August - September, 2022
Creating the complete payments experience for Bradesco’s corporate app
I designed an end-to-end payments journey for Bradesco’s corporate segment app — from multiple input methods like scanners, manual entry, copy & paste, and PDF import, to payment execution, scheduling, and DDA consultation — enhancing the experience for business owners with secure, fast, and user-centered payment journeys.
YEAR
2022
PROJECT
BRADESCO BANK
CATEGORY
UX/UI
PROJECT DURATION
1-2 MONTHS
MY CONTRIBUTION
I was selected to develop the feature for payments of bills, utility bills, taxes and PIX transferences in Bradesco's new application, PDPJ, which offers exclusive services for businesses. This project consisted of researching, designing, prototyping layouts, and crucially, managing the design process and decision-making. As the Product Designer, I led discovery, research, prioritization management, and collaborated closely with a multidisciplinary team throughout the project lifecycle, from the kickoff and immersion stage with stakeholders to the project handoff. I iterated on designs based on feedback and ensured the final product met user needs and business goals. By overseeing the entire design journey, I crafted a user-centered experience that exceeded expectations and made the PDPJ a better option to replace the old NET Empresa app.
Research
75%
Discovery
90%
Visual Design
99%
Interaction Design
94%
Requirements Gathering
73%
Concepting
99%
THE GOAL
Bradesco embarked on a challenging strategy to replace its primary customer service channel for the legal segment, NET Empresa. A team of experts was selected to create a new application, PDPJ, equipped with modern technologies and features. The goal was to provide entrepreneurs, individual microentrepreneurs (MEI), and small and medium-sized enterprises (MPE) with a secure, transparent, and efficient platform to execute, manage, and automate payments. This new channel was designed with a user-centric approach, eliminating the pain points and complaints associated with legacy systems.
THE CHALLENGE
Developing a comprehensive payment journey with a payments subpage menu, barcode/QR Code PIX camera scanner, and PDF file reader, encompassing all stages of payment completion and scheduling, mapping error scenarios, and transaction receipts. The project was divided into a couple of stages, with this particular case being focused on the customer journey and design concept process. More details about the complete scope and my contributions are available in other cases in this portfolio. Here, I present the issues encountered during research and the solutions developed to meet the requirements.
TAGS
Mobile app
Android
IOS
Payments
Customer Journey
Bradesco
THE TEAM
DEV. TEAM
+12
DESIGNERS
2
PRODUCT OWNERS
2
PROJECT MANAGERS
2
01
/
04
UX Methodology & Research
UX METHODOLOGY
Within the best practices of Design Thinking, we adopted the Design Sprint methodology to reduce unnecessary risks and understand user needs. Through this approach, we were able to establish a pattern for recognizing opportunities and ensure that the new product met the needs of the legal segment. To achieve these objectives, we chose Lean UX as our design methodology, which promotes a team-based approach to product development. This approach is less theoretical and more focused on user experience, iterative learning, and generating results, thereby minimizing wasted effort and delivering greater value to the final product.
From the project's inception, we implemented processes to enhance the product conceptualization phase, incorporating elements of the Double Diamond approach. The first step involved a thorough understanding of the new channel's objectives and its context, utilizing business analyses conducted by a foreign consultancy we engaged during the kickoff. As diligent questioners, to ensure the product would meet our customers' needs, we posed the following question: What are our customers' pain points and needs, and what do they expect from a payment journey for bills, taxes, and utility bills on a new business platform?
ROADMAP
Studies and analysis for journey construction
We benchmarked the online payment market (bills, utilities and taxes) and analyzed competitors to generate hypotheses about user expectations. Focusing on the B2B segment, we identified key strengths and pain points to shape valuable solutions. After prototyping, we ran usability tests with MEI clients from NET Empresa to refine the experience.
General hypotheses identified
Transparency
Microentrepreneurs value transparency and clear, precise information about their payments and fees. They want to feel like they’re in control.
