Alicia_Design Thinking Exercise

Let’s start with a Background Info on the Company!

My client is the Innovation Department of Whole Bank, Massachusetts (United States). Company’s Ethos: Give customers the most innovative options to save and manage money (of the likes of virtual (currencies).

PROBLEM: The client has detected that the conventional Credit/Debit System shows big inconveniences for traveling customers. Mainly:

1.- Loss and/or damage of physical cards (including chips, magnetic bands, and contactless technology);

2.- PLUS some shops don’t allow credit/debit card payments

THE SOLUTION THAT THEY WANNA IMPLEMENT: A payment feature on their mobile application that they can use exclusively when they travel, instead of using their cards.

Currently, customers using the Whole Bank app can access their financial information, create wire transfers, block lost/stolen cards, and apply for a loan.

Your client’s direct competition?

Say Hi to the world of Contactless Payment apps!

Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, Paypal app, Fitbit Pay, Square contactless reader, Visa payWave for mobile, Mastercard PayPass, or any bank mobile application that support Contactless.

More broadly we can include all Contactless Payment systems a.k.a. key fobs, smart cards, credit cards and debit cards,, or other devices, that use radio-frequency identification (RFID) or near field communication (NFC) Wikipedia

Look for the symbol at checkout. It’s pretty much everywhere!

No need of keying a PIN or signing a receipt, typically requiring a distance of 4cm when making a payment.

CONS: lack of reliability — Apple pay terms & conditions: “El Banco dejará de prestar el Servicio de forma inmediata en el caso que Apple Inc.como proveedor del Banco para la plataforma Apple PAy deje por cualquier motivo de prestar su servicio al Banco”.

Travelers’ needs abroad

I asked the following questions to my sample of travelers to get to know better where we stand in the travel payment sphere ;)

What’s the main payment method you use while abroad and its inconveniences?

Where and how do you change your cash?

Tell me about how you currently do and would like to keep track of travel expenses.

What are the main problems using a banking app while abroad?

How easy/difficult is for you paying with an app? Why?

If you could choose whatever you wanted… what would you love to have in a paying app while traveling that would be very handy?

Interviewees’ comments: Highlights — the most repetitive issues and feelings I found while chatting up.

If it needs data or if it takes ages to load and/or open f* it I am better off with 2 normal credit cards, hate that fuss.

Offline + speed: light-weight

I refuse to use 1,000 apps it kills my battery!!

Integrated feature no additional app

I already have storage issues in my phone

Light-weight built still no need to download- you can still use the Wallet

All those Apple pay ,Paywave, etc are credit card products. It does not provide direct access to my cheque and savings accounts so how do I track my expenses? I wanna see them both in local currency and track them in my own currency in real time.

And a separate line with all the fees upfront.

And I wanna know clearly where they come from no weird names that I cannot understand.

Simple 3-column display and instant exchange calculations

What if I lose my mobile?

Back ups: Easy access without the need to download it through any other mobile device, tablet or PC and of course you still have your credit card.

Who’s accepting that contactless tech?

Shop locator using the GPS of your device & Google Maps linked to Yelp ratings.

You need cash because if you are there and they don’t accept it then? What if I need the cash?

That’s still an option: ATMs, Bank branches and Exchange Currency shops locator using the GPS of your device & Google Maps PLUS suggestions on where to find the lowest fees/ most economical cash retrieval options.

I prefer to authorize every transaction I make, but pressing the PIN on their terminal is risky (they can see my password) and slow.

Fingerprint/single touch or code on your phone after waving.

Basically the user profile we have here is The Conservative a.k.a “We’ve never had a problem with Visa”. This user values effectiveness over anything else. Quedarse colgado is their biggest fear.

What is the main problem that you are trying to solve?

Fluid as cash

Where to find cash

On What and How Much I spent

How did you solve the problem?

Create a “wallet” light feature with permanent offline access optimizing Battery & Storage usage + authorization touch, GPS locators and exchange calculated expenses

e. Photos of your paper prototype design

f. Share a few key things that you learned throughout this process

I learned that uncertainty abroad is the main issue for many users and provide them with tons of ahead info s.a. locators and easy-to-wear and no fuss- similar to cash features is the main value they’re looking for.

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