Redesigning cross-border payment to reduce anxiety
UX AUDIT
CONTENT DESIGN
TACTICAL SUPPORT
PROJECT GOAL
To redesign the ICICI Money2World cross-border platform by reducing user anxiety, simplifying the experience while ensuring regulatory compliance, and aligning it with global UX standards.
PROJECT GOAL
To redesign the ICICI Money2World cross-border platform by reducing user anxiety, simplifying the experience while ensuring regulatory compliance, and aligning it with global UX standards.
MY ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES
My role focused on content design with attention to regulatory compliance and user-friendly language. I also revamp key user journeys across both desktop and mobile platforms, while closely coordinating with developers, PMs, and product owners to ensure smooth execution.
DESIGN TEAM
Sugesh Sugathan
Sanket Biswas
Atmaja Patel
BANKING TEAM
Developers
Product Managers
Product Head
DURATION
6 months
IMPACT
Higher transaction success through simplified and
guided experiences.
Fewer support queries and improved completion rates
Increase in engagement across platforms
IMPACT
Higher transaction success through simplified and guided experiences.
Fewer support queries and improved completion rates
Increase in engagement across platforms
Is it as simple as sending money via Venmo or Paypal?
UX Challenge
Current gaps in the experience
The overall experience of the existing platform was dated and the process too complicated, leading to a sizeable drop-off rate. Around 11,000+ transactions were on hold in 2023 itself, which was due to -
UNCLEAR NAVIGATION
Lack of clear structure and grouping, making it difficult for the users to navigate. In this example, the ‘Transfer Money’ page is open, yet the navigation still shows ‘Money2World’ as the active state.
MENTAL MODEL MISMATCH
The use of colour is misleading and doesnt align users mental model. For instance, here, green is used to indicate a “Transaction Cancelled” status, which is confusing, as such messages are typically associated with red or another warning color.
POOR CONTEXTUAL COMMUNICATION
Important messages and input fields are not properly highlighted. It’s unclear whether the user should enter the full loan amount or just the amount they wish to transfer.
INCONSISTENT DESIGN SYSTEM
The design system is not consistently followed. There is excessive use of different fonts, colors, icons, and buttons throughout the app. Even the tone of the UX copy is inconsistent.
COMPLEX JARGONS & COMPLIANCE
Overuse of banking terminology and technical language, making it difficult for users to follow through. T&C acceptance and declarations are repeated at multiple steps in the user journey, leading to frustration.
MISSING HIERARCHY OF INFORMATION
There is a lack of information hierarchy and grouping, making it difficult for the user to scan, understand and locate what they are looking for. Most of the key details are buried or presented without prioritization.
UX Challenge
Current gaps in the experience
The overall experience of the existing platform was dated and the process too complicated, leading to a sizeable drop-off rate. Around 11,000+ transactions were on hold in 2023 itself, which was due to -
Unclear navigation
Lack of clear structure and grouping, making it difficult for the users to navigate. In this example, the ‘Transfer Money’ page is open, yet the navigation still shows ‘Money2World’ as the active state.
UNCLEAR NAVIGATION
Lack of clear structure and grouping, making it difficult for the users to navigate. In this example, the ‘Transfer Money’ page is open, yet the navigation still shows ‘Money2World’ as the active state.
MENTAL MODEL MISMATCH
The use of colour is misleading and doesnt align users mental model. For instance, here, green is used to indicate a “Transaction Cancelled” status, which is confusing, as such messages are typically associated with red or another warning color.
POOR CONTEXTUAL COMMUNICATION
Important messages and input fields are not properly highlighted. It’s unclear whether the user should enter the full loan amount or just the amount they wish to transfer.
INCONSISTENT DESIGN SYSTEM
The design system is not consistently followed. There is excessive use of different fonts, colors, icons, and buttons throughout the app. Even the tone of the UX copy is inconsistent.
COMPLEX JARGONS & COMPLIANCE
Overuse of banking terminology and technical language, making it difficult for users to follow through. T&C acceptance and declarations are repeated at multiple steps in the user journey, leading to frustration.
MISSING HIERARCHY OF INFORMATION
There is a lack of information hierarchy and grouping, making it difficult for the user to scan, understand and locate what they are looking for. Most of the key details are buried or presented without prioritization.
The question I had
How can we simplify this complex process of sending money abroad while preserving the seriousness and trust required for financial transactions?
Our process
How did we solve this?
Stakeholder visioning
User research
Competitor
analysis
UX audit
Streamlining
user flows
Streamlining
user flows
Constraints
Balancing compliance, consistency & collaboration
RBI compliance & regulations
The UX copy had to comply with extensive RBI guidelines, requiring careful attention to phrasing, disclaimers, and content structure.
The UX copy had to comply with extensive RBI guidelines, requiring careful attention to phrasing, disclaimers, and content structure.
The UX copy had to comply with extensive RBI guidelines, requiring careful attention to phrasing, disclaimers, and content structure.
Lack of existing design system
ICICI did not have a standardized design system, so we quickly established foundational guidelines to ensure consistency and scalability across.
ICICI did not have a standardized design system, so we quickly established foundational guidelines to ensure consistency and scalability across.
ICICI did not have a standardized design system, so we quickly established foundational guidelines to ensure consistency and scalability across.
ICICI did not have a standardized design system, so we quickly established foundational guidelines to ensure consistency and scalability across.
Cross - functional cordination
Cross - functional coordination
The project involved continuous collaboration with developers and PMS, leading to frequent iterations to balance feasibility and compliance.
Our solution
Design for high anxiety
International fund transfers come with high emotional stakes due to large sums and unfamiliar regulations, leading to user anxiety. We reduced this friction by simplifying the login process, introducing a clear dashboard, and adding contextual nudges to provide clarity, reassurance, and control.
International fund transfers come with high emotional stakes due to large sums and unfamiliar regulations, leading to user anxiety. We reduced this friction by simplifying the login process, introducing a clear dashboard, and adding contextual nudges to provide clarity, reassurance, and control.
Our solution
Speak the user's language
The overuse of financial jargon in banking often overwhelms users and adds to their anxiety. We addressed this by simplifying the content, using clear and conversational language to enhance understanding, build trust, and guide users.
The overuse of financial jargon in banking often overwhelms users and adds to their anxiety. We addressed this by simplifying the content, using clear and conversational language to enhance understanding, build trust, and guide users.
Our solution
Design for global aesthetics
Our expert review found that the interface looked outdated in both its appearance and functionality. To meet global standards, we redesigned the entire journey, streamlining data entry, digitizing offline forms, and simplifying the document submission process. The result was a clean, modern, and intuitive experience that users could easily navigate.
Our expert review found that the interface looked outdated in both its appearance and functionality. To meet global standards, we redesigned the entire journey, streamlining data entry, digitizing offline forms, and simplifying the document submission process. The result was a clean, modern, and intuitive experience that users could easily navigate.
Outcome
How did the change help?
A simplified user onboarding path minimizing potential disruptive points
A holistic dashboard that ensures users are continuously updated on their total remittances and their respective statuses
Hyper-simple journeys designed to avoid human error & to meet global visual standards
Conversational user journeys that alleviate anxiety by providing step-by-step instructions and autosave functionality
A simplified user onboarding path minimizing potential disruptive points
A holistic dashboard that ensures users are continuously updated on their total remittances and their respective statuses
Hyper-simple journeys designed to avoid human error & to meet global visual standards
Conversational user journeys that alleviate anxiety by providing step-by-step instructions and autosave functionality
