user research

product strategy

sketching

wireframing

prototyping

functional documentation

Project: Product strategy and design for a money movement mobile app in Mexico.

Problem statement: Over the course of 10 weeks, we worked with Banco Azteca’s Dinero Express (DEX) division to help them transform their business from supporting customers in brick and mortar stores to becoming the ultimate digital money movement platform in Central America. This was an urgent business need as the company was falling severely behind new players in the field who were heavily attracting the younger tech-savvy generation over DEX.

Process: To understand the user and market context in Mexico, we started with field research as well as stakeholder interviews. We used our learnings to define how DEX needs to position itself and created a product strategy based on insights from the field. We designed key flows and architecture of the Android app. To ensure the product was built right, I produced documentation for client team. This documentation showed our platform agnostic approach, enabling client to also develop their iOS app easily.

My role and responsibilities: I worked closely with a creative lead, two visual designers, a researcher and a strategist. I led the interaction design track, creating all artifacts (wireframes, flows, prototypes etc.).

As we were prepping for the field, we started developing early hypothesis on pain points such as excruciatingly long lines in stores and lack of distinguished DEX brand in retail stores. We structured our research around confirming these and conducting participatory design exercises with participants. 

As soon as we were in the field, some of those early hypothesis started breaking. For instance, people did not care about the excruciatingly long lines. They simply accepted it as “Just something you have to do”. They mainly cared that the money got to their families fast and secure. They also did not care about lack of branding, solely focusing on utility of the store. Some of the insights I want to highlight:

• Major mistrust in institutions are part of everyday life and dictate how people think about money. Many participants hesitated to discuss their own financial choices, assuming it may affect them somehow. We needed to make the product induce user trust first and foremost.

• People desire transparency and control over their money. Participants repeatedly mentioned pain of not knowing status of money sent/received. In remote parts of Mexico, it was typical for a family member to travel long distances only to learn money was not yet received. We needed to create a product with clear instructions, status and record of money movement to ease the user. 

Building trust by providing transparency

• On the 3 layered interaction model, first layer is the base with home and activity feed.

  • I proposed this structure because we learned how important it is for users to know their money is safe first and foremost. This way when they launch the app, user immediately sees how much money they have, the last transaction that occurred and can immediately start a key transactional flow.

  • I placed activity feed on the same level, only a tap or swipe away. This feed surfaces users’ money movement (receipts, status of sent and received money with their community). And easy access enables user to know when a loved one picks up money from a retail location.

  
  

Hand holding during the unfamiliar first use

• Top layer on the interaction model is transactional flows that occur on modal windows, letting user focus on the complex flows. 

• All transactional flows feature progressive forms, making sure users see all details in one screen and pursue without errors or confusion. 

• We also added an informational screen that appear the first time a transactional flow is initiated. Providing clarity to an unfamiliar experience, helping user feel at ease to continue.

Reassuring the user