FWDPay: pay it forward

FWDPay is a startup financial service aiming to simplify transactions through SMART Direct Debits. This project focused on improving user trust and usability, particularly for freelancers and small businesses who struggle with delayed payments and limited access to direct debit systems.

Outcome: the project delivered a redesigned mobile experience that addresses reliability, transparency, and ease of use as the key drivers of trust in financial platforms.

UI/UX designer ✴︎ UX researcher

project overview

problem statement

FWDPay faced difficulty gaining user trust and growing its user base due to its early-stage brand presence and unclear value proposition.

constraints

  • Timeline: 10 weeks (2 weeks research, 1 week insights)

  • Limited client input → a one-page brief was provided

  • Small research sample size → 2 participant interviews

research

  • Preliminary research (brief analysis)

  • Secondary (desk) research on trust, professionalism, and credibility

  • Qualitative interviews (freelancers and a small business owner)

Key insights:

  • Freelancers often experience delayed payments

  • Small businesses forget to pay due to manual processes

  • Trust depends on reliability, transparency, and ease of use

A user persona was created to guide decisions as a tool for empathising with the users.

design direction

Based on insights, the design focused on:

  • Reducing human error in payments

  • Increasing transparency in transactions

  • Creating a professional and credible visual identity

concept & prototype

Using ideation techniques, such as: brain dumps, “How Might We” questions, diverging and converging thinking. Some concepts were formulated focusing on:

  • Automated payment flows

  • Clear transaction tracking

  • Simple and intuitive interfaces

Initial low-fidelity prototypes were created to emphasise on improving user flow and clarity. Feedback received from client, peers, and users identified areas for improvement in usability and visual design for testing.

test & iterate

Informal usability test was done with think-aloud protocol and simple questioning about “What could be improved and how”.

Iterations focused on improving usability and visual clarity by simplifying navigation, refining layout and typography, and enhancing the overall look to feel more professional and trustworthy. These