Overview

As the Lead Design Strategist for an innovation unit focused on helping fintech clients drive innovation, I collaborated with MACH, a financial service in Chile, to introduce a unique credit product aimed at empowering young, credit-wary users. Unlike traditional banks, MACH wanted to be perceived as an ally, guiding users toward responsible credit use rather than encouraging debt. This project focused on creating a supportive, differentiated experience to build trust and position MACH as a bank of choice.

Challenge

MACH had not yet released a credit card but wanted to do so in a way that set it apart from competitors. The challenge was to discover and design a credit card experience that would be trusted by users, encouraging healthy financial habits and positioning MACH as an empowering partner rather than a typical financial institution focused on high-interest debt.

Approach

Led Discovery Research: Conducted and directed user interviews and desk research to uncover key insights, mapping out user mindsets and guiding the product’s initial direction.
Facilitated Co-Creation Workshop: Led a three-day collaborative workshop with MACH’s C-suite, aligning on problems and outcomes, ideating solutions, and refining the product concept.
Crafted Initial Concept: Developed a unique credit product concept centered around MACH’s mission to become a financial ally, focusing on responsible credit use and user empowerment.
Prototyped for User Testing: Created a low-fidelity prototype to validate design choices with real users, ensuring the concept resonated with the target audience.
Gathered and Analyzed Feedback: Conducted user testing sessions, gathering valuable insights that informed key design adjustments.
Iterated and Pivoted: Refined the concept based on user feedback, shifting from a credit score focus to gamifying healthy financial habits, directly aligning with MACH’s mission to support users’ financial growth.

Solution

Our solution was a gamified app that rewarded users for responsible financial behaviors, featuring intuitive dashboards, educational tools, and customizable spending controls. Together, these elements provided a supportive, empowering experience that aligned with MACH’s values and business goals.

Outcome

User feedback confirmed that MACH’s approach was perceived as distinctively supportive, aligning with its mission to become the preferred bank for young Chileans. The client’s leadership was highly supportive, with the concept securing full buy-in to proceed with further design and development.

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