Goals
- Bill Reminders
- Credit Score
- Net Worth

"Get Help & Support" group (79%+ agreement):

- Customer Support
- Dispute Transaction
- Report Lost Card
- Messages from Bank
- Security Settings

"Products & Services" group (68%+ agreement):

- Open New Account
- Apply for Credit Card
- Apply for Loan
- Compare Products
- Financial Advisor

Surprising insights:

91% wanted "All Accounts Overview" as DEFAULT landing page (one dashboard with all balances)
"Mobile Check Deposit" should be a PROMINENT button, not buried in menu
Users distinguished "Transfer" (my accounts) from "Send" (to someone else)
"Spending Insights" was more important than expected (modern users want analytics)
"Security Settings" belongs in BOTH profile settings AND quick access (high priority)
"Bill Pay" and "Scheduled Payments" should be together, NOT separated
Investment accounts should appear with other accounts, not under "Services"

Implemented Solution

New navigation (based on card sort):

Bottom Tab Bar (mobile) / Top Nav (desktop):
├─ Home (accounts overview)
├─ Move Money
├─ Activity
├─ Manage
└─ More

Home Screen:
├─ All Accounts Summary (balances at a glance)
│  ├─ Checking: $X,XXX
│  ├─ Savings: $X,XXX
│  ├─ Credit Card: $X owed
│  └─ Investments: $XX,XXX
├─ Quick Actions
│  ├─ Deposit Check
│  ├─ Transfer Money
│  ├─ Pay Bill
│  └─ Send Money
├─ Recent Activity
└─ Spending Insights

Move Money:
├─ Transfer Between Accounts
├─ Send Money to Someone
├─ Pay Bills
├─ Deposit Check (Mobile)
├─ Scheduled & Recurring Payments
└─ Wire / International Transfer

Activity:
├─ All Transactions
├─ By Account (filter)
├─ Pending Transactions
├─ Scheduled Payments
└─ Search Transactions

Manage:
├─ Budgeting
├─ Spending Insights
├─ Financial Goals
├─ Credit Score
├─ Bills & Subscriptions
└─ Net Worth

More:
├─ Open New Account
├─ Products & Services
├─ Customer Support
├─ Security Settings
├─ Profile & Settings
└─ Documents

Results after 90 days:

Mobile app logins: +63% (improved home screen)
Mobile check deposits: +187% (prominence)
Bill pay usage: +94%
Budget tool adoption: +240%
Customer support calls ("where is...?"): -68%
App store rating: 3.8 → 4.6 stars
Task completion rate: 57% → 89%

Best Practices for Financial Services Card Sorting

1. Test with Real Customers, Not Internal Staff

Don't test with:

Bank employees (think in products and departments)
Only high-net-worth users (different needs than mass market)
Only one demographic (millennials vs. boomers use banking differently)

Do test with:

Active customers (used platform in last 30 days)
Mix of account types (checking only vs. full suite)
Mix of ages (Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers)
Both mobile-primary and desktop users

2. Separate Accounts from Transactions

Two distinct mental models:

Accounts: "What do I have?" (checking, savings, credit, investments)
Transactions: "What do I need to do?" (pay, transfer, deposit)

Test whether:

Accounts and transactions should be separate sections
Transaction history lives in "Activity" or within each account (or both)

3. "Transfer" vs. "Send" vs. "Pay" Matter

Users distinguish:

Transfer: Move money between MY accounts (internal)
Send: Send money to SOMEONE ELSE (P2P, Zelle, Venmo)
Pay: Pay a BILL (recurring, scheduled)

Test whether users group these together or expect separate sections.

4. Security Needs High Visibility

Financial IA must prioritize security:

Security settings (2FA, alerts, biometrics)
Fraud alerts and dispute tools
Lost/stolen card reporting
Privacy controls

Test where security belongs: Profile settings? Quick access menu? Both?

5. Mobile-First Doesn't Mean Mobile-Only

Mobile vs. Desktop usage:

Mobile: Quick tasks (check balance, deposit check, transfer small amounts)
Desktop: Complex tasks (tax documents, large transfers, account opening)

Test mobile-specific needs:

Bottom tab bar navigation (thumb-friendly)
Fingerprint/Face ID access
Quick balance view (no login)
Mobile check deposit prominence

Common Financial Services IA Patterns

Pattern 1: Account-Centric (Traditional Banking)

├─ Checking
├─ Savings
├─ Credit Cards
├─ Loans
├─ Investments
└─ Services (Transfers, Bill Pay, Deposit)

Best for: Traditional banks, account-heavy users

Pros: Clear account separation, familiar Cons: Transactions buried, hard to do quick tasks

Example: Wells Fargo, Bank of America (legacy structure)

Pattern 2: Task-Centric (Fintech)

├─ Home (all accounts overview)
├─ Move Money
│  ├─ Transfer
│  ├─ Send
│  └─ Pay
├─ Activity (all transactions)
├─ Manage (budgeting, insights)
└─ More (settings, products)

Best for: Mobile-first fintech, digital-native users

Pros: Task-focused, fast common actions Cons: Harder to focus on single account

Example: Chime, Ally Bank, Marcus

Pattern 3: Dashboard-First (Aggregator)

Home Dashboard:
├─ Net Worth
├─ All Accounts (from multiple banks)
├─ Spending This Month
├─ Upcoming Bills
└─ Financial Goals Progress

Then separate sections for actions

Best for: Account aggregators, financial planning platforms

Pros: Holistic financial view, insights-driven Cons: Requires account linking, complex setup

Example: Mint, Personal Capital, YNAB

Pattern 4: Hybrid (Full-Service Bank)

Bottom Nav (mobile):
├─ Home (accounts + quick actions)
├─ Move Money
├─ Activity
├─ Manage
└─ More

