About
I redesigned Venmo, a mobile payment service for quickly sharing money between friends and family. With this context, it is essential that tasks are very transparent and easy to follow. I focused on analyzing two tasks: making a payment and transferring money to the bank.
My Role
I redesigned the Venmo app with Bryce King and Jodalys Herrera for the Stanford course “Product Design Methods.” I conducted user interviews and synthesized data to find key usability issues with the Venmo app. Next, I created lo-fi and hi-fi prototypes and ran usability studies with target users to gain valuable feedback. We presented our final prototype to a team of Stanford design professionals.
Skills/Tools
Hierarchical Task Analysis, User Flows, Figma Wireframes, Prototyping, Usability Testing, Data Synthesis
Problem
How can we maximize efficiency, clarity, and ease of use for Venmo users?
Hierarchical Analysis and User Interviews
We conducted hierarchical analyses and user interviews for the Venmo payment and transfer processes in order to identify key problem areas. Quotes from user interviews:
“I always get confused about the transaction button and the pay button”
“I’ve never clicked on this button in my life” (in regards to the crypto tab)
“I don’t like how unsatisfying it is to press the pay button… how do I know if the money sent?”
Personas and User Flows
From our user interviews, we found that key problem areas in the Venmo app were efficiency, clarity, and ease of use while making payments and transferring money to the bank. To improve these areas, we ideated different strategies such as emphasizing successful payments with visual cues and implementing a universal button that has the ability to manage balance, make payments, and request payments. We incorporated these strategies into user flows.
Physical Prototype and Heuristic Evaluation
We created a physical prototype and tested it with Venmo users to gain key insights:
● Pros: simplicity of the design, the universal button, keypad + scroll feature, confirmation page was very communicative, logical sequencing
● Cons: the bottom menu was unclear, not enough error handling, no accessibility features
Our highest priority tasks were the the universal button, successful payment/transfer signifiers, and consolidating icons from the bottom menu.
Lo Fi Prototype and Usability Testing
After creating a lo fi prototype, we ran three user tests to gain feedback. Users were tasked with paying a Daniella $5 and transferring their Venmo balance to their bank account.
High priority design changes after user tests: Improve clarity of scroll feature, improve error handling and provide a way to leave confirmation screen, add Siri accessibility feature
Mood Board
We kept the original Venmo branding while drawing inspiration from apple wallet, iMessage, and other scroll wheels and confirmation signals online.