Planning
Microentrepreneurs may have specific needs related to payments, such as the ability to make batch payments or schedule future payments to manage their expenses.
Payments aggregator
MEI and MPI audiences perform various types of payments throughout the month, receiving bills in both physical and digital formats. Therefore, they require an interface that centralizes all possible payment methods in the same area.
Agility
Users carry out a high volume of transactions every month, therefore, they may prefer a simple and intuitive interface for making payments, with fewer steps and less subjective design elements.
Control and monitoring
The addition of payment confirmation messages and a history of transactions, such as an invoice statement, can help ensure that microentrepreneurs feel secure when using the payment system.
Reliability
Microentrepreneurs may value the security and reliability of the payment systems offered by the bank, as they are transferring money that can be crucial for their business.
Specific hypotheses
Preference for PIX payments
Despite the barcode being more familiar, users may prefer faster and more convenient payment methods, such as PIX, over traditional payment methods like manually entering the barcode or uploading a file from a bill.
Multifunctional
The availability of different payment methods can be valued by users, allowing them to choose the method that best suits their needs and preferences.
Barcode and QR Code PIX reader
MEI and MPI audiences are more used to making payments by scanning codes using a reader than through other more conventional and time-consuming input methods.
Benchmarking
I tested and evaluated the payment navigation of various competitors in the segment. I noticed that some of them are already adopting this hybrid journey, which indicates a market trend.
Nubank
PF, PJ
Itaú
PF, PJ
C6
PF
Inter
PF, PJ
Santander
PF
Next
PF
+3
Apps
CSD Matrix
To compile all the learnings we obtained from our initial study, we gathered once again and created a CSD matrix to guide us in conducting a targeted quantitative research for our target audience. In addition to this research, we selected a sample of MEI and MPI users to test the prototypes we developed and collect feedback.
CERTAINTIES
The MEI and SMEs need simplicity and ease to make payments.
Having an area where they have all types of payments quickly and smoothly.
Facilitating payment organization helps avoid missing monthly bill due dates.
SUPPOSITIONS
When making payments via barcode, do they use the reader more or copy the barcode?
Users like to be notified about upcoming due dates.
Users typically pay their bills on alternating days throughout the month according to the due date, without early payment.
DOUBTS
Is the most commonly used payment method for MEIs and SMEs still bank slips?
Do they usually register their accounts in DDA or prefer to pay on the due date?
Do they manage their finances alone or do they have support from accountants or third parties?
Usability test
I gathered NET Empresa clients to test the PDPJ and discover their payment habits, as well as collect feedback on the payments journey
Bruno, 33 yrs.
Civil Engineer, MEI
Average of 10 payments per month.
William, 52 yrs.
Education, MPE
30 payments per month, including employees salary.
Joelma, 53 yrs.
Craftmanship, MEI
Average of 15 to 20 payments per month.
Adriane, 36 yrs.
Groceries store, MPE
Over 50 payments per month.
Carolina, 25 yrs.
Food, MEI
Average of 50 payments per month.
Janaina, 34 yrs.
Food, MPE
Makes about 40 to 50 payments per month.
Goals
Analyze the navigation and perception of the payment journey.
Methodology
Usability testing and semi-structured qualitative interviews.
1
Overview
Sample characterization, objective, and methodology.
2
Sample profile
Mapped habits and behaviors.
3
Beggining of the journey
Usability journey
4
Evolution of the journey
Occurrences and findings in the usability test.
5
Insights e recommendations
Insights derived from the user study.
6
Conclusions
General impressions of the test and the PJ payment experience.
Audience 1
MEI - Micro Individual Entrepreneur
Sole proprietorship.
Having no employees or at most one (earning up to the minimum wage per month).
Annual revenue limit of up to R$ 81,000 per year.
The MEI wants to feel in control of the business: Managing finances, attracting more clients, and self-improvement.
MEI's needs
Business management
This audience seeks and values attention and care. It is more than essential to help them manage and take care of their finances.
