Card Activation

Introduction

In a bid to enhance the user experience, I was part of a team that conducted research to understand the Primary Cardholder’s interest in activating their Additional Cardholder’s card. Our findings revealed that 80% of users were interested in this feature, which led to the inception of this project.

Problem Statement

How can we create a digital experience that allows the Primary Cardholder to activate the Additional Cardholder’s card seamlessly?

Requirement

As the sole content designer on this project, I was tasked with creating a seamless experience by delivering content that guides users to complete this task effortlessly and without confusion.

Process Overview

01.

User research

02.

Competitive Analysis

03.

Design Framework

04.

The fun part- Writing

05.

06.

Content Testing

Stakeholder Management and Engagement

01. User research

Working closely with the Product Designer, we conducted moderated research with 10 participants—5 who had Additional Cardholders (ACH) on their account and 5 who did not.

Screenshot of our research findings

Research Objectives

Before designing or putting paper to pen, we wanted to speak to participants to:

Understand the mindset of users who have an ACH and how they approach activating their additional user’s cards.

Understand perceptions of activating for ACHs and gauge comprehension of the pros and cons

Understand what users expected as the next steps in the activation process.

Research Findings

We discovered some valuable insights which influenced our design and copy decisions.

Users wanted a seamless and intuitive approach to activating their Additional Cardholder’s card.
They wanted the option to skip activation and complete it later.
Clear communication about what to do and the next steps was crucial.

02. Competitive
Analysis

I conducted research to explore how competitors approached this feature. However, since only a few competitors offered it, we focused our design on insights gathered from user interviews and feedback during research.

03. Design framework

The designer and I worked closely to create the ideal flow.

While she brought the design to life in Figma, I focused on crafting clear, concise copy to guide users through the activation process.

04. Copy Approach- Tone & Messaging

The copy was tailored to address the Primary Cardholder, as they were the primary audience for these screens. The tone was clear, instructional, and supportive, ensuring users understood the steps to complete the activation process.

The entry point

We strategically introduced the entry point on a screen that users were already familiar with. After the Primary Cardholder successfully activates their card, we provide them with the option of activating for the ACH on the success screen.

Selection view with a pill that aids easy identification.

If a user has more than one Additional Cardholder, I wanted to make it easy for them to identify which card has been activated and which is still pending. To achieve this, we introduced a pill-style indicator for quick and clear identification.

Success screen

The success screen clearly outlined exceptions and highlighted the benefits of completing the activation process, using straightforward and easy-to-understand copy.

Providing users an option to skip activation and complete later

I wrote instructional copy that guided users and directed them to the appropriate channel in case they decided to complete the activation process later.

Writing for an edge case:

It was crucial to account for edge cases in which the Additional Cardholder had not set up their PIN, as this would hinder the Primary Cardholder's ability to activate their card. The copy was clear and provided accurate information on the necessary requirements.

05. Copy Testing

I tested the copy with select users via Playbook UX to ensure clarity and ease of use.

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 90% of users finding the flow seamless and the copy easy to understand.

Users particularly appreciated the “don’t forget” prompt on the success screen and the status pill.

Screenshot of our research findings

06. Stakeholder Management

I shared the results and rationale with stakeholders across Marketing, Product, and internal teams. Feedback was positive, with a few suggested changes that were implemented before the final release

Results

The project launched a month ago (Sept 2024), and so far, we've recorded impressive results.

14% Reduction in phone calls

Thanks to the effectiveness and simplicity of the flow, we have recorded a reduction in the number of calls made to the customer service team regarding activation processes, resulting in approximately $120,000 in savings for the business.

25% adoption and usage

Users have responded positively to this new feature. Since its launch, we have seen a significant number of Primary Cardholders seamlessly and effortlessly activating their Additional Cardholder's cards.

Learnings

Testing your content and asking the right questions is invaluable. It ensures that the final product resonates with users and meets their needs effectively.