Bless Payments
My Role
Lead UX / UI designer & researcher
Graphic design supervisor
Lead wireframe designer
Website designer
Key Presenter
Constraints
Delivering against a tight schedule
Working within budget constraints
Leveraging available technology
Project scope requires clear definition
Lack of team familiarity with regulatory compliance guidelines
Tools Used
Figma
Miro
Google Meets
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Word
Bless Overview
Bless Payments is a mobile app created by migrants to make international money transfers easier, focusing on transparency, efficiency, and fairness. It helps users securely send money to loved ones in underserved countries, addressing high exchange rates and delays. Supporting over 16 languages, the app ensures accessibility for a diverse audience. Designed with user needs in mind, Bless Payments offers simple navigation and features to streamline transfers and improve financial well-being.
Challenge:
As the Lead UX/UI Designer for the brand-new Bless Payments app, built entirely from scratch, the primary challenge was to create a seamless and user-friendly experience for a diverse user base, particularly immigrants who transfer money internationally. This involved designing wireframes and prototypes, as well as crafting both low-fidelity and high-fidelity screens, to address specific pain points like high exchange rates, transfer delays, and complex user interfaces.
The project required balancing simplicity with functionality while ensuring the app met the needs of users in underserved countries. My role encompassed guiding the design process from initial sketches to final high-fidelity screens, integrating user feedback to refine the app’s usability and accessibility.
Project Hurdles:
Addressing Cultural Sensitivities
Ensuring Transparency and Trust
Translating User Insights into Design
Navigating Competitive Landscape
Understanding Complex User Needs
Managing Complexities
CHAPTER ONE
Think
Research Objectives
Understand user needs in under-serviced countries.
Identify gaps in existing money transfer services.
Determine user preferences for affordability and reliability.
Ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
Explore technology solutions for secure transfers.
Consider cultural factors influencing user behaviours.
Improve user experience and accessibility.
Define target audience through personas.
Investigate technology accessibility in target regions.
Gather and analyse user feedback for iterative improvements.
Competitor Analysis
In assessing the landscape of international money transfer services, competitors such as Wise offer user-friendly design and transparent fees. Sendmoneypacific builds trust, while Western Union and MoneyGram provide global coverage. Remitly's emotional connection and discounts add appeal. However, varying fees, speeds, and limitations highlight the need for informed decision-making.
35
Candidates Interviewed
5
Different Apps
$1,000+
Lost In Fees
23
Languages
Interview Findings
High Exchange Rates
83% of users expressed significant concern over high exchange rates, resulting in substantial financial losses with each transaction.
Transfer Duration
71% of users reported experiencing prolonged transfer durations when sending money internationally, causing frustration and anxiety, particularly in urgent situations.
Transparency
89% of users emphasised the need for transparent pricing, expressing frustration with hidden fees and undisclosed exchange rates from existing services.
Trust & Security
91% of users prioritised trust and security, emphasising the need for robust measures and clear communication about data protection.
Friendly Interfaces
80% of users wanted user-friendly interfaces and mobile apps that are easy to navigate, especially in regions with limited technology.
Multilingual Support
62% of users requested that the app supports multiple languages to accommodate diverse linguistic preferences.
Empathy Map Findings
Building on customer frustrations, key improvements were identified to guide the creative process toward effective solutions.
Transparent
Pricing Model
Implement a transparent fee structure that clearly outlines exchange rates and any associated fees.
Competitive Exchange Rates
Offer competitive exchange rates, especially for transfers to under-serviced countries.
Fast and Reliable Transfers
Focus on optimising transfer speed and reliability to reduce delays and alleviate users' stress and anxiety.
Transparency
Tools
Develop tools within the app that allow users to compare exchange rates and fees with other money transfer services.
More research
To stand out from competitors, further market research was conducted to ensure exceptional service delivery. While offerings are being refined through research and testing, specifics cannot be shared due to confidentiality. Protecting proprietary insights is crucial to maintain a competitive edge.
Persona
Creating a persona representing an immigrant was pivotal, considering they are our primary target audience for the Bless Payments app. This persona was carefully constructed to reflect the experiences of users with family members abroad, embodying their frustrations with high exchange rates, transfer delays, and the desire to maximise remittance value.
By understanding these challenges, we gained profound insights crucial for the design and development process. Addressing these pain points ensures that the Bless Payments app comprehensively caters to our users' needs and aspirations, ultimately enhancing their experience and the app's success in the market.
