Through out the physical card design process, I was cognizant of the card also sharing a strong digital presence. I wanted to ensure the design was flexible enough for our marketing real estate, in app experience, and mobile wallet.

Process Work

Identified parties involved and established relationships.

• G+D: Plastic Manufacturer

• CPI: Personalization, Card Carrier, Card Activation Sticker

• PNC: Legal + Branding Review

• Visa: Brand + Design Review

Learned the language and uncovered design constraints.

Scheduled an onsite tour at the production facility to meet the team and see the process in person.

Requested booklets of print samples for upgrade opportunities and studied Visa Brand Guidelines.

Identified desired card + design elements: Visa Brand Mark, Debit indicator, indi logo, Dove Hologram, Magnetic Stripe, Signature Panel, CVV2 (security code), Customer Name, Card Number (Visa bin #?), Valid Thru, CPI stock number, G+D batch number, Customer Support Phone Number, Issued by PNC, Cardholder Agreement.

Identified card elements I’d prefer to omit including: PNC Logo - don’t want to confuse users, Authorized Signature - Not Valid Unless Signed Copy, International Call; #, Interlink, Star, Plus Logos, Customer Support Email Address

Put together a list of questions specific to this medium for example I wanted to know if I could define kerning and weight for fonts used on the card, could I use a custom font for valid thru language and so forth.

Identified potential card upgrades alongside our budget. Upgraded treatments include: colored core, reflective silver ink for Visa logo, navy magnetic strip, flat ink for personalization or laser engraving, blue signature panel, post-lam varnish finish on indi logo, satin matte finish, dual interface colored inlay for added thickness.

Set up the art file to understand “designable real-estate“ and applied for relevant waivers.

Captured the landscape and reviewed competitors.

Outlined design goals based on the indi brand.

• Our card design is a central tool for helping our users feel empowered.

• I want our card to feel unique but let users know they are part of a community.

• I want this card to help differentiate us from others in the market.

• I want the card design to communicate to users that we aim to deliver an exceptional all around.

• I want our card to stand out in the wallet and bring excitement to our customer’s day.

Roughly placed potential product names and brand colors on the cards.

Narrowed down the orientation based on survey feedback that vertical cards felt more modern and desirable. These surveys were run in Survey Monkey to gather data around user preferences.

Narrowed down card color based on dark cards offering a more premium feel which aligned with our branding goals to be exceptional.

Explored and tested a variety of layouts. Compositions considered the indi word mark on front and back or just the back, in addition to the Visa hologram on the front or back.

After landing on a design that resonated highly with our audience, it was time to explore the design in different contexts. Below are some rough comps to see the card in rotation.

I facilitated our user acceptance testing trips to ensure the card was functioning as expected post personalization.

I designed our card carrier which included pairing with PNC’s legal and compliance and CPI’s print facility.

Continued to oversee the quality of production as the core team received their cards, and worked closely with G+D to refine any concerns which included offset PLV application, and scratches on the card.

As we’ve begun a cobranding with business partners we find the card to be flexible and friendly. Our customers continue to share positive feedback around the design that has helped keep indi top of wallet.