Saving the Build: Redirecting Resources to What Mattered
The Problem: A hackathon winner. Internal excitement. A feature ready to be designed and built.
The idea was to have a Quick Pay shortcut that let users save payment details for faster repeat transactions to the same person. The only thing missing was evidence that anyone actually wanted it.
The Business Risk: The team was ready to move straight to development. I pushed to test the design first although nobody thought it was necessary. Since there was no extra budget for this, I piggybacked on a research study already in progress to do it without adding extra cost.
My Role: Advocated for and led user testing before a single line of code was written. Research revealed that users didn't see value in Quick Pay — the time saving was minimal, the payments weren't frequent enough, and saving fixed details didn't match how they actually paid. What they wanted was smarter access to recent payees — something far simpler to build and far more useful.
Outcome: Resources were refocused. The right feature got built instead.
Client
Virgin Money | ME Bank | Bank of Queensland
Role
Lead Researcher | Product Designer
Stakeholders
Development Lead | Product Team | Design Lead
/ Context
3
brands, Mobile-first feature parity (untested assumption)
2
Legacy platforms overdue for retirement
33
%
Customers aged 66+, making accessibility non-negotiable
215K
+
Customers to migrate without losing trust or confidence
How might we replace outdated systems with a modern platform that scales across brands and feels seamless for every customer ?
/ Discovery
Testing the Assumption Before the Build
I planned and led end-to-end user research to test interest, behaviours, and usability for the proposed feature.
Participant Recruitment: Created screeners and recruited 6 participants through ChitChat.
Testing Set Up: Prepared Dovetail templates and moderation guide for consistent testing.
Moderated Testing for Real-Time Insight
I facilitated all sessions to understand: a) how often users repeat payments, b) what they value in managing payees, and c) their concerns around saving payment data.
Prototyping: I designed alternative payment flows in Figma to test whether Quick Pay solved a real problem or just assumed one.
Stakeholder Collaboration: I presented findings directly to the team and product lead, making the case to redirect resources before a single line of code was written.
Task-Centric Mental Models
Theme
Users preferred Internet Banking for complex, information-heavy tasks when depth and control mattered more than convenience.
Insight
Feature Expectations
Theme
Users wanted advanced tools on desktop—search, filters, personalisation—not just mobile parity.
Insight
Password-Less Login
Theme
Users favoured secure, seamless login over traditional passwords—accessibility and ease won.
Insight
Support Preferences
Theme
In-app chat beat call centres for quick help; calls were reserved for complex needs.
Insight
Synthesis
Post-research, I tagged and analysed all insights in Dovetail. Patterns emerged quickly: the hypothesis didn't hold. User needs pointed somewhere else entirely.
Users didn't see value in Quick Pay. The time saving was minimal, payments weren't frequent enough, and fixed details didn't match how they actually paid. What they wanted was smarter access to recent payees.
/ Design
Pivoting Based on Real User Needs
Research revealed that users simply wanted the app to remember who they paid last. This shifted focus from Quick Pay to enhancing Recent Payees within the Address Book.
/ Impact
Refined Personas & Mental Models
We moved away from age- and demographic-based personas, focusing instead on users’ task mindsets. Internet Banking users valued depth and detail; Mobile Banking users preferred speed and simplicity for quick wins like alerts.
Feature Expansion vs Feature Parity
We shifted from a rigid mobile-first approach to a context-first strategy. Desktop became the hub for heavy-lift tasks; mobile stayed lean for on-the-go needs. Each platform played to its strengths.
Successful Migration
Research-grounded design reduced contact centre dependency and gave users a migration experience that didn't erode trust which was the baseline goal for 215k customers.
/ Reflection
Reusable Research Templates
Post-project, I built standardised Dovetail templates and global tagging systems. These cut synthesis time and made cross-project collaboration seamless.
Upgraded Playback & Insights
I redesigned the playback format, adding a section for core user pain points and behaviour patterns. This made findings easier to action and improved design alignment across teams.
Deeper Stakeholder Alignment
We hosted inclusive workshops that invited candid feedback and collective decisions, which built trust and shifted how the organisation valued research input.
