Founded in 1994 as a direct bank subsidiary of Commerzbank, comdirect has built its reputation as a pioneering bank by offering fully online services without any local branch. It led the era of internet banking & trading in the German market and positioned itself as a successful case study. In 2015, comdirect planned another major shift by extending and strengthening its focus to mobile trading. Zigzag had the exciting opportunity to define a new trading experience tailored for mobile and targeted toward traders in the general public - not only professionals. In close collaboration with comdirect’s UX team, zigzag envisioned a mobile experience with the ambition to create the best trading app in the German market.

After the team obtained sufficient knowledge on trading, we defined guiding themes for the user experience we wanted to create including Detox UI, Fast Lane, Cruise Control and Upselling. They played key roles in determining whether proposed solutions matched our initial aims. As the interaction design’s structure and flow became more concrete, we explored visual design directions. We didn’t focus on a diversity of visuals, but rather purposeful expressions that were harmonious with the comdirect’s new corporate identity. Below are some snippets from which you can have a sneak peek into our process.

zigzag provided a web-based component library and Android native prototype to communicate the detailed behaviors and motion as the outcome of the design phase. Additionally, we supported the development process thoroughly with more definitions and assets. Thanks to hard work on all sides, the app was released on Google Play and App Store in 2016. Here we’d like to walk you through some highlights of the features the comdirect trading app provides.

The comdirect Mobile Trading project marked a significant milestone — not only for the bank, as it entered a new era of mobile-first investing, but also for us at zigzag. Since then, we’ve continued to partner with forward-thinking financial institutions, building intuitive, future-ready experiences in a rapidly evolving landscape. Looking for a partner to elevate your financial experience?