Onboarding for PayPal Prepaid
Timeline
June 2024 - Nov 2024
Platform
Responsive web and app
My Role
Lead Product Designer
Introduction
PayPal's Prepaid Debit, a flagship product generating $30 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), faced challenges with user app acquisition and engagement, particularly during the onboarding process. This decline was directly impacting the product's overall performance and profitability.
To address these challenges, we implemented a redesign initiative focused on optimizing the onboarding experience.
The goal was to reduce drop-offs, increase in-app card activations, and enhance overall user satisfaction. By improving the initial user experience, we aimed to drive long-term customer loyalty and increase the product's lifetime value.
Research
To identify the root causes of user drop-offs at onboarding, we conducted a comprehensive audit of the existing platform. This included a heuristic evaluation to pinpoint usability issues and a thorough analysis of user feedback, surveys, and complaints. ​
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Data-Driven Insights
Onboarding Bottleneck: Approximately 80% of user issues were directly related to the onboarding process, highlighting its critical role in user acquisition and retention.
Higher Lifetime Value:
Users who activated their cards in the app demonstrated a 50% higher lifetime value (LTV), emphasizing the importance of optimizing the onboarding experience for long-term customer benefits.
Key Findings:
Confusing User Flows
Users struggled to navigate between account creation and card activation, leading to frustration and abandonment.
Existing PayPal Prepaid app before the redesign, highlighting outdated design patterns.
Mapped the existing flow and performed a heuristic evaluation to identify critical usability issues in the PayPal Prepaid app, driving informed design improvements.
Outdated Design Patterns
The platform's design was outdated and inconsistent, creating a negative user experience
Inconsistent Messaging
Messaging was unclear and confusing, hindering user understanding and contributing to errors.
Opportunity Defined
Despite generating $30 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), PayPal's Prepaid Debit was hindered by high onboarding drop-offs, particularly among users who preferred phone-based activation. This preference led to lower customer engagement and reduced Lifetime Value (LTV).
Mapped the existing flow and performed a heuristic evaluation to identify critical usability issues in the PayPal Prepaid app, driving informed design improvements.
Hypothesis:
Improved Login Experience
By streamlining the logged-out home screen by removing unnecessary links and buttons, and providing clear, concise messaging for sign-up and sign-in options will increase user clarity and reduce IVR calls related to login issues by 25% within 6 weeks.
Streamlined Card Activation
By simplifying the card activation steps, providing real-time progress updates, and incorporating a progress bar and intuitive navigation will increase card activation rates by 30% and reduce customer service inquiries related to card activation by 20% within 3 months.
Simplified Onboarding
By implementing a more intuitive and efficient CIP process, including clear instructions, automated verification options, a progress bar, and reduced options on the logged-out home screen, will increase sign-up conversion rates by 20% within 8 weeks and improve user satisfaction.
Ideation and Concepting
To address the identified challenges, we conducted brainstorming sessions and explored various design concepts. Key areas of focus included:
Approach 1: Account First
Given the unique onboarding experience involving both in-store purchases and digital activation, we explored the possibility of an account-first approach. This model would allow users to establish their account and basic information before proceeding with the more complex steps of CIP/KYC and card activation.
Rationale: By separating the account creation process from the verification steps, we could minimize upfront friction and encourage more users to complete the initial stages.
Potential Benefits: A simplified initial step might encourage more users to complete the onboarding process and activate their cards leading to increased conversion rates.
Challenges: Significant development time, potential disruption to existing users, and increased risk of introducing new errors.
Comparison of two potential design options, each addressing different user pain points identified during testing.
Creating this user flow in the ideation phase clarified the onboarding journey, helping us spot friction points early and design for better user engagement and conversion.
Approach 2: Optimize Existing Flow
For this approach, we aimed to optimize the current flow by revisiting the Customer Identification Program (CIP) and Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines and enhancing the onboarding process through improved UX elements. This involved keeping the existing flow structure intact while introducing features designed to make the experience more intuitive and user-friendly.
Rationale: Refining the current flow while incorporating enhancements could provide a more targeted solution.
Potential Benefits: Faster implementation, reduced disruption to users, and a more focused approach to addressing specific pain points.
Challenges: Limited scope for radical changes, potential for missing opportunities for innovation.
Optimizing the existing flow by enhancing CIP/KYC processes with intuitive UX improvements, aiming for a quicker implementation and minimal disruption while addressing key pain points.
Chosen Approach and Rationale
After evaluating both approaches, we decided to proceed with Approach 2—optimizing the existing flow while enhancing the onboarding process with improved UX elements. This decision was driven by several factors:
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Minimizing Disruption: Maintaining the current structure allowed us to build on a familiar experience for users while addressing key pain points. This minimized the risk of confusion that a complete overhaul might have caused.