Support for business growth
This audience considers it essential to offer an experience that conveys trust and support throughout the entire financial management process.
E-commerce
They are motivated to operate in the online market, but often struggle to find companies that provide the service in a suitable manner for them.
Capacity-building
Providing accessible content, giving tips, and offering tutorials can be important ways to assist the MEI audience in their capacity-building efforts.
Audience 2
MPE - Small and Medium-sized Enterprise
Companies with an annual revenue limit of up to R$ 4.8 million.
Businesses that employ up to 49 employees.
More complex tax and labor obligations than MEIs and usually require more resources to self-sustain.
MPEs have specific visions and needs: It is not enough to simply provide the means; they require help and assistance in the form of consulting.
MPE's needs
Support in decisions
This audience is looking for more consultancy and support. They have already gone through the trial and error phases and want to be more assertive in their business.
Business growth
More and more, this audience is seeking knowledge. They already understand that in order to grow, their product or service needs to add maximum value possible.
Effective business management.
They understand that it's not just about selling the product, but also about how it is made, from production to inventory control.
E-commerce
Expanding the market is essential, and seeking partnerships that can help increase online revenue is a great strategy.
Capacity-building
Not only educational content, but also content that can assist them in decision-making.
02
/
04
Visual Design
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03
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04
Execution
Final prototype delivery
Validated and ready to go
After deeply mapping pain points and design opportunities, we built a new payments experience — reimagined from scratch with a modern design system. Different from NET Empresa, this version is cleaner, more focused, and optimized for usability. We validated the high-fidelity prototype with directors and key stakeholders during a CX Sync session.
Pay with barcode
1
Barcode reader
Scan barcodes using the camera.
2
Enter code
For those who prefer to type or paste the code directly from clipboard.
3
Open PDF
Since most bills are digital, users can upload PDF files stored on their device.
Pay with Pix QR Code
4
PIX Copy and Paste
For when the user copies a Pix payment code from another app and pastes it here.
5
Scan QR Code
Opens the camera to scan a QR Code instantly.
6
Choose from gallery
Some Pix codes are saved as images — this option lets users pick from their library.
Automatic Debit
10
Auto-debit setup
Users can enroll recurring bills to be paid automatically from their account.
Other payments
11
Extra services
From mobile recharges to gift cards, Shell Box, and exclusive bank promos — all in one place.
See the experience in action
Explore all payment flows
So far, you've seen the redesigned Payments sub-home — the new entry point for all payment actions. Now, scroll down to dive into each payment variant in detail — everything the user experiences, from start to finish.
BARCODE READER
The user can switch between barcode scanner and QR Code Pix. Additionally, it is possible to turn on the device's flashlight to improve visibility, and if the user prefers, they can manually enter the barcode.
QR CODE PIX READER
The user can switch between barcode scanner and QR Code Pix. Additionally, it is possible to turn on the device's flashlight to improve visibility, and if the user prefers, they can manually enter the barcode.
ENTER CODE MANUALLY
The "Enter Code" card opens a new screen with a barcode input, where the user can manually enter the code. If there is a code copied to the device's clipboard, a popover appears to facilitate the input. Additionally, it is possible to switch to the barcode scanner within this screen, allowing the different input methods to interact if the user changes their mind.
SNACKBAR
When the user has a valid barcode copied in the device's memory and is on the app's home screen, a snackbar pops up as a shortcut to redirect them to the data verification step and quickly complete the payment. This is a feature that allows the payment of taxes and utility bills to be completed with just 2 clicks, making the whole user’s journey a lot quicker.
OPEN PDF FILE
To open a PDF file, the user can do it directly from the payments subhome by tapping on the card or from the non-logged area of the app by tapping on a file and selecting the PDPJ app as the application. After uploading the file, the app recognizes the barcode or PIX masks and guides the user through the payment steps.
