The Settlement Institution Struggling to Communicate
Indonesian Clearing and Guarantee Corporation (KPEI) is a Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) established in 1996 with a mandate that defines Indonesian capital market infrastructure: guarantee the certainty and finality of securities settlement. As a central clearing house, KPEI sits at the critical juncture where every securities transaction in Indonesia completes—or fails.
By 2015, KPEI had modernized its operations significantly. Infrastructure had been upgraded. Product offerings had expanded. Service features aligned with international best practices. Yet one critical institutional asset remained frozen in the past: the website that communicated KPEI's services, regulations, and capabilities to the market it served.
The site was a monument to institutional complexity. Accumulated over years, it housed hundreds of pages of regulations, service guides, statistical reports, membership information, and announcements. Every piece of information was technically present. None of it was easily discoverable.
The Information Architecture Crisis: When Content Becomes Liability
KPEI's website problem was deceptively simple: too much information, zero hierarchy.
Clearing members searching for settlement procedures had to navigate through pages about regulatory frameworks, historical statistics, and membership processes. New market participants looking to understand KPEI's role in the ecosystem encountered dense regulatory documentation instead of foundational explanations. Regulators seeking compliance information found it buried alongside marketing material and operational announcements.
1. Why Content Overload Damages Institutional Credibility
For a Self-Regulatory Organization, the website isn't a marketing channel—it's a governance instrument. Clearing members depend on KPEI's website to understand settlement procedures, regulatory changes, compliance requirements, and operational status. Regulators expect to find clear, accessible guidance on KPEI's standards and requirements.
When critical information is buried in clutter, it signals institutional disorganization. A clearing member who spends 15 minutes searching for settlement procedures doubts KPEI's operational rigor. A regulator who can't quickly find compliance documentation questions KPEI's commitment to transparency.
Content overload becomes a credibility liability, not an asset. More information is only valuable if it's discoverable and organized by user need.
2. The Market Participant Pain Points
Different users approached KPEI's website with fundamentally different questions:
- Clearing members needed: settlement procedures, system documentation, regulatory announcements, support contacts, fee schedules
- New market entrants needed: what does KPEI do, how do I participate, what are the requirements, how do I get started
- Regulators and compliance officers needed: KPEI's operational standards, regulatory guidance, compliance documentation, historical data
- Market analysts and media needed: market statistics, trading volumes, settlement data, institutional news
- Internal stakeholders and employees needed: organizational information, announcements, event details, strategic updates
Each group had distinct information needs. Yet they all arrived at a website organized by institutional function (Services, Regulations, Statistics, Membership) rather than by user journey (what you're trying to accomplish).
3. The Institutional Modernization Imperative
KPEI's vision was to become a "Clearing and Guarantee Institution that reliably provides the best services." Reliability depends on clear communication. Best services depend on clearing members understanding how to use them. Institutional credibility depends on transparency about standards and requirements.
Yet KPEI's website communicated chaos. The gap between KPEI's actual institutional maturity and its digital presence created cognitive dissonance: an advanced, professionally managed clearing house operating through a cluttered, poorly organized website.
The Redesign Strategy: Organizing by User Journey, Not Institutional Function
Suitmedia's approach began with a radical reframing: throw away the institutional organization chart and rebuild the information architecture around how users actually interact with KPEI.
The insight was structural. KPEI's website had been organized by internal departments: Services Department, Regulatory Affairs, Statistics & Research, Membership Services. Each department controlled its content. The result was a website that reflected institutional structure, not user needs.
The solution required asking a different question for every page: "Who is trying to accomplish what? What information do they need to accomplish it? In what sequence do they need it?"
1. User Journey Mapping: From Abstract to Specific
Rather than categories like "Services" and "Regulations," the new architecture would be organized around concrete user journeys:
The Clearing Member Journey: A member logging in to settle a transaction needs quick access to settlement procedures, system status, recent regulatory changes, fee information, and support contacts. They're in a work context with limited time.
The New Market Participant Journey: Someone evaluating participation in Indonesian capital markets needs to understand what KPEI does, what the participation requirements are, how to apply, what the costs are, and what support is available. They're in a research/decision context with higher tolerance for complexity.
The Regulatory/Compliance Journey: A regulator or compliance officer needs to quickly access KPEI's regulatory standards, guidance documents, historical compliance data, and institutional governance information. They're in a verification/audit context with specific information needs.
The Market Analyst Journey: Someone researching Indonesian capital markets needs access to statistical data, trading volumes, settlement rates, and historical trends. They're in a research context wanting clean datasets and clear visualizations.
Each journey had distinct information needs, access patterns, and psychological context. The new website would serve each journey explicitly rather than forcing all users through the same generic structure.
2. The Information Categorization: Creating Discoverable Order
With user journeys mapped, the team reorganized existing content into discoverable categories:
About KPEI: Institutional mission, history, organizational structure, leadership—information for users trying to understand what KPEI is and does.