Saving the Build: Redirecting Resources to What Mattered
The Problem: A hackathon winner. Internal excitement. A feature ready to be designed and built.
The idea was to have a Quick Pay shortcut that let users save payment details for faster repeat transactions to the same person. The only thing missing was evidence that anyone actually wanted it.
The Business Risk: The team was ready to move straight to development. I pushed to test the design first although nobody thought it was necessary. Since there was no extra budget for this, I piggybacked on a research study already in progress to do it without adding extra cost.
My Role: Advocated for and led user testing before a single line of code was written. Research revealed that users didn't see value in Quick Pay — the time saving was minimal, the payments weren't frequent enough, and saving fixed details didn't match how they actually paid. What they wanted was smarter access to recent payees — something far simpler to build and far more useful.
Outcome: Resources were refocused. The right feature got built instead.
Client
Virgin Money | ME Bank | Bank of Queensland
Role
Lead Researcher | Product Designer
Stakeholders
Development Lead | Product Team | Design Lead
/ Context
3
brands, Mobile-first feature parity (untested assumption)
2
Legacy platforms overdue for retirement
33
%
Customers aged 66+, making accessibility non-negotiable
215K
+
Customers to migrate without losing trust or confidence
How might we replace outdated systems with a modern platform that scales across brands and feels seamless for every customer ?
/ Discovery
Testing the Assumption Before the Build
I planned and led end-to-end user research to test interest, behaviours, and usability for the proposed feature.
Participant Recruitment: Created screeners and recruited 6 participants through ChitChat.
Testing Set Up: Prepared Dovetail templates and moderation guide for consistent testing.
Moderated Testing for Real-Time Insight
I facilitated all sessions to understand: a) how often users repeat payments, b) what they value in managing payees, and c) their concerns around saving payment data.
Prototyping: I designed alternative payment flows in Figma to test whether Quick Pay solved a real problem or just assumed one.
Stakeholder Collaboration: I presented findings directly to the team and product lead, making the case to redirect resources before a single line of code was written.
Task-Centric Mental Models
Theme
Users preferred Internet Banking for complex, information-heavy tasks when depth and control mattered more than convenience.
Insight
Feature Expectations
Theme
Users wanted advanced tools on desktop—search, filters, personalisation—not just mobile parity.
Insight
Password-Less Login
Theme
Users favoured secure, seamless login over traditional passwords—accessibility and ease won.
Insight
Support Preferences
Theme
In-app chat beat call centres for quick help; calls were reserved for complex needs.
Insight
Synthesis
Post-research, I tagged and analysed all insights in Dovetail. Patterns emerged quickly: the hypothesis didn't hold. User needs pointed somewhere else entirely.
Users didn't see value in Quick Pay. The time saving was minimal, payments weren't frequent enough, and fixed details didn't match how they actually paid. What they wanted was smarter access to recent payees.
/ Design
Pivoting Based on Real User Needs
Research revealed that users simply wanted the app to remember who they paid last. This shifted focus from Quick Pay to enhancing Recent Payees within the Address Book.
/ Impact
Refined Personas & Mental Models
We moved away from age- and demographic-based personas, focusing instead on users’ task mindsets. Internet Banking users valued depth and detail; Mobile Banking users preferred speed and simplicity for quick wins like alerts.
Feature Expansion vs Feature Parity
We shifted from a rigid mobile-first approach to a context-first strategy. Desktop became the hub for heavy-lift tasks; mobile stayed lean for on-the-go needs. Each platform played to its strengths.
Successful Migration
Research-grounded design reduced contact centre dependency and gave users a migration experience that didn't erode trust which was the baseline goal for 215k customers.
/ Reflection
Reusable Research Templates
Post-project, I built standardised Dovetail templates and global tagging systems. These cut synthesis time and made cross-project collaboration seamless.
Upgraded Playback & Insights
I redesigned the playback format, adding a section for core user pain points and behaviour patterns. This made findings easier to action and improved design alignment across teams.
Deeper Stakeholder Alignment
We hosted inclusive workshops that invited candid feedback and collective decisions, which built trust and shifted how the organisation valued research input.