1
Logged in the app
2
Non-logged area scenario
DATA VERIFICATION STEP
After the application validates the barcode, the user proceeds to the next payment steps, which may include data verification and payment confirmation, with some specificities depending on whether it is a tax payment, utility bill, or invoice.
1
Tax payment
2
Utility bills
What's the difference?
Terminology. Taxes use "Company / Organization" as identifiers, while utility bills use "utility company". The process is identical for both scenarios.
For bank slip payments, the term used to indicate the payment recipient is "beneficiary." Additionally, to prevent frauds and false payments, the corporate security team requested a boolean validation at this stage, where the user needs to confirm if the issuing bank and the beneficiary are correct.
3
Billing slips: why confirm the issuing bank and the payee?
To prevent fraud in bank slip payments, users are asked to confirm the issuing bank and the beneficiary. This simple step led to a 25% drop in scam cases, as fraudsters often replicate real beneficiary names with minor changes.
PAYMENTS SCHEDULE AND LIMITES
For each type of payment, the Central Bank and controlling and issuing entities have a schedule table specifying the hours during which payments can be processed. Within the application, each user has a flexible daily limit, meaning that to make a payment, both the available balance in the account and the daily spending limit need to be met.
PAYMENT CONFIRMATION STEP
The final step to complete the payment gathers the main information for the customer to validate one last time before confirming. The structure is the same for taxes, utility bills, and boletos, with only the terminology changing.
1
Tax payment
2
Utility bills
3
Invoices
SHARE RECEIPT
It is very common for MEIs and MPEs to share and save receipts. On the screen, there is a summarized version of the receipt, and the attached PDF that can be shared to other apps contains more information such as registration codes, date and time of the transaction, beneficiary data, among others. Each type of transaction has a different receipt layout, in A4 format. In total, 27 receipts were mapped to cover all types of taxes, utility bills, and bank slips received by the Central Bank.
EXCEPTION SCENARIOS (ERRORS)
We addressed errors and exceptional scenarios in three ways: full-screen error messages for specific scenarios; alerts on the screen for easier-to-correct errors; native iOS-Android dialog box. This approach was implemented to avoid unnecessary stress for users. We identified approximately 117 exceptional scenarios for the three types of payment, each with a text approach aimed at contextualizing the issue for the user and providing solutions to resolve it.
To sum up
Delivered Results
This project built a seamless, intuitive payments experience for Bradesco’s corporate segment app, enhancing speed, security, and usability for business owners. This unified journey aligns with Bradesco’s broader transformation, contributing to a platform-level improvement during a year where the bank achieved R$ 19.6 billion in recurring net income (20% year-over-year growth). It reinforces how user-centric design can play a role in financial scale and efficiency.
FASTER PAYMENT FLOW
PROFIT GROWTH 1H25 VS 1H24
PAYMENTS PROCESSED MONTHLY (EST).
What went well
Deadlines
The collaboration of the entire team greatly contributed to meeting the deadlines for DOR, CX Sync, PI Planning, and design sprints. We delivered the user journey well ahead of schedule."
Developers 🤝 Designers
The involvement with the technical team was highly productive. The designers and developers were able to collaborate effectively to address technical feasibility and product/experience needs.
Room for inovation
The project budget was substantial, which allowed us the time and resources to test user journeys and propose significant changes to the product. Not only did I get to develop my ideas but also to test it out with real users and make changes along the way to ensure user’s needs were being fulfilled.
What I learned
Specialist vs Generalist
I learned to work with experience specialists. Prior to this project, I was a generalist designer, performing all design functions. In this project, there were UX Writers, UX Designers, Product Designers, and UX Researchers, which got me to engage and collaborate with the unique expertise of each niche.
Design Processes
Agile design methodologies and product development stages were strictly followed, as per the rule. Which got me to further develop my skills in Lean UX and Design thinking.
Banking Processes
I delved deeply into the processes involved in payments. I learned regulations about taxes, accounts, payments, and also about the governmental bodies that oversee all of this."