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Faster Implementation: By enhancing existing features rather than redesigning the entire flow, we could implement changes more quickly and meet our project deadlines without compromising on quality.
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Regulatory Compliance: Revisiting the CIP/KYC steps ensured that we adhered to the latest compliance requirements without introducing significant friction into the user journey.
Clear User Benefits:
The progress indicators, improved copy, and streamlined verification processes addressed the core issues identified in user feedback, increasing the likelihood of higher activation rates and better user satisfaction.
This approach allowed us to strike a balance between innovation and familiarity, making the onboarding process more user-friendly without disrupting the experience for existing customers.
I created user flow diagrams outlining all entry points and scenarios, including mail and in-store card orders. This helped us refine the onboarding process and ensure a smooth experience across various user journeys.
Wireframing and Prototyping
Once the key approaches were defined, I began translating these ideas into wireframes to visualize the redesigned onboarding experience. The focus was on creating a more intuitive, guided flow that addressed the pain points uncovered during research, while ensuring the design remained compliant with PayPal’s regulatory requirements.​
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Low-Fidelity Wireframes: I started with low-fidelity wireframes to outline the basic structure and navigation of the redesigned onboarding process. These wireframes helped establish a clear flow from account creation to card activation, incorporating features like the progress indicators and simplified messaging.
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User Flow Enhancements: The wireframes highlighted critical areas where users previously dropped off, allowing me to focus on improving those touchpoints. For example, I redesigned the card activation screen to provide more feedback and added progress updates during CIP/KYC verification steps.
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Iterations: I shared the initial wireframes with stakeholders and the development team to ensure technical feasibility. Feedback was incorporated into subsequent iterations, which helped address any concerns about user confusion and legal compliance.
After multiple rounds of refinement, the final wireframes were transformed into interactive prototypes. These prototypes were designed to simulate the full onboarding experience, allowing stakeholders and users to test the flow before full implementation.​​​
Early wireframe of the redesigned PayPal Prepaid onboarding flow, focusing on simplifying navigation and improving the card activation process.
Interactive prototype of the new onboarding flow, showcasing improved usability with streamlined steps for account creation and card activation.
Key Findings:
Real-Time Feedback
Progress bars and confirmation messages at each step ensured users knew exactly where they were in the onboarding process.
Simplified Onboarding Copy
Clear, concise instructions replaced outdated messaging, reducing user confusion and improving overall satisfaction
Seamless Transitions
The redesigned flow allowed users to move smoothly between the steps, ensuring there were no abrupt or confusing transitions.
Using Testing
Following the wireframing and prototyping phases, we conducted a series of user tests to validate the design decisions and ensure that the revised onboarding flow addressed the identified pain points. The primary focus was on testing the usability of the flow and the clarity of messaging, especially regarding card activation and the relationship between the prepaid card and PayPal.
Following the wireframing and prototyping phases, we conducted a series of user tests to validate the design decisions and ensure that the revised onboarding flow addressed the identified pain points. The primary focus was on testing the usability of the flow and the clarity of messaging, especially regarding card activation and the relationship between the prepaid card and PayPal
User Testing Insights:​​​
To validate our design decisions and ensure that the revised onboarding flow effectively addressed the identified pain points, we conducted multiple rounds of user testing.
Key Focus Areas:
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Usability: Testing the ease of navigation and completion of the onboarding process.
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Clarity of Messaging: Assessing user understanding of key concepts, particularly card activation and PayPal integration.
User Testing Insights:
We tested the new flow with a diverse group of 20 participants, focusing on the following areas:
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Clarity of Card Activation: Whether users could easily understand the difference between "Activate Card" and "Link Activated Card."
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Onboarding Flow Expectations: Whether the sequence of creating an account, activating the card, and linking with PayPal was intuitive.
These prototypes were then tested internally with the CX team before proceeding to external user testing.
"Yeah, so for linking the activated card, I would expect to see information around it."
Key Findings:
Messaging Confusion
8 out of 20 participants expressed confusion about the difference between "Activate Card" and "Link Activated Card." This confusion was likely due to the similar terminology and lack of clear differentiation between the two actions.
Misaligned Expectations
12 out of 20 participants expected to create an account before activating their card, indicating a mismatch between user expectations and the flow.
integration Uncertainty
6 out of 20 participants were unclear about the app's integration with PayPal, unsure whether they needed a separate prepaid account or if logging in with PayPal would suffice.
