Design Process
Double Diamond
Agile Scrum
Design Thinking
Lean UX
Rapid Prototyping
User-Centered Design (UCD)
My Role
Lead UX / UI designer & researcher
Graphic design supervisor
Lead wireframe designer
Website designer
Focal Point for Stakeholders
Tools Used
Figma
Miro
Google Meets
Slack
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Word
Challenges
Addressing Cultural Sensitivities
Ensuring Transparency and Trust
Translating User Insights into Design
Navigating Competitive Landscape
Understanding Complex User Needs
Managing Complexities
Constraints
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.
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.
Market Research Summary
Money transfer service providers tend to stand out from the competition with special features, or perks for registering and using their services. While some providers prioritise transparent fee structures, others excel in providing comprehensive comparison tools for exchange rates. Other well established global players offer extensive global coverage, or provide one time discounts for first time users. Wise stands out for its focus on essential details and transparent fee structures, while competitors like Finder and Monito excel in providing comprehensive comparison tools for exchange rates. Government-supported Sendmoneypacific instills trust, and established players like Western Union and MoneyGram offer extensive global coverage. Remitly emphasizes emotional connections with users and first-time user discounts. However, varying fees, transfer speeds, and geographical limitations underscore the importance of informed decision-making for users seeking reliable and cost-effective international money transfer solutions.
Market Research Findings:
Wise provides a user-friendly platform with transparent fee structures, emphasizing essential details for international transfers.
Finder and Monito offer comprehensive comparison tools for exchange rates, aiding users in making informed decisions.
Sendmoneypacific is a government-supported company limiting the amount sent and focusing on specific regions.
Western Union and MoneyGram offer extensive global coverage but may have higher fees and longer transfer times compared to some competitors.
Remitly emphasizes emotional connections and first-time user discounts but may have higher rates and fees after the initial transfer.
Competitor Analysis
In assessing the landscape of international money transfer services, competitors such as Wise offer diverse features catering to user needs. Wise stands out for its user-friendly design and transparent fee structures, providing comprehensive comparison tools for exchange rates and offering a reliable platform for transferring money internationally. Government-supported Sendmoneypacific instills trust, while established players like Western Union and MoneyGram offer extensive global coverage. Remitly's emotional connection with users and first-time user discounts enhance its appeal. However, varying fees, transfer speeds, and geographical limitations across competitors underscore the importance of informed decision-making for users seeking reliable and cost-effective international money transfer solutions.
Interview Findings
Empathy Mapping + Findings
Insights + Pains & Opportunities
Personas
Interview Findings
Based on interviews with 35 individuals, the following interview findings were derived:
83% of users expressed significant concern over high exchange rates, resulting in substantial financial losses with each transaction.
Approximately 71% of users reported experiencing prolonged transfer durations when sending money internationally, causing frustration and anxiety, particularly in urgent situations.
Over 89% of users emphasized the importance of transparent pricing models, expressing frustration over hidden fees and undisclosed exchange rates charged by existing money transfer services.
91% of users prioritised trust and security when choosing a money transfer service, emphasising the need for robust security measures and transparent communication regarding data protection and transaction integrity.
Approximately 80% of users expressed the need for user-friendly interfaces and mobile applications that are easy to navigate and operate, especially in regions with limited technological infrastructure.
62% of users requested that the app supports multiple languages to accommodate diverse linguistic preferences.
Over 76% of users emphasized the importance of cultural understandings in app design, recognizing the nuanced cultural contexts of users in under-serviced countries.
Key Findings:
- Concerns over high exchange rates
- Frustration with prolonged transfer durations
- Demand for transparency
- Priority on trust and security
- Need for user-friendly interfaces
- Multilingual support requested
- Importance of cultural understanding
Empathy Map Findings
Gains:
Maximizing the value of money transfers to provide essential support for their families.
Peace of mind from using a transparent and reliable money transfer service.
Feeling valued and understood by a company that caters to the unique needs of immigrant communities.
Confidence in the longevity of transferred funds, ensuring continued support for loved ones.
Opportunities
By leveraging the frustrations expressed by consumers, we've identified key areas for improvement that have guided the ideation process for our solutions.
Transparent Pricing Model: Implement a transparent fee structure that clearly outlines exchange rates and any associated fees. Providing users with visibility into the total cost of their transactions can build trust and loyalty.
Competitive Exchange Rates: Offer competitive exchange rates, especially for transfers to under-serviced countries. Highlighting these competitive rates can attract users who are concerned about losing money due to unfavourable rates.
Fast and Reliable Transfers: Focus on optimizing transfer speed and reliability to reduce delays and alleviate users' stress and anxiety. Providing real-time tracking and notifications can keep users informed throughout the transfer process.
Responsive Customer Support: Invest in a responsive and empathetic customer support team that understands the unique challenges faced by immigrant users. Offering multilingual support and personalized assistance can enhance the user experience and build trust.
Transparency Tools: Develop tools within the app that allow users to compare exchange rates and fees with other money transfer services. Empowering users with information to make informed decisions can differentiate your app in the market.
More research
In certain scenarios where we can set ourselves apart from competitors, I've conducted further research into the market landscape to pinpoint how we can ensure the delivery of exceptional service to our users. While I've been actively refining our offerings through extensive research and testing phases, I'm unable to share the specifics at this time due to confidentiality measures. It's crucial to protect proprietary insights and prevent premature disclosure of sensitive information. Maintaining confidentiality is essential to maintain our competitive edge.
