Bank OZK Referral Training Game

Visual design for a scenario-based training tool that improves product knowledge and referral skills at Bank OZK.

Role

Graphic Designer

Industry

Finances

Duration

6 months

Overview

As part of Bank OZK’s Learning & Development team, I helped design a card-based learning tool to improve internal referral training. The main goal was to help bankers better identify referral opportunities by connecting financial products and services to real-life customer needs—through a hands-on, collaborative experience.

The Challenge

We wanted to introduce a fresh, engaging way to reinforce referral concepts—something beyond traditional slides or lecture-heavy sessions. The challenge was to create a fun, interactive experience that encouraged active participation and helped bankers better understand customer profiles. A game-based approach offered a new, memorable way to learn.

Our Process

Working closely with instructional designers, tech writers, and other stakeholders, we:

Developed a framework of client personas and scenarios to reflect common banking situations
Created paper prototypes and tested with internal team members
Conducted multiple rounds of iteration based on gameplay feedback
Piloted the game with real banking teams to validate learning outcomes and usability

My Role

I led all visual design efforts and contributed to game development, including:

Designing unique scenario cards—featuring diverse client personas and color-coded headers—with storytelling that reflected real-life customer situations
Structuring layout and typographic hierarchy for clarity, scannability, and in-game decision-making
Designing the full packaging system—box, labeling, and card backing—to ensure the final product was functional, durable, and aligned with Bank OZK branding
Preparing all assets for professional print production

Overview

The Challenge

Our Process

Working closely with instructional designers, tech writers, and other stakeholders, we:

Developed a framework of client personas and scenarios to reflect common banking situations
Created paper prototypes and tested with internal team members
Conducted multiple rounds of iteration based on gameplay feedback
Piloted the game with real banking teams to validate learning outcomes and usability

My Role

I led all visual design efforts and contributed to game development, including:

Designing unique scenario cards—featuring diverse client personas and color-coded headers—with storytelling that reflected real-life customer situations
Structuring layout and typographic hierarchy for clarity, scannability, and in-game decision-making
Designing the full packaging system—box, labeling, and card backing—to ensure the final product was functional, durable, and aligned with Bank OZK branding
Preparing all assets for professional print production

Design Approach

The design leaned into bold colors and storytelling, with each card introducing a realistic customer persona—paired with details like account balance, life situation, and goals. The layout uses clear sections, strong typographic contrast, and photography to humanize each profile and support discussion.
The game box was designed to be compact, easy to organize, and visually cohesive with the card system.

Outcome

The “Better Together” pilot was a success—training facilitators noted increased engagement, and players reported feeling more confident identifying appropriate financial products. The game is now used across teams as a reusable learning tool that makes product knowledge more tangible, collaborative, and memorable.

To keep the experience fresh and relevant, we introduced new cards each month—one for each week—through December 2024, expanding the range of scenarios and reinforcing ongoing learning.