"Linking an activated card means it's enabled to work at stores but isn't associated with an account that I think makes sense."
Iterations Based on Feedback
To address these issues, we implemented the following changes:
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Simplified Terminology: To reduce confusion between "Activate Card" and "Link Activated Card," we simplified the language and provided additional context in the form of help text.
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Flow Restructuring: We adjusted the flow to allow users to create their accounts first before activating their card, aligning with user expectations.
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Enhanced PayPal Messaging: We provided clearer instructions on how the prepaid card connects to a user's PayPal account and when to use "Log in with PayPal."
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Visual Cues: We introduced visual cues, such as icons or color-coding, to guide users through the onboarding process and make it more intuitive.
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Additional Testing and Iterations
Based on the insights from the initial round of testing, we conducted additional user tests with a focus on the revised flow and the newly introduced visual cues. We found that these changes significantly improved user understanding and reduced confusion.
Outcome
Through multiple iterations and continuous user testing, we were able to create a more intuitive and user-friendly onboarding flow. Participants reported a clearer understanding of the process, reduced confusion, and increased satisfaction with the overall experience.
Tested screen
Iteration
Final Design
Key Improvements
Improved Login Experience
By simplifying the logged-out home screen by removing unnecessary links and buttons, and providing clear, concise messaging for sign-up and sign-in options will increase user clarity and reduce IVR calls related to login issues by [X%] within [Y] weeks.
Streamlined Card Activation
by simplifying the card activation steps, providing real-time progress updates, and incorporating a progress bar and intuitive navigation will increase card activation rates by [X%] and reduce customer service inquiries related to card activation by [Y%] within [Z] months.
Simplified Onboarding
By implementing a more intuitive and efficient CIP process, including clear instructions, automated verification options, a progress bar, and reduced options on the logged-out home screen, will increase sign-up conversion rates by [X%] within [Y] weeks and improve user satisfaction.
Collaboration and Alignment
Through close collaboration with our Design Systems Manager and the design and engineering teams, we ensured that the final product was not only visually engaging but also highly functional. The design aligned with both business goals and user needs, creating a positive and effective onboarding experience.
Collaborative design efforts ensured a visually engaging and functional onboarding experience.
Development and Implementation
As we continue to refine and iterate on the product, I've collaborated closely with both front-end and back-end teams to ensure that the design is translated into a seamless and functional user experience. Effective communication and collaboration have been essential in bridging the gap between design intent and technical feasibility.
Key Responsibilities:
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Agile Development:Worked within an agile framework, collaborating closely with developers in iterative sprints to ensure that the design is implemented efficiently and aligns with project goals.
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Front-End Collaboration: Partnered with front-end developers to ensure that the user interface elements, animations, and interactions are implemented precisely according to the design specifications. Conducted regular check-ins and design reviews to fine-tune components and ensure responsiveness across devices.
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Back-End Integration: Worked closely with the back-end team to align design elements with the business logic and API integration. This included setting up smooth flows for account creation, card activation, and user data retrieval, ensuring a seamless interaction between the design and underlying architecture.
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Design Handoff and Documentation: Provided comprehensive design documentation, detailing every component, flow, and interaction. This ensured that developers had clear guidelines and assets, reducing the chances of misinterpretation and ensuring a smooth implementation process.
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Iterative Feedback: Participated in testing throughout the development process to identify and address any design or usability issues. Provided feedback to ensure that the final product aligns with the original design vision.
Current Status
As we continue in production, we are closely monitoring user feedback and performance metrics to identify areas for further improvement. We are committed to ongoing iterations and optimizations to ensure that the onboarding experience remains seamless and effective.
Collaboration with front-end developers during a design review to ensure accurate implementation of UI elements and interactions.
Design documentation outlining key components and flows, facilitating a smooth handoff to the development team for accurate implementation.
Launch and Evaluation
To effectively measure the impact of the redesign, we collaborated with the data team to implement Quantum Metric tracking from the project's inception. This ensured that we had the necessary tools in place to monitor performance at launch.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
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Sign-Ups: Conversion rate of PayPal Prepaid account sign-ups.
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Engagement: Growth in Weekly Active Users (WAU) and Monthly Active Users (MAU).
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Card Activations: Number of card activations completed online, reducing reliance on phone activation.
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Measuring Impact
These metrics will help us measure the impact of the redesign on user behavior and ultimately drive higher Lifetime Value (LTV) and improve overall program performance.
Post-Launch Analysis
As we prepare for the upcoming launch, we are eager to analyze the data to gain insights into user interactions with the redesigned experience. These insights will guide further enhancements and ensure that we continue to meet user needs effectively.