Saving the Build: Redirecting Resources to What Mattered
The Problem: A hackathon winner. Internal excitement. A feature ready to be designed and built.
The idea was to have a Quick Pay shortcut that let users save payment details for faster repeat transactions to the same person. The only thing missing was evidence that anyone actually wanted it.
The Business Risk: The team was ready to move straight to development. I pushed to test the design first although nobody thought it was necessary. Since there was no extra budget for this, I piggybacked on a research study already in progress to do it without adding extra cost.
My Role: Advocated for and led user testing before a single line of code was written. Research revealed that users didn't see value in Quick Pay — the time saving was minimal, the payments weren't frequent enough, and saving fixed details didn't match how they actually paid. What they wanted was smarter access to recent payees — something far simpler to build and far more useful.
Outcome: Resources were refocused. The right feature got built instead.
Client
Virgin Money | ME Bank | Bank of Queensland
Role
Lead Researcher | Product Designer
Stakeholders
Development Lead | Product Team | Design Lead
/ Context
3
Complex Products, 3 Brands, 2 Platforms
2
Legacy platforms overdue for retirement
33
%
Customers aged 66+, making accessibility non-negotiable
215K
+
Customers to migrate without losing trust or confidence
How might we replace outdated systems with a modern platform that scales across brands and feels seamless for every customer ?
/ Discovery
Testing the Assumption Before the Build
I planned and led end-to-end user research to test interest, behaviours, and usability for the proposed feature.
Participant Recruitment: Created screeners and recruited 6 participants through ChitChat.
Testing Set Up: Prepared Dovetail templates and moderation guide for consistent testing.
Moderated Testing for Real-Time Insight
I facilitated all sessions to understand: a) how often users repeat payments, b) what they value in managing payees, and c) their concerns around saving payment data.
Prototyping: I designed alternative payment flows in Figma to test whether Quick Pay solved a real problem or just assumed one.
Stakeholder Collaboration: I presented findings directly to the team and product lead, making the case to redirect resources before a single line of code was written.
Task-Centric Mental Models
Theme
Users preferred Internet Banking for complex, information-heavy tasks when depth and control mattered more than convenience.
Insight
Feature Expectations
Theme
Users wanted advanced tools on desktop—search, filters, personalisation—not just mobile parity.
Insight
Password-Less Login
Theme
Users favoured secure, seamless login over traditional passwords—accessibility and ease won.
Insight
Support Preferences
Theme
In-app chat beat call centres for quick help; calls were reserved for complex needs.
Insight
Synthesis
Post-research, I tagged and analysed all insights in Dovetail. Patterns emerged quickly: the hypothesis didn't hold. User needs pointed somewhere else entirely.
Users didn't see value in Quick Pay. The time saving was minimal, payments weren't frequent enough, and fixed details didn't match how they actually paid. What they wanted was smarter access to recent payees.
/ Design
Pivoting Based on Real User Needs
Research revealed that users simply wanted the app to remember who they paid last. This shifted focus from Quick Pay to enhancing Recent Payees within the Address Book.
/ Impact
Refined Personas & Mental Models
We moved away from age- and demographic-based personas, focusing instead on users’ task mindsets. Internet Banking users valued depth and detail; Mobile Banking users preferred speed and simplicity for quick wins like alerts.
Feature Expansion vs Feature Parity
We shifted from a rigid mobile-first approach to a context-first strategy. Desktop became the hub for heavy-lift tasks; mobile stayed lean for on-the-go needs. Each platform played to its strengths.
Successful Migration
Research-grounded design reduced contact centre dependency and gave users a migration experience that didn't erode trust which was the baseline goal for 215k customers.
/ Reflection
Reusable Research Templates
Post-project, I built standardised Dovetail templates and global tagging systems. These cut synthesis time and made cross-project collaboration seamless.
Upgraded Playback & Insights
I redesigned the playback format, adding a section for core user pain points and behaviour patterns. This made findings easier to action and improved design alignment across teams.
Deeper Stakeholder Alignment
We hosted inclusive workshops that invited candid feedback and collective decisions, which built trust and shifted how the organisation valued research input.