Designing a loyalty program from scratch for a top-20 global bank, with the potential to reach millions of users.
Most users had no idea how the program worked. When we talked to them, most couldn't explain how to earn points, what their level meant, or what they could do to get better benefits.
We ran moderated interviews with +25 participants across different segments. During the sessions we found that users couldn't connect the dots between their products, their points, and their level. That was the key insight that shaped everything that followed.
During testing we found that without the simulator, users had no way to understand how their products connected to points and levels. It was almost cut for technical complexity. We had the evidence to keep it. Each product had its own rules: credit card usage, mortgage loans, consumer loans, investments, insurance, and auto-payments. We met with each product owner, understood every case, and surfaced it as a single clean list.
Users assumed points meant a balance to redeem. The mental model was broken before they even started. The fix was not just copy. We had to make the purpose of points visible at every step: they are progress toward a level, not a currency.
The original requirement indicators looked like radio buttons. Users didn't know if they were a status or something to tap. We moved them into the level screen with clear met and unmet states, making it easy to scan what you have and what you still need.
More than a third of all program users engaged with the simulator. Of those, 86% simulated at least one product. Credit card and auto-pay were the most explored, reflecting the most common products in the user base. Thousands of users run simulations every day.
Understanding comes from using the product, not from reading about it. The onboarding was never going to do the job on its own. I would push earlier to make the simulator a primary entry point. I would also invest more in what happens right after a simulation: users who simulate are ready to act, and that moment is short.
