Smart ID to Smart Pay

Apr 18

PROJECT OVERVIEW

ABOUT OUR CLIENT
Shoptaki provides a platform for storing and transferring data securely through the use of blockchain technology for individuals and business, while offering clients a Smart ID.

UX TEAM
Christine Chang, Stella Hang, Sierra Ocampo, Ava Salazar, & Hazal Turgutlu

TOOLS USED
• Figma for design
• Optimal Workshop surveys
• Maze heat maps
• Trello project management board
• Google suite

TIMELINE
Four weeks

BUSINESS GOAL
Create a digital space that will build trust with individuals and business owners for managing their finances, while providing convenient and secure payment transactions.

UX RESEARCH + DESIGN SKILLS USED
• Competitive comparisons
• User interviews
• Questionnaires
• Persona creation
• Affinity mapping
• Design studio
• Heat map testing
• Usability testing
• Wireframes & prototypes
• Articulating design strategies

PRE-RESEARCH

Before meeting with our client, our team needed to gather a general understanding of the company. We knew two things: the firm was built around smartchain technology with A.I. and, while they had an existing app, they required a new platform for their clients to track their finances and make payment transactions for both personal and business use. Since the company described their smartchain technology as being a concept of blockchain technology, we conducted brief research on blockchains (with the help of MIT’s online lectures), and analyzed Shoptaki’s existing app, website, and service offerings.

THE RESEARCH JOURNEY

Our research journey began with the focus of three distinct categories, which allowed us to develop SmartPay, an app that would run as a counterpart to Shoptaki’s primary app.

Who are the users? What are their needs and concerns?

We first needed to hear from people that were familiar with digital payments, learn what their met and unmet needs are, while gauging their comfort level with the emerging technology. We discovered these key points:

POSITIVE ASPECTS
• Convenience
• Attracted to apps with lower fees
• Attracted to apps with clear communication about transactions

CONCERNS
• Finding multiple ID verification methods when onboarding
• Security involving identity theft & exposure
• Little knowledge of how it works
• Transaction fees
• Long transfer wait times

It was a bit daunting to hear that our client wanted to make the app accessible to everyone and the only specifics were to make tool options available for small business owners, but as we searched for people to interview, it became apparent that people with a wide range of income, ages, gender, from locations including several US metropolitan cities, Germany, Sweden, South Korea, and Turkey, had experience with either a payment website or app leading us to discover who we are designing for:

TARGET AUDIENCE
Average person sending/receiving money and small business owners

TARGET MARKET
Money transfer & cryptocurrency, utilizing universal identification (Smart ID)

What is common between the platforms our users are familiar with?

We analyzed popular payment apps to dissect common processes and design systems of sending/receiving money; noting differences between local and multinational platforms.

INTERNATIONAL PLATFORMS
• Low fees
• Transparency in exchange rates and breakdown of fees

LOCAL PLATFORMS
• Quick & convenient
• Access to funds within 2-3 business days
• Social trust (many people they know use the same platform)

Will cryptocurrency need to be utilized on Smartpay?

Our analysis of popular payment platforms showed many offered ways to trade and store cryptocurrencies and NFTs (non-fungible tokens). These services dovetailed with blockchain technology. We concluded that Shoptaki should make its smartchain technology available to crypto users, as a unique selling point that would create a willingness to pay.

INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE

BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FROM THE GROUND UP

Bottom Navigation Bar:
• Wallet
• Pay / Request
• Crypto
• Profile

These became the pillars of our app where our team was able to begin the design process.

TESTING THE FOUNDATION

User Task Test: Selecting Recipient to Send Money

In this initial lo-fi design, the user was guided by a pop-up message on how to complete the action of selecting a recipient to send money to. However, this created more confusion. Instead of clicking on the red “x” button to exit pop-up message and swipe on desired recipient, users assumed the message needed to be swiped, and were unable to continue to the next step.

This first round of testing helped us to understand what was intuitive to users - how to go about the overall information architecture structure, strengthening the foundation of the app. We went back to the drawing board, re-designed the action flow, and performed another round of testing.

Screenshot of a Maze heat map used to conduct usability tests showing a successful click rate.

Final Prototype for Sending Money

Our design was structured to clearly communicate to users about transaction fees, exchange rates, timing of transactions, scheduling payments, a timed safeguard to cancel accidental transactions, and a thoughtful way to find contacts.

Our final designs resolved major obstacles and concerns of users, while also keeping the integrity of Shoptaki’s values. By understanding both the user needs and the company values, we became aware that trust between them was the key for success.

As we continued the design process, ran continuous A/B testing, and refining, our team eliminated as many errors as possible, contributing to building that trust.