UX Review of HudsonRiverTeachers.org by BloomCU showing the good, the OK, and the ugly of the website's user experience from the perspective of two personas, Ashley and John. The purpose of the UX Review is to show what could be improved to get more signups for memberships, loans, and other services for Hudson River Teachers Credit Union.

1. Hudson River Teachers
Federal Credit Union
User
Experience
Review
The Good, the Okay, and the Ugly.

2. The day you start talking
to your audience and it’s
about them, that’s the
day that business really
happens.
SCOTT STRATTEN
UX Review Hudson River Teachers Federal Credit Union

3. What’s on the menu?
1. ASHLEY WANTS TO BECOME A MEMBER
2. JOHN, A MEMBER, NEEDS AN AUTO LOAN
3. UX SCORECARD
UX Review Hudson River Teachers Federal Credit Union

4. 1. Ashley wants to become a member
Ashley, a younger woman, is interested in becoming a
member. She heard about Hudson River Teachers from a
coworker. She currently banks at Wells Fargo.
UX Review Hudson River Teachers Federal Credit Union

6. Let’s see what
Hudson River
Teachers has to
offer me.

7. Hey, that building looks
familiar. I must be in
the right place.

8. Hmm, this picture looks
like it might be a stock
photo.

9. Hmm, this picture looks
like it might be a stock
photo.
But, they seem to be
happy members or
employees.

10. She looks very happy
and confident.

11. I’d like to go back to
school for my PhD, I
should come back to this.
She looks very happy
and confident.

12. Overall, my first
impression of the
website is that it’s
out-of-date and a
bit messy. Which
gives me the
impression that
Hudson River is
not innovative and
doesn’t appeal to
younger people
like me. I’m
guessing their
membership is
mostly older folks.

13. Not sure what’s
going on here.
Overall, my first
impression of the
website is that it’s
out-of-date and a
bit messy. Which
gives me the
impression that
Hudson River is
not innovative and
doesn’t appeal to
younger people
like me. I’m
guessing their
membership is
mostly older folks.

14. Not sure what’s
going on here.
It’s a very narrow,
cramped layout.
Overall, my first
impression of the
website is that it’s
out-of-date and a
bit messy. Which
gives me the
impression that
Hudson River is
not innovative and
doesn’t appeal to
younger people
like me. I’m
guessing their
membership is
mostly older folks.

15. Hmm, I’n not sure what
Skip-A-Payment is, but
this is too much for me
to read right now.

16. Hmm, I’n not sure what
Skip-A-Payment is, but
this is too much for me
to read right now.
There is quite an
assortment of
different looking
things on this
page.

17. I’m going to check
out these links.

18. I’m going to check
out these links.
But first, is there
anything else below
about the benefits of
membership? Let’s
scroll down.

20. Ah, here are some
reasons that I should
join Hudson River.

21. Unfortunately, this is
about features rather
benefits that mean
something to me.
Ah, here are some
reasons that I should
join Hudson River.

22. Ah, here are some
reasons that I should
join Hudson River.
Imagery, messaging,
fonts, style, and call to
action all definitely
need improvement
here.
Unfortunately, this is
about features rather
benefits that mean
something to me.

23. Back to the top of
the page I go.

24. Now, let’s check out
this button, I like the
sound of “Perks”!

26. Free financial
counseling is a
great perk!

27. Free financial
counseling is a
great perk!
Perhaps a bit
random that
HRTFCU pays for
this, but cool.

28. Free financial
counseling is a
great perk!
Perhaps a bit
random that
HRTFCU pays for
this, but cool.
These are great
perks, too!

29. Free financial
counseling is a
great perk!
Perhaps a bit
random that
HRTFCU pays for
this, but cool.
These are great
perks, too!
I wonder if there
are more perks
not listed here.

30. Again, not sure
what’s going on
here.

31. Well, now what?

32. Well, now what?
Editor’s note:
Website users
should never have
to guess at what
they should do
next. Calls to
action should lead
users along a well-
thought-out path
that leads to
action.

33. Well, now what?
Editor’s note:
Website users
should never have
to guess at what
they should do
next. Calls to
action should lead
users along a well-
thought-out path
that leads to
action.
Let’s check this
out.

34. Well, the drop
down is simple.

35. Well, the drop
down is simple.
But it looks
unprofessional.

36. Let’s see “About
Us,” then we’ll
look at “How to
Join.”

38. Cool history of
pioneering the
organization of a
credit union for a
good cause.

39. How, specifically,
do these goals
benefit me, the
potential
member?
(Especially
maximum
efficiency.)

40. I really like this
paragraph. It tells
me how Hudson
River is different
from my bank,
Wells Fargo.

41. I really like this
paragraph. It tells
me how Hudson
River is different
from my bank,
Wells Fargo.
What’s the second
major factor?

42. Well, let’s see
what the
process is to join.

43. Well, let’s see
what the
process is to join.
Wait! Where did
this come from?
“Membership Info”
wasn’t there on
the last page and
it’s not in the
“Membership”
drop-down menu.
I suppose I should
have a look.