Services: Settlement services, guarantee services, product offerings—what KPEI actually does for market participants.
Regulations & Compliance: Regulatory framework, KPEI standards, compliance guidance, OJK requirements—information for regulators and compliance officers.
For Members: Member requirements, system documentation, settlement procedures, support resources—information specific to clearing member needs.
Market Data & Statistics: Trading volumes, settlement data, market indices, historical analysis—information for market analysts and researchers.
Announcements & News: Regulatory changes, service updates, event information, market alerts—time-sensitive information for all users.
This wasn't just renaming categories. It was reorganizing how information flowed based on user context and need. A clearing member landing on the site would find "For Members" immediately. A new participant would find "About KPEI" and "Services" as entry points. A regulator would navigate to "Regulations & Compliance" directly.
3. Design as Information Hierarchy
The visual design reinforced the information organization. Clutter was eliminated through ruthless prioritization. Not every piece of information belonged on every page. Secondary information was moved to deeper pages or archived. Homepage space was reserved for information users actually needed immediately: current market status, recent announcements, critical regulatory changes.
White space became a tool for clarity. Dense regulatory text was broken into readable sections. Headings and subheadings created visual hierarchy. Lists replaced paragraphs. Key information was highlighted without sacrificing professionalism.
The design philosophy was institutional modernization, not trendy aesthetics. Clean typography. Professional color palette. Clear navigation. The site looked contemporary and managed, reflecting KPEI's actual institutional maturity.
4. Compliance as Design Requirement
KPEI's website had to comply with OJK standards for financial institution websites. Rather than treating compliance as an aesthetic burden, Suitmedia integrated it into the design logic.
Regulatory documentation was organized clearly and prominently. Warnings and requirements were displayed in plain language, not tiny disclaimer text. Fee schedules were transparent. Service standards were explicit. This compliance-first approach actually reinforced institutional credibility—it communicated "we take regulatory requirements seriously and make them transparent."
The Clearing Members Portal: A Parallel Infrastructure
While redesigning the corporate website, KPEI also needed a separate digital product: a members-only portal where clearing members could organize their groups, access company information, manage partnerships, and connect to operational applications.
The members portal was architecturally distinct from the corporate website. It was an authenticated, role-based system with features specific to member operations. Yet it maintained visual and interaction consistency with the corporate website—same design language, same navigation patterns, same information architecture principles.
This consistency mattered. Members who navigated both the corporate site (for general information) and the members portal (for operations) experienced a coherent institutional presence. The two systems felt like parts of the same organization, not disconnected tools.
What Changed: The Institutional Communication Transformation
The modernization unfolded across multiple dimensions, each affecting how KPEI communicated with its ecosystem.
1. Information Became Discoverable
Before: A clearing member searching for settlement procedures would navigate through multiple pages, encountering regulations, statistics, and other content irrelevant to their immediate need. Discovering the right information required persistence.
After: A clearing member landing on the site found "For Members" immediately. Settlement procedures were organized logically. Supporting documents were linked contextually. Critical information was discoverable in seconds, not minutes.
This discoverability shift affected member behavior. Members could self-serve for routine questions, reducing support tickets. Members could quickly understand regulatory changes affecting their operations. Operational efficiency improved through information accessibility.
2. Regulatory Communication Became Transparent
Before: Regulators and compliance officers looking for KPEI's standards and requirements had to search through the general website, finding compliance information mixed with marketing material and operational updates.
After: A dedicated "Regulations & Compliance" section made KPEI's standards, guidance, and compliance documentation immediately accessible. OJK requirements were clearly linked to KPEI's implementation. Institutional governance was transparent.
This transparency improved KPEI's standing with regulators. Clear, easily accessible documentation demonstrated institutional rigor. Compliance communication became proactive, not reactive.
3. Institutional Credibility Strengthened
Before: The cluttered website sent an unintended signal—a well-managed clearing house struggling with institutional communication.
After: The clean, organized website communicated what KPEI actually was: a professionally managed SRO with clear standards, transparent operations, and member-focused services. The digital presence aligned with institutional reality.
This credibility shift mattered most for new market participants evaluating whether to participate in Indonesian capital markets. A clearing house with a modern, well-organized website signals operational sophistication. A clearing house with a cluttered website raises doubts, even if they're unfounded.
4. Public Awareness Increased
As a secondary benefit, the improved design made content more shareable. Clear headlines, concise explanations, and professional presentation encouraged members to share KPEI information through social media. Regulatory announcements, market statistics, event information—content that previously lived exclusively on the website now circulated through social channels.
This social distribution expanded KPEI's reach beyond direct website traffic. Potential market participants encountered KPEI information through trusted peers. Awareness of KPEI's services and market role increased organically.
5. Member Engagement Patterns Shifted
Before: Members visited the website primarily to solve specific problems. They navigated to the minimum necessary information and left.
