Solution Design
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Year2022
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RoleLead Product Design / UX
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Website
Case Study
Fully Repayment Automation
When the company launched, the MVP focused on closing loans and credit for entrepreneurs. Now, with the first batch of entrepreneurs nearing the end of their terms, we needed an automated system for loan repayment or refinancing. An essential project after four years of successful operations.
As Lead Product Designer with a focus on UX, I led this initiative together with the Product Owner of the involved Stream Teams to create a seamless, user-friendly experience for different types of entrepreneurs while integrating complex technical systems and ensuring compliance with financial regulations.
This project aimed to:
- Automate the manual repayment process.- Ensure clarity and ease of use for entrepreneurs.
- Integrate with existing systems like Mambu, HubSpot and third-party APIs
Stakeholders:
Customer Operations
Business Analists
Risk & Compliance
Entrepeneurs
Overview & Challenges
This project presented several significant challenges that required careful consideration and strategic planning. The primary challenges included addressing the needs of different user scenarios, ensuring seamless technical integration, and managing large payments within existing financial constraints.
1 - Different User Scenarios
New10's loan portfolio included a diverse range of entrepreneurs, each with unique requirements. We had to design a system that catered to:
- Entrepreneurs with a term loan less than 50K.
- Entrepreneurs with a term loan more than 50K.
- Entrepreneurs with business credit.
2 - Technical Integration:
The automation of the repayment process required integrating multiple technical systems, including Mambu for loan management and HubSpot for customer relationship management. Ensuring data integrity, security, and seamless interaction between these systems was crucial to the project's success.
3 - Payment constraints:
Managing large loan repayments posed a unique challenge due to the limitations of payment methods like 'Tikkie,' which has a maximum transaction limit of €49,999. We needed to find solutions that allowed for secure and user-friendly payment processes while adhering to these constraints.
The process
My role & responsibilities
To tackle the challenges mentioned before, we adopted a comprehensive approach that combined user research, technical exploration, and iterative design. Our methodology ensured that we addressed both user needs and technical requirements effectively. My role encompassed a wide range of responsibilities that were crucial to the success of this project. Through the following approach I was able to lead the project to successful completion, delivering a solution that not only met business objectives but also provided a seamless user experience for entrepreneurs.
Approach
1 - User ResearchUnderstanding the needs and behaviors of our users was the foundation of our approach. We conducted in-depth interviews and surveys to gather qualitative and quantitative data from entrepreneurs across all user scenarios. Additionally, I collected feedback specifically on payment methods, revealing discomfort with using 'Tikkie' for large transactions due to security concerns and transaction limits.
2 - Technical Exploration
Collaboration with our technical teams was essential to map out the integration of Mambu and HubSpot within the repayment process. We created detailed technical flow diagrams to outline data movement and system interactions, and conducted a constraints analysis to identify limitations within the payment systems, particularly focusing on 'Tikkie'.
We devised an integration strategy to ensure smooth data transitions and user experience. This included syncing Mambu with our repayment module and leveraging HubSpot for customer communication and data collection. For the payment gateway, we developed a workaround for 'Tikkie' limitations by breaking down large payments into manageable transactions while ensuring compliance and user convenience.
3 - Design Solution User Flows
With insights from our user research and technical exploration, we developed design solutions that addressed the identified challenges.
I designed tailored user flows for each user scenario, incorporating alternative secure payment methods to address user discomfort with 'Tikkie'. These flows ensured clarity, ease of navigation, and provided step-by-step guidance for managing repayments.
4 - UI Design
The UI design adhered to the design system, ensuring consistency and brand alignment. We focused on creating a responsive design that catered to both desktop and mobile users, and conducted multiple rounds of usability testing to refine the UI, focusing on clarity, ease of navigation, and error prevention.
5 - Test & Refine
User feedback was instrumental in refining our design. We conducted additional user testing to ensure these new payment methods were well-received and met security expectations.
The process
Learnings
The final design solution delivered a robust, user-friendly, and secure automated repayment system, significantly reducing manual workload and errors, and speeding up the repayment process. High user satisfaction scores were achieved due to the intuitive design, clear communication, and secure payment options. We ensured compliance with financial regulations and payment system constraints, demonstrating our ability to blend technical knowledge with user-centered design principles.
However, there were challenges along the way that provided valuable learning experiences. Some users were initially resistant to switching from manual to automated processes, highlighting the need for better change management and user education. The integration of multiple systems posed significant technical challenges, leading to occasional data synchronization issues that required close monitoring and quick resolution. Additionally, implementing multiple payment options increased system complexity, necessitating ongoing maintenance and user support.
These experiences underscored the importance of continual user feedback for refining and improving the user experience, the necessity of close collaboration between design, technical, and business teams for successful project execution, and the value of being adaptable and responsive to user feedback and technical challenges to develop a robust and user-friendly system. This project showcased my ability to lead complex design initiatives, effectively address user needs, and integrate technical systems to enhance the overall user experience.