Top Level Accounts:
Each account expandable:
├─ Balance
├─ Recent Transactions
├─ Account Details
└─ Account Actions

Best for: Full-service banks, diverse customer base

Pros: Serves all user types, flexible Cons: More complex, requires thoughtful design

Example: Chase, Capital One

Using This Template

Step 1: Customize for Your Services (20 minutes)

Replace generic features with your specific offerings:

Generic template:

- Checking Account
- Savings Account
- Credit Cards

Your platform (e.g., investment app):

- Brokerage Account
- Retirement Accounts (IRA, Roth IRA, 401k)
- Crypto Wallet
- Automated Investing (Robo-advisor)
- Individual Stocks
- ETFs & Mutual Funds
- Options Trading

Include your unique features (e.g., "Round-Up Savings," "Instant Card Freeze," "Cash Back Rewards").

Step 2: Set Up Study (5 minutes)

Create study →

Settings:

Type: Hybrid card sort (provide suggested categories, allow custom)
Cards: 45-55
Suggested categories:
- My Accounts
- Move Money
- Manage Finances
- Products & Services
- Security & Support
Collect: Name, Email, Primary banking method (mobile vs. desktop)

Step 3: Recruit Banking Customers (2-3 days)

Screening questions:

Do you use online/mobile banking at least weekly? (Yes/No)
What device do you use most for banking? (Mobile / Desktop / Both)
What do you do most often? (Check balance / Transfer / Pay bills / Other)

Email template:

Subject: Help improve our banking app (12 min, $20 gift card)

Hi [Name],

We're redesigning our banking platform and need your input!

Help us organize accounts, payments, and financial tools in a way that makes banking easier. It takes 12 minutes, and you'll receive a $20 gift card.

[Link to study]

Your feedback will directly improve your banking experience.

Thank you,
[Your Bank / Fintech]

Target: 30-40 participants (mix of account types and usage patterns)

Step 4: Analyze by User Behavior (3-4 hours)

Look for:

Account vs. task priority:
- Do users want account-centric or task-centric navigation?
- Should home screen show accounts or actions?
Payment/transfer structure:
- How do users distinguish transfer, send, pay?
- Should these be together or separate?
Financial tools placement:
- Are budgeting, insights, credit score top-level or secondary?
- Do users expect these in "Manage" or within accounts?
Security prominence:
- How accessible should security settings be?
- Where do fraud/dispute tools belong?

Step 5: Design Trust-Centered IA (2 weeks)

Based on results:

Home screen (post-login):
- All accounts overview (balances at a glance)
- Quick actions (top 3-4 most common tasks)
- Recent activity
- Alerts and messages
Primary navigation (4-5 main sections):
- Home / Accounts
- Move Money (or separate Transfer / Pay)
- Activity / Transactions
- Manage / Tools
- More / Settings
Quick access (always visible):
- Customer support
- Search transactions
- Security settings
- Deposit check (if mobile)
Account drill-down (within each account):
- Current balance
- Available balance
- Recent transactions
- Account details
- Account-specific actions

Step 6: Test Financial Tasks (1 week)

Usability testing scenarios:

"You need to pay your electric bill. How do you do it?"
"Transfer $500 from checking to savings."
"Deposit a check using your phone."
"Check how much you spent on restaurants this month."
"Report a fraudulent charge on your credit card."

Target: 90%+ task completion (financial tasks can't fail)

Metrics to Track Post-Launch

User engagement:

Daily/weekly active users
Session frequency
Time in app (lower can be good—efficiency)
Feature adoption (bill pay, budgeting, mobile deposit)

Task completion:

Transfer success rate
Bill pay completion rate
Mobile check deposit usage
Failed login attempts
Support tickets per user

Financial metrics:

Account opening rate (digital)
Product cross-sell (users with 2+ products)
Digital transaction volume
Branch/call center usage (should decrease)
Customer lifetime value

Trust & satisfaction:

App store rating
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
Customer retention rate
Security incident reports
"Where is...?" support volume

Target improvements:

40-60% increase in digital transaction volume
50-70% increase in mobile check deposits
30-50% reduction in support calls
25-35% increase in digital account openings
20-30% improvement in app store ratings

Related Templates

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should accounts and transactions be separate sections? A: Card sorting typically shows YES—users want to see "what I have" (accounts) separately from "what I need to do" (transactions). But home screen should show both.

Q: How do we organize multiple account types (checking, savings, credit, investments, loans)? A: Most card sorts show users expect ALL accounts in ONE view (unified dashboard), not separate sections per account type. Filter/sort within that view.

Q: Where should budgeting and financial management tools live? A: Depends on your users! Some banks show "Budgeting" as secondary. Fintech apps elevate it to primary nav. Card sort will reveal priority for YOUR users.

Q: Should security settings be in account settings or more prominent? A: Card sorting often shows BOTH—security in settings for setup, plus quick access for urgent tasks (report fraud, freeze card).

Q: How do we handle business vs. personal banking? A: If you serve both, consider separate experiences (different IA) with account switcher, rather than mixing business and personal in same navigation.

Ready to Optimize Your Financial Services IA?

Use this template now (free) →

What you'll get:

Pre-configured financial services card sort
Banking customer mental model insights
Account and transaction organization analysis
Export results for design team

No credit card required. 3 free studies.

Next Steps

Create free account (2 minutes)
Load financial services template (1 click)
Customize with your features (20 minutes)
Send to 30-40 customers (2-3 days)
Identify banking priorities (3 hours)
Redesign for trust and efficiency (2 weeks)
Increase digital adoption (ongoing)

Start optimizing your financial services IA today.

Financial Services Information Architecture Template | Banking & Fintech Navigation Card Sort