UX research case study: How user experience research built a better FinTech product

Business Issue

Sharing finances is complicated. A FinTech company wanted to create a joint bank account product that would simplify money sharing. They needed to understand both the practical and emotional limitations of traditional products, so they could build a better one. Different user research methods would be needed to answer key questions:

• What isn’t working with traditional joint accounts and other money-sharing methods?
• What are the emotional challenges around money sharing?
• How can money sharing be a delightful experience for customers?

The client needed answers but didn’t want to delay the product development timeline. They were looking for an agile user experience research solution that could keep pace with product development.

What We Did

The research was broken into four phases and utilized multiple methods:

Phase One: Identifying the optimal target

We conducted a remote diary study and in-depth interviews with three segments. The Product Management and Product Design teams were then brought in for an ideation session to identify the optimal target segment for the first product version release. Areas that needed further understanding for feature development were also identified.

Phase Two: Uncovering target needs

With the target set, the client needed to dig into current behaviors regarding budgeting, spending, saving, shared goals, and privacy preferences. A UX research ethnography unearthed a variety of privacy concerns. This was critical for the development team. They now knew what features were needed to address user concerns.

Phase Three: Usability testing

Usability testing is the most common of user research methods. This one involved a series of iterative individual remote tests of the joint account prototype across various stages. There were some red flags. But true to the goal of keeping pace with development, we prioritized usability problems based on 1) severity, 2) the effort required to resolve, and 3) the impact on feature release goals. This allowed the client to move forward strategically to meet their launch date.

Phase Four: Beta Testing

A remote beta testing program was created to invite prior research study participants and waitlisted customers into an early experience of the joint bank account feature. The beta program included weekly remote diaries and interviews to understand if and how features were being used to solve presumed problems.

Result

The product team successfully launched the first iteration of the product to a singular high-value segment. Instead of building a ho-hum product for all segments, our UX research approach focused their design and features on clear needs and expectations. Iterative testing uncovered over 200 user issues and dozens of bugs that the team was able to address and meet their launch date.

Find out more about Escalent’s UX research capabilities and talk to us about how we can help you create experiences that convert visitors into long-standing customers.