Personas
Crafting a persona representing an immigrant was pivotal, considering they constitute our primary target audience for the Bless Payments app. This persona was carefully constructed to reflect the experiences of individuals who, like many of our users, have family members residing abroad.
By embodying the frustrations of this persona, such as the challenges with high exchange rates, delays in transfers, and the desire to maximise the value of their remittances, we gained profound insights crucial for the design and development process. Addressing these pain points directly ensures that the Bless Payments app is positioned to cater comprehensively to the needs and aspirations of our users, ultimately enhancing their experience and the app's success in the market.
User Flow
Interview Comments
Customer Journey Map
How Might We
Initial Wireframes
User Flow
In crafting the user flow for this project, meticulous attention was paid to the needs and journey of our target persona, representing individuals relying on international money transfers, particularly immigrants supporting loved ones abroad. Understanding their frustrations, aspirations, and interactions with the Bless Payment app was paramount to designing a flow that seamlessly guided them through each step of the process. By mapping out the user's journey, we ensured that every touchpoint and interaction was intuitive, efficient, and tailored to their preferences. It's important to note that while the user flow provides a comprehensive overview, certain confidential steps crucial to the project's success cannot be disclosed in this portfolio. Nonetheless, the user flow serves as a testament to our commitment to user-centered design and delivering a seamless experience for our users.
Interview Comments
Customer Journey Map
How Might We
Based on the extensive research and user insights gathered for the Bless Payments app, here are some "How Might We" (HMW) questions to guide the design project:
Questions:
How might we create features that effectively differentiate Bless Payments from competitors and make it the preferred choice for international money transfers?
How might we design the app to cater to the needs and preferences of users transferring money to their loved ones in under-serviced countries, particularly addressing pain points such as high exchange rates and delays?
How might we enhance transparency within the app to empower users with clear information on exchange rates, fees, and transfer durations, enabling them to make informed decisions?
How might we develop a user-friendly interface and intuitive user flows that guide users seamlessly through the money transfer process, regardless of language or technological proficiency?
How might we leverage visual design elements and branding to establish a trustworthy and recognizable identity for Bless Payments, fostering user confidence and loyalty?
How might we iteratively test and refine our designs through usability testing sessions with target users, ensuring optimal usability and satisfaction with the app's interface?
How might we collaborate closely with developers to ensure the feasibility and successful implementation of our design solutions, considering technical constraints and requirements?
Post Launch:
How might we provide ongoing support and iteration post-launch to continuously optimize the user experience based on user feedback and data analysis, ensuring long-term success and relevance in the market?
These HMW questions serve as guiding prompts to address the challenges and opportunities identified throughout the research and design process for the Bless Payments app, ensuring a user-centric approach and alignment with project objectives and user needs.
Initial Wireframes
Let's take a step back and talk about the initial wireframes and sketches in our design process. These early-stage creations serve as the building blocks for our application design journey. Just as architects sketch blueprints before constructing a building, our wireframes and sketches outline the basic structure and layout of our app. They allow us to visualize the flow of information and user interactions, providing a clear roadmap for the design process. By starting with these rough drafts, we can explore different ideas, iterate quickly, and gather feedback to refine our concepts. In essence, these wireframes and sketches are the foundation upon which we'll build our user-friendly and visually appealing interface.
Initial Wireframes
High-Fidelity Wireframes
Summary
What's Next
Style Guide
Final Designs
Splash Screens
Sign Up Screens
Account screens
Transfer screens
Loading screens
App Store Snippets
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.
What's Next?
The Bless Payments app has been successfully released on both the Android Play Store and Apple App Stores. In addition to its current capabilities, Bless Payments is actively exploring new features to enhance user experience. These include:
Transfer History Filter: Users will soon have the ability to filter their transfer history, allowing for easier tracking and organization of past transactions.
Tutorial / Walkthrough: To assist users in navigating the app effectively, a tutorial or walkthrough feature is being considered to provide step-by-step guidance on using various functionalities.
Additional User-Recommended Features: We welcome feedback from our users on additional features they would find valuable. Any feasible suggestions will be thoroughly evaluated and considered for implementation.
Moving forward, the next steps for UX/UI are as follows:
Conduct User Testing: We will conduct thorough user testing to gather feedback from users and identify any areas for improvement in the app's design and functionality. Based on this feedback, adjustments will be made to enhance the user experience.
Review Analytics: We will closely monitor analytics data to ensure that user interactivity is increasing over time. This will involve analyzing user engagement metrics, such as active users, session duration, and retention rates, to gauge the effectiveness of our design decisions.
Post-Release UX/UI Tasks:
Continuously iterate on designs based on user feedback and emerging trends.
Conduct A/B testing to compare different design variations and determine which ones resonate best with users.
Collaborate with developers to implement new features and improvements based on UX/UI recommendations.
Stay updated on industry best practices and incorporate new design trends to keep the app fresh and relevant.
Conduct regular usability testing sessions to identify any usability issues and ensure the app remains user-friendly.
Monitor app store reviews and respond promptly to user feedback and concerns.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates as we continue to enhance Bless Payments. We have many more features in the pipeline, which will be revealed as they are released into the app. Your feedback and suggestions are invaluable as we strive to create the best possible experience for our users.