After: The organized structure and clear navigation encouraged members to explore. A member looking for settlement procedures might discover new services offered by KPEI. A member checking regulatory updates might browse market statistics. The website became a resource for institutional knowledge, not just a problem-solving tool.
This engagement shift created higher institutional familiarity. Members developed deeper understanding of KPEI's full capability. Conversations with KPEI support staff became more sophisticated because members had self-educated through accessible website content.
Three Principles About Information Architecture in Institutional Markets
1. Organization by User Journey Beats Organization by Institutional Function
Most institutions organize websites by internal departments: Services, Compliance, Marketing, Operations. This reflects how the organization is structured, not how users think about information.
KPEI's breakthrough came from organizing by user journey: "What are clearing members trying to accomplish?" "What do new participants need to understand?" "What information do regulators require?" Each user type gets a pathway optimized for their actual needs.
This principle applies to any complex institution serving multiple stakeholder types. Banks organizing by Products vs. Customer Journey. Regulators organizing by Enforcement vs. Industry Participant Need. Healthcare systems organizing by Department vs. Patient Care Journey. User-journey organization always wins over function-based organization because it matches user mental models.
2. Information Overload is a Credibility Problem, Not a Completeness Achievement
Many institutions treat comprehensive websites as competitive advantages: "Look how much information we have!" The opposite is true. Information overload suggests organizational chaos.
For an SRO like KPEI, credibility depends on clear communication. A cluttered website communicates institutional disorganization, even if operations are actually well-managed. A clean, organized website communicates institutional rigor.
Removing information isn't losing value—it's improving signal-to-noise ratio. Every piece of information that's removed from the critical path improves discoverability of information that matters.
3. Institutional Design Reflects Institutional Maturity
KPEI's institutional reality (modern operations, international standards, professional management) wasn't reflected in its website design. The gap created cognitive dissonance for users evaluating the institution.
The redesign aligned institutional presentation with institutional reality. Modern design reflected modern operations. Clear organization reflected operational standards. Transparent communication reflected governance commitment.
For institutions competing on credibility and reliability, design consistency between claimed standards and digital presentation is non-negotiable. A sophisticated clearing house with a dated website damages its own credibility, regardless of actual operational quality.
Strategic Insights for the C-Suite
1. Information Architecture is Infrastructure, Not Decoration
For institutional operators like clearing houses and regulators, the website isn't marketing collateral—it's operational infrastructure. How easily market participants can access critical information affects their operational efficiency and decision quality.
KPEI's information overload wasn't a UX problem; it was an operational efficiency problem. Clearing members spending extra time searching for procedures is friction in the market. Regulators unable to quickly verify compliance documentation undermines supervisory efficiency.
Institutional operators should evaluate websites through an infrastructure lens: Does this design enable efficient market function? Or does it create unnecessary friction?
2. User Journey Mapping Unlocks Information Architecture
Most institutions organize websites by internal structure (departments, systems, functions). This reflects institutional reality but not user needs. Organizing by user journey—what is this user trying to accomplish?—creates architectures that users can actually navigate.
KPEI's breakthrough came from explicitly mapping how clearing members, new participants, regulators, and analysts actually interacted with the institution. Information architecture then followed those real journeys, not internal organizational charts.
Any institution serving multiple stakeholder types should map actual user journeys before deciding on information architecture. The resulting structure will be more discoverable and more useful.
3. Institutional Credibility is Partly Digital Presentation
Users judge institutions partly on how professionally they present themselves. A clearing house with a cluttered, disorganized website creates doubts about operational quality—even if operations are actually sophisticated.
KPEI's redesign aligned digital presentation with actual institutional maturity. This alignment wasn't dishonesty (the old site was actually less representative of KPEI's quality). It was presentation correction—allowing institutional reality to be visible to external stakeholders.
Institutional leaders should regularly evaluate whether their digital presence accurately represents institutional reality. If there's a gap, close it through design improvement, not operational compromise.
4. Clarity Enables Self-Service at Scale
As KPEI's website became clearer, members increasingly found answers independently rather than contacting support. This self-service capability scales institutional capacity without adding headcount.
A clearing member who can self-serve for routine questions (procedures, documents, fee schedules) frees KPEI support staff for genuinely complex issues. At institutional scale, this self-service shift multiplies organizational capacity significantly.
Information clarity isn't just user-friendly; it's operationally efficient. Institutions that make critical information easily accessible can serve more stakeholders without proportional headcount increases.
5. Regulatory Communication Requires Proactive Transparency
KPEI's approach to compliance—displaying it clearly and prominently rather than hiding it in fine print—strengthened relationships with regulators. Transparency about standards and requirements signals confidence and institutional maturity.
This principle extends beyond SROs. Banks, insurance companies, and other regulated institutions that proactively display compliance information build stronger relationships with regulators than those that treat compliance as mandatory disclosure to be minimized.
For regulated institutions, making compliance information transparent and prominent is a relationship strategy, not just a legal requirement. It signals commitment to standards and willingness to be held accountable.
