Serving the underserved
Company
American Express
Timeline
2015
Role
Product Designer
Team members
PM, Engineer
The challenge
Serve is a prepaid debit account that provides the benefits of online banking for people unable or unwilling to get a credit card or traditional bank account. Tax season is one of the biggest initiatives that Serve tackles each year.
It is an opportunity to help people receive their tax refund quickly and electronically, showcasing Serve’s strengths as a digital banking alternative.
My approach
Auditing, research, synthesis, design workshops, and design
The results
increase in funds loaded from the previous year
Building trust when it’s needed most
Taxes are stressful - especially for those that depend on a refund to pay for essential living costs. Tax season is, therefore, an important time for Serve to support its customers by assisting with refunds. By talking to customers to understand their mindset and overall sentiments around taxes, I was able to create a clear and simple process that gives them confidence and in turn, builds their trust in the Serve platform.
There are two states of a user’s journey: adding a refund and using a refund. To support this, I designed a tabbed structure with a numbered guide within each state. The resulting journey thoughtfully leads users from high level information to specific details using intuitive language, components, and overall structure. The step-by-step solution guides and supports them from the moment they land on the platform through using their money in the way they want.