Problem Statement
The creation of the Bless money transfer app stems from the pressing issues faced by users in under-serviced countries, where high exchange rates and prolonged transfer durations are prevalent. These challenges result in significant financial losses and emotional distress for users, highlighting the need for a solution that offers transparency, affordability, and reliability in international money transfers.
CHAPTER TWO
MAKE
User Flow
Customer Journey Map
Before diving into any UX/UI design project, it's essential to grasp the user journey. Why? Well, understanding how users interact with our product helps us empathise with their experiences, pinpoint pain points, and cater to their needs effectively. By mapping out this journey, we can craft interfaces and interactions that are intuitive and seamless, ensuring that our design truly serves the user and leads to a successful product.
Initial Wireframes
Early wireframes and sketches served as the foundation for the app's design. These rough drafts outlined the basic structure, allowing us to visualise user flow, explore ideas, iterate quickly, and gather feedback to refine our concepts.
Style Guide & Design system
CHAPTER THREE
FINAL DESIGN
The final screens were designed for simplicity, clarity, and user-friendliness, supporting multiple languages and right-to-left reading. Every element was crafted to enhance usability and accessibility. Users are encouraged to install the app to experience its features and our commitment to continuous improvement.
Splash Screens
Sign Up Screens
Account Screens
Loading Screens
App Store Snippets
Post Lanch Issue
After receiving feedback from users regarding difficulties with applying promo codes to their transfers, we conducted a thorough review of the promo code process through user testing. The results revealed that a majority of users encountered issues with applying promo codes, finding the process to be somewhat complicated. This feedback prompted us to reevaluate and redesign the relevant screens to streamline the promo code application process. Interestingly, this was a problem that surfaced after the app's launch, as our pre-launch testing had not revealed any issues. By addressing this feedback and implementing design changes, we aim to enhance user experience and ensure a smoother process for applying promo codes in the Bless Payments app.
Before
After
Project Summary
The Bless Payments app is a migrant-focused solution crafted to overcome the hurdles encountered when sending money across borders. Informed by thorough research and direct user input, this app provides a smooth and transparent money transfer experience. Offering competitive exchange rates, clear fee structures, and live tracking features, migrants can effortlessly send funds to their loved ones overseas. With an intuitive interface, multilingual capabilities, and support for right-to-left reading orientations, Bless Payments caters to the diverse needs of migrants worldwide. In summary, it stands as a dependable and user-centric platform tailored to facilitate seamless financial support for families across different countries.
Analytics & Outcomes 🚀
Android Play Store
Apple App Store
Lessons Learned
Throughout the development of the Bless Payments app, I learned valuable lessons in UX/UI design and team collaboration. One significant challenge was the initial complexity of the voucher option, which required users to select, embed, and apply the voucher manually. After receiving user feedback, we simplified this process to a single click, greatly enhancing user satisfaction. Working with a small, agile team, we faced pressure but leveraged each member's strengths, resulting in a high-quality product. Despite tight deadlines, our cohesive effort ensured timely delivery. Within the first three months of release, the app had a notable impact: the Android store saw a 30.87% increase with 189 new users, and the Apple store experienced a 189% increase with 101 new users. This growth demonstrated our app’s effectiveness and the importance of addressing user needs and feedback.
Leading the UX UI Design for the Bless Payments app provided key insights into effective user-centred design and service delivery.
What's Next?
The Bless Payments app is now available on Android and Apple stores. New features in development include:
Transfer History Filter: For easier tracking and organisation.
Tutorial/Walkthrough: To guide users through the app.
User-Recommended Features: User feedback is welcomed for potential new features.
Next steps for UX/UI:
User Testing: Gather feedback to improve design and functionality.
Review Analytics: Monitor user engagement metrics.
Post-release UX/UI tasks:
Continuous Iteration: Update designs based on feedback and trends.
A/B Testing: Compare design variations for optimal user experience.
Developer Collaboration: Implement new features and improvements.
Industry Best Practices: Incorporate new design trends.
Usability Testing: Regular sessions to identify and fix issues.
Monitor Reviews: Respond to user feedback and concerns.
Stay tuned for updates as Bless Payments continues to enhance the app.
DISCLAIMER
The following case study pertains to the application designed during my tenure at Bless Payments. All rights, including intellectual property rights associated with the designs, screens, and concepts presented herein are the sole property of Bless Payments. As the project designer, I do not retain any ownership of the mentioned screens or designs. This disclaimer is provided to ensure clarity and prevent misinterpretation that I own or retain rights to any of the showcased work. It is hereby acknowledged that the work presented herein is the exclusive property of Bless Payments.
