Successful market establishment of a mobile payment app

For in-store payments, online transactions and money transfers between people. It was created at a time when mobile payment apps were massively entering the market and fighting for dominance among customers.

Client:International Financial Instituteion

Target Group:People aged 12+ for P2P and P2B transactions

region: Switzerland

Platform:iOS, Android

Device: Smartphone

Duration:3 years

Created: 2016

My Role:Professional UX designers

My Tasks:

Requirements understanding & concept support

Contribute to functional requirements in collaboration with business analysis, product management and development
Validation of requirements from a UX and application perspective
Design of core functions such as online payments, P2P/P2B transactions, registration, contact management, bonus programs and rolling limits

Conception & UX design

Development of feature concepts for payment processes (QR, Bluetooth, Code)
Design of interaction flows and information architecture for central app functions
Creation of wireframes and interactive prototypes
Further development of the UI design within the framework of existing design guidelines (CI)

Validation, testing & iteration

Planning and conducting user tests with different target groups
Use of UX methods such as A/B testing, card sorting, field testing and think-aloud testing
Evaluation of test results and iterative optimization of designs

Stakeholder, development and team coordination

Presentation of functions and prototypes to the client and development team
Coordination of technical feasibility with development
Close internal coordination in everyday project life between UX, business analysts, development and testers

Business Value:

Successful market launch and establishment of a scalable mobile payment platform in the Swiss market despite late market entry
Less rework and higher product quality through early validation with prototypes and continuous UX, accessibility and field testing
Lower support effort and better inclusion through targeted optimization of accessibility
Faster decisions and more efficient implementation through close, agile collaboration in a one-team setup across all departments

Result

Mobile payment app

Launched with the most important core features, continuously developed and has firmly established itself in the Swiss market.

Ease of useThanks to user and accessibility tests, the app is intuitive to use and accessible to all user groups.
More featuresManagement of customer cards, coupons, wallt features and other convenience functions for the user.

Payments to stores

Stress-free payment at the checkout, conveniently in online shops or at the village shop around the corner. Via QR code, Bluetooth or input code.

Transfers between people

Sending and receiving money between private individuals is straightforward and possible directly.

Initial situation

Market situation & project start

Mobile payment is becoming increasingly importantThe smartphone is increasingly becoming the central means of payment.
Market pressure and positioningThe client is late in the market compared to the competition and has to catch up in order to secure a leading position.
Coordination and implementationThe client's project management works closely with our team of developers, testers, UX design and project management.

No-code testing

Moderated laboratory study

Test subprojects solve tasks on the prototype (mobile & desktop) and speak their thoughts out loud in order to immediately identify hurdles.

Illustration of a usability test with an older participant, a researcher at the smartphone and a note taker in the background.

Screen cut of a user test app: On the left the start interface of the payment app, on the right the face of the 25-year-old user recorded via the smartphone front camera for the analysis of facial expressions and reactions.

Screen cut of a user test app: On the left the recipient choice of the payment app, on the right the face of the 43-year-old user recorded via the smartphone front camera for the analysis of facial expressions and reactions.

Screen cut of a user test app: On the left the amount entered in the payment app, on the right the face of the 76-year-old user recorded via the smartphone front camera for the analysis of facial expressions and reactions.

Screen cut of a user test app: On the left the transmission confirmation of the payment app, on the right the face of the 23-year-old user recorded via the smartphone front camera for the analysis of facial expressions and reactions.

Structure & Design Validation

A/B testing to check texts and layout as well as card sorting to prioritize functions.

Paper prototypes for user testing, showing marked app variants A and B on a table.

Close-up of a card sorting session in the user research with German-language term cards for the structuring of app content.

Role play

Service simulation (bodystorming)

In addition to the digital interactions, all physical processes are also simulated.

Simulation of a payment process with a smartphone app at a test checkout in a Wizard-of-Oz user research setup.

Simulation of a contactless payment process with a smartphone at a beacon in the context of a usability study.

Lab setup for a Wizard-of-Oz user test with labeled stations: A shows a vending machine model, B a round table with laptop, and C the simulated checkout operated by a researcher.

Scenario A - QR code payment at a life-size printed vending machine.
Scenario B - Payment code in a clickable prototype in online retail, including checking the forced device switch between smartphone and desk screen.
Scenario C - Payment process via Bluetooth as a role play at the checkout with underlying time pressure due to the checkout situation.

Field test

The client's staff canteen

Enables testing under real-world conditions, including social interaction and technical hardships such as offline payments.

Real user test of a mobile payment app at a canteen cash register with a cashier in the background.

Design cycle

Common process of feature development

Customer briefingRequirements for a new function are discussed with the client and open points are clarified at at early stage.
Design elaborationDesign concepts are created, coordinated internally and specified after acceptance by the client.
Implementation and supportDevelopment of functions, with at accompanying focus on usability and micro-interactions.
Quality testing & presentationFinished functions are tested, final adjustments are made and finally presented to the client.

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