Decision SystemsTrust & SafetyWorkflow Design

Designing for Trust

FriendlyTransfer is a peer-to-peer platform that helps users avoid international fees by coordinating local money transfers without a financial institution. As a Product Designer Consultant, I created a structured, step-by-step experience that built trust between strangers, reduced support inquiries by 45%, and increased closed transactions by 30%.

Problem

Establishing trust and accountability between strangers exchanging money without the authority or infrastructure of a traditional financial institution.

Solution

As a Product Designer Consultant, I introduced a structured flow that guided users step by step, building clarity, trust, and accountability throughout the exchange.

Impact

45% reduction in support tickets and user questions
30% increase in completed exchanges

A Smarter Way to Send Money Across Borders

FriendlyTransfer helps users connect with matching transferring needs based on $ amount, but opposite locations. For example, Tom lives in the U.S. and needs to send $100 to his friend in Ecuador. Meanwhile, Ana needs to send $100 to her mother in the U.S. FriendlyTransfer helps Tom connect with Ana. Tom makes a local transfer to Ana's mother in the U.S., and Ana makes a local transfer to Tom's friend in Ecuador. Both Tom's friend and Ana's mother receive $100 dollars. Tom and Ana save the international transfer costs and the money never moves borders.

Diagram showing how peer-to-peer money exchange works across borders

Research Revealed Users Needed More Clarity and Confidence

Before delving into the challenge, to fully understand FriendlyTransfer's users and their pain points, I conducted three remote in-depth interviews. I also analyzed existing surveys conducted by FriendlyTransfer's founding team.

Key research insights:

Three in-depth interviews with existing users
Analyzed existing surveys & interviews

Affinity mapping results showing user research insights organized by theme

FriendlyTransfer's Process was Unclear, Unstructured, and Hard to Trust

FriendlyTransfer's current transaction process, which involves two users with matching needs agreeing to transfer money locally on behalf of the matching user, takes place inside the chat in the form of a conversation. Users found this process to be informal and unreliable.

"The Platform is Confusing"

1. No Process

Users are unsure who should make the local transfer first. Experienced users had to explain to new users what the process looks like and who makes the local transfer first. New users felt a lack of control not knowing how the process works.

"Once I found users, I left for messaging apps like whatsapp"

2. Untrustworthy

After exchanging phone numbers in platform, some users left to complete their processes in WhatsApp. Once outside FriendlyTransfer, users found themselves feeling vulnerable and insecure as they would have no proof or guarantee of local transfer.

"I'd feel more comfortable if FT was move involved in the process"

3. No Involvement

Users felt that aside from facilitating the connection, FriendlyTransfer serves no further purpose. Users feel that FriendlyTransfer is not involved in the transaction at all - making them feel vulnerable to a problem with the local transfer.

Designing V1 to Fix Clarity, Trust, and Platform Involvement

With these important discoveries, I set out to ideate version one of a possible solution focusing on the following aspects.

Confusing Process

Transparent Process

Untrustworthy

Designed for Trust

No Involvement

Involvement from Friendly Transfer

1. Structured Transaction Process

Through a Step by Step Wizard

Step-by-step wizard interface for structured transaction process

2. Transparent Transaction Process

Through a Step by Step Wizard & Progress Bar

Transaction interface with progress bar showing current step and completion status

3. Involvement from Friendly Transfer

Through a dependency-based transaction

Diagram showing FriendlyTransfer's involvement in dependency-based transaction

User Testing Exposed Missing Control and a Bank-Like Experience

With a basic wireframe prototype, I started guerrilla testing with one new user and remote testing with three existing users. While the prototype solved most problems, it surfaced a problem I hadn't anticipated.

"What if I need to contact my match in the middle of the transaction?"

1. Existing users felt they lost control once in the wizard. They wanted the ability to communicate with their match at all times.

"This feels too structured, like a bank. I thought this was supposed to be different."

2. Existing users felt the wizard reminded them of the negative aspects of a bank.

Refining the Flow: Chat-First, Wizard-Free, More User Control

Allow users to contact their matches at all time by bringing the transaction wizard into the chat.
Without a transaction wizard, no comparison to banks will be made - hopefully.
Allow first- time users to initiate an exchange only when the match has responded.

Revised interface design showing transaction wizard integrated into chat

From Wireframe to Prototype

From the minimal wireframe, I created a prototype using FriendlyTransfer's existing color palette.

High-fidelity prototype showing transaction interface with FriendlyTransfer color palette

Usability Testing Round 1

Starting an Exchange Was an Issue

With the higher fidelity prototype ready, I set out for testing again. I was looking to get answers to specific prototype questions.

Can participants understand how the platform works and how is involved?
Can participants understand how to start an exchange?
Can participants start the exchange successfully?
Can participants understand the forms and process?

	P1	P2	P3	P4
Understood how platform works	With Effort	With Effort	With Ease	With Ease
Understood how to start exchange	With Effort	With Effort	With Effort	With Effort
Started transaction successfully	With Ease	With Effort	With Effort	With Effort
Understood forms & process	With Ease	With Ease	With Ease	With Ease

Adjusting Again

Taking Advantage of Empty State

Understanding how the exchange works, and how to initiate an exchange were clear issues. To address these challenges, I developed the following solutions:

Take advantage of empty state - describe first steps to users.
Reveal exchange steps at the top of the chat - only when match has responded to initial message.

Empty state with instructions for starting an exchange

Interface showing exchange steps revealed after match response

Usability Testing Round 2

Starting an Exchange Was Still a Clear Issue

After two formal testing sessions, I realized the problem persisted and decided to make further adjustments to the design before testing with the next participants.

	P5	P6	P7
Understood how platform works	With Ease	With Ease	With Ease
Understood how to start exchange	With Effort	With Effort	With Effort
Started transaction successfully	With Ease	With Ease	With Effort
Understood forms & process	With Ease	With Ease	With Ease

Yet Again!

Adjusting

Adjusted empty state.
Revealed the Start button, but did not activate it until the match responds.

Refined empty state with visible but inactive start button

Activated interface after match responds to initial message

Could not resist the cliche!

Third Time's the Charm

After the last two simple adjustments, testing participants completed transactions successfully - and joyfully.

	P8	P9	P10
Understood how platform works	With Ease	With Ease	With Ease
Understood how to start exchange	With Ease	With Ease	With Ease
Started transaction successfully	With Ease	With Ease	With Ease

Delivering the final flow

Complete user flow diagram showing the final transaction process

Providing Users a Trust-Based Experience

The final product offers a clear and transparent process that is structured for trust and has involvement from FriendlyTransfer.