Design Thinking Exercise 8/27/2017

Denise Ortiz Rios
Aug 27, 2017 · 4 min read

We needed to create a solution for a hypothetical company named Whole Bank. Based on their current offerings and services for their clientele (creating wire transfers, blocking lost/stolen cards, and even applying for a loan all via their mobile app), I imagined that Whole Bank would likely be an innovative bank, aiming to be on par with the likes of Chase and CitiBank.

Whole Bank is #bae

Our task was to create a feature for this (already existing) application that allows the bank customers to pay for things using the mobile app. The idea is to give customers access to a payment feature that they can use exclusively when they travel, so instead of using their cards, they can use the app on their mobile devices.

This exercise was very UX focused, encouraging us to STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER AND GATHER USER RESEARCH! As this was my first attempt into interviewing in this capacity, I was quite nervous and initially delayed this assignment.

Once I decided to dive in and start casually asking questions, it was quite easy to obtain information from my subjects.

Pain Points Identified during interviews

I learned quickly that my initial approach was significantly different than the solutions that my subjects were looking for. I also learned to not underestimate the value of my subjects’ opinions…. they had a lot of valid feedback!

3 out of 5 subjects expressed a significant concern with the safety of using credit/debit cards abroad. When traveling, they were always preoccupied with the card being physically stolen or identity theft. One interviewee even mentioned that if your wallet was ever stolen, that the wallet would include your ID and social security card as well (a gold mine for a thief). These subjects were open to a digital payment option (via smartphone app), as long as it was extremely secure and no intruders could access personal information if the phone was stolen.

1 out of 5 subjects mentioned that banks’ fraud prevention departments are extremely proactive. While they appreciated this effort, it often created an enormous hassle if they forgot to notify the bank prior to their travels. Subject often found themselves embarrassed when a card was declined during trips, and then had to take time during vacation to call the bank when abroad.

1 out of 5 subjects expressed that obtaining cash abroad was an uncomfortable experience. Using cash was necessary in countries that didn’t have tech savvy options available; but it was scary to carry large amount of cash for fear of being robbed. Subject recommended that the app have a feature that recommends a daily average spending amount (based on meal prices & local activities). If the traveler had to withdraw cash, they wouldn’t have an excessive amount of money (and would have more peace of mind).

My Rapid Paper Prototype

first draft of solutions to user pain points

I tried to address all 3 concerns in my paper prototype. Upon completing the paper sketches, I am identifying things I can improve on, but it was good to get the first ideas written down.

The app already has the fingerprint technology implemented for smartphone, so the login procedures be secure for the account holder from the beginning.

For customers who are forgetful and do not call their bank before traveling: I recommend enabling the location service option on the smartphone, so the bank app can track where the client is at all times. Therefore, eliminating the need for the client to call the bank at all.

A wallet feature that enables the user to pay from any account, as well as any credit cards added to the wallet. Each card can be used as a point of purchase with a unique barcode. This way the customer doesn’t have to carry their cards when walking around abroad.

Since utilizing cash in some countries is inevitable, the cash calculator would include an algorithm that calculates the average anticipated amount that the customer could spend in one day. The customer would enter some basic data, and based on pricing in that area (determined by GPS), the app would recommend a withdrawal amount.

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    Written by

    UX/UI Designer, Miami native. Lover of sandals, chap stick, and sleeping at any given opportunity. deniseortiz.co

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