45. Good
information.

46. Good
information.
But it seems like
this could be on
the “About Us”
page.

47. OK, now let’s see
what the
process is to join.

49. $6 to join is small
hoop to jump
through.

50. $6 to join is small
hoop to jump
through.
Oh, but stopping
by the office or
mailing in the
form is a bigger
hoop to jump
through. I wish I
could submit a
form online. I
guess it will have
to wait.

51. Let’s see this
form.

53. Definitely not the
friendliest form
I’ve ever had to fill
out. Mmm, I’ll do
it later.

54. Definitely not the
friendliest form
I’ve ever had to fill
out. Mmm, I’ll do
it later.
Well, I’ve learned
what I came to
learn. I’m off to
lunch.

55. Definitely not the
friendliest form
I’ve ever had to fill
out. Mmm, I’ll do
it later.
Well, I’ve learned
what I came to
learn. I’m off to
lunch.
Editor’s Note: The greatest
failure of this whole
process is there are zero
opportunities for me to
submit my name and
contact info saying I’m
interested in becoming a
member. I can’t
overemphasize the
importance of lead
capture if growth is truly
one of the CU’s goals.

56. RECAP - Ashley wants to become a member
The Good
The OK
The Ugly
• No lead capture
• Overall, the website does not communicate “innovative,” and, according to the
“About Us” page, one of Hudson River’s goals is to be innovative.
• Good information about the history and purpose of Hudson River
• Website points out some good perks of membership
• Finding my way around the site wasn’t too hard, but there are definitely some
pages missing from the “Membership” drop-down menu.
• To learn if membership with Hudson River was right for me, I had to forge my own
path; I found things, but there were no calls to action to lead me

57. 2. John needs an Auto Loan
John, a member of Hudson River, needs an auto loan
to buy a new car.
UX Review Hudson River Teachers Federal Credit Union

59. Let’s see if Hudson
River can give me a
good deal on an auto
loan.

60. Looks like this is
where I need to
go to learn about
auto loans.

62. Just what I’m
looking for.

63. Getting pre-
approved could
be nice.

64. Getting pre-
approved could
be nice.
What number do I
call?

65. Getting pre-
approved could
be nice.
What number do I
call?
Editor’s note: Pre-
approval is a
perfect call to
action here, but
it’s hidden.

66. Getting pre-
approved could
be nice.
What number do I
call?
Editor’s note: Pre-
approval is a
perfect call to
action here, but
it’s hidden.
This call to action
isn’t terribly
prominent either.

67. This helps me
know what
qualifies as a
“new” car.

68. But, what are the
rates?
This helps me
know what
qualifies as a
“new” car.

69. Let’s keep
scrolling.

71. Not relevant to
me.

72. Not relevant to
me.

73. Not relevant to
me.
This might be
relevant to me.

74. Not relevant to
me.
This might be
relevant to me.
Oh, never mind,
it’s Enterprise
Care Sales. I’m
buying a new car,
not a used one.

75. Let’s keep
scrolling.

77. These might
be relevant
sometime
during my
new car
purchase
process, but
right now I
want to learn
about getting
an auto loan.

78. These might
be relevant
sometime
during my
new car
purchase
process, but
right now I
want to learn
about getting
an auto loan.
Nothing below this
point is remotely
relevant to me.

79. Let’s scroll back
to the top.

81. Let’s take a look
at this.

83. Woah, I’m now on a
totally different
website.

84. Woah, I’m now on a
totally different
website.
Well, maybe I’ll
revisit this later.
Let’s go back.

85. Well, I didn’t find
anything about
Hudson River’s
auto loan rates or
much about why I
should use them to
finance the
purchase of my
new vehicle, but it
seems I’ve looked
at all the info they
have online.

86. Well, I didn’t find
anything about
Hudson River’s
auto loan rates or
much about why I
should use them to
finance the
purchase of my
new vehicle, but it
seems I’ve looked
at all the info they
have online.
I’m off to lunch!

87. Well, I didn’t find
anything about
Hudson River’s
auto loan rates or
much about why I
should use them to
finance the
purchase of my
new vehicle, but it
seems I’ve looked
at all the info they
have online.
I’m off to lunch!
Editor’s Note: I might be
beating a dead horse at
this point, but there were
zero opportunities for me
to submit my name and
contact info saying I’m
interested in an auto loan
outside of actually
applying for a loan. Again,
I can’t overemphasize the
importance of lead
capture if growth is one of
the CU’s goals.

88. RECAP - John needs an auto Loan
The Good
The OK
The Ugly
• Simple navigation; I easily found where to go to learn about loans
• Some helpful information about what qualifies as a “new” car
• No lead capture except for a loan application
• Not enough information for someone to decide to take action
• Information not organized into pages by relevancy
• “Apply for a Loan” was the only less-hidden call to action

89. 3. UX Scorecard
Previously, I shared with you this
User Experience Scorecard. Refer
back to it to see overall scores for
hudsonriverteachers.org. The review
above points out specific instances
of Good, OK, and Ugly that are
reflected on the scorecard. (If
needed, I can resend you a PDF of
the scorecard.)
UX Review Hudson River Teachers Federal Credit Union