Allica Bank: Product training at europe's fastest growing start-up
Allica Bank: Product training at europe's fastest growing start-up
Allica Bank: Product training at europe's fastest growing start-up
Allica Bank: Product training at europe's fastest growing start-up
A fast-moving fintech company based in London, Allica’s product department delivered functionality at a relentless pace; this focus on delivery made it challenging to take the time to learn from each other.
When the bank was in its formative days, it was still straightforward to understand what to build; you don’t need a customer interview to tell you that someone would like to make a payment. To keep momentum; the fastest-growing startup of Europe (source, April 2025) needed to invest in their product discovery skill set.
I helped the team rediscover tools to serve their customers. It led to my highest rated training to date with 50 product owners, designers & analysts attending from across the business.
A fast-moving fintech company based in London, Allica’s product department delivered functionality at a relentless pace; this focus on delivery made it challenging to take the time to learn from each other.
When the bank was in its formative days, it was still straightforward to understand what to build; you don’t need a customer interview to tell you that someone would like to make a payment. To keep momentum; the fastest-growing startup of Europe (source, April 2025) needed to invest in their product discovery skill set.
I helped the team rediscover tools to serve their customers. It led to my highest rated training to date with 50 product owners, designers & analysts attending from across the business.
Client
Client
Allica Bank
Allica Bank
Type
Type
Training
Training
Year
Year
2025
2025
Process
I conducted 7 hours with of interviews within Allica to understand where to focus.
I found 4 areas to influence.
Saying ‘no’ to building new product functionality was rare, outcome based hypothesis testing rarer.
Solid Product planning and discovery processes were offered, but not utilized by the team.
The team desperately wanted to tackle topics together rather than listening to presentations.
A remote, delivery team focus made talking to product peers from other teams difficult to prioritize.
It lead me to make these design decisions
Strong focus on trying out product discovery processes the team had already bought into, but didn’t practice enough to integrate into their tool belt; (almost) no new frameworks.
Many-to-many interactions, in real life, with paper and pens over laptops and phones.
Learning from the relevant, specific knowledge that was already within the team rather than from me.
Connection before content.
I conducted 7 hours with of interviews within Allica to understand where to focus.
I found 4 areas to influence.
Saying ‘no’ to building new product functionality was rare, outcome based hypothesis testing rarer.
Solid Product planning and discovery processes were offered, but not utilized by the team.
The team desperately wanted to tackle topics together rather than listening to presentations.
A remote, delivery team focus made talking to product peers from other teams difficult to prioritize.
It lead me to make these design decisions
Strong focus on trying out product discovery processes the team had already bought into, but didn’t practice enough to integrate into their tool belt; (almost) no new frameworks.
Many-to-many interactions, in real life, with paper and pens over laptops and phones.
Learning from the relevant, specific knowledge that was already within the team rather than from me.
Connection before content.
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
We spent an impactful day together, with lively exercises around using product techniques such as the product canvas, user story mapping and opportunity solution trees. We considered how to best use AI that actually improves your work in the planning process, how to talk to customers and we drew a map of all the connections in the room. I loved it. Luckily, the team loved it too; with incredible feedback across the board.
We spent an impactful day together, with lively exercises around using product techniques such as the product canvas, user story mapping and opportunity solution trees. We considered how to best use AI that actually improves your work in the planning process, how to talk to customers and we drew a map of all the connections in the room. I loved it. Luckily, the team loved it too; with incredible feedback across the board.
Testimonials
Testimonials
Testimonials
“I’ve never ever seen my team this engaged”
Nida Sattar. Product director @ Allica Bank Limited
Participant submitted feedback:
"One of the best trainings I’ve been to in my career"
"it felt involving and uplifiting to learn in this way with my colleagues. Having an external facilitator really helped and Toms nature created a more open atmosphere than I expected"
I’ve enjoyed this day 9 / 10 average
I feel inspired to try these techniques in my work 9 / 10 average
What we covered was relevant to my daily context 9.2 / 10 average
“I’ve never ever seen my team this engaged”
Nida Sattar. Product director @ Allica Bank Limited
Participant submitted feedback:
"One of the best trainings I’ve been to in my career"
"it felt involving and uplifiting to learn in this way with my colleagues. Having an external facilitator really helped and Toms nature created a more open atmosphere than I expected"
I’ve enjoyed this day 9 / 10 average
I feel inspired to try these techniques in my work 9 / 10 average
What we covered was relevant to my daily context 9.2 / 10 average
Collaborators
Collaborators
Collaborators
Nida Sattar Product director @ Allica Bank Limited
Phil James Head of design @ Allica Bank Limited
Hope Furniss Human resource business partner @ Allica Bank Limited
Nida Sattar Product director @ Allica Bank Limited
Phil James Head of design @ Allica Bank Limited
Hope Furniss Human resource business partner @ Allica Bank Limited
Other work
Other work
Other work
Socials
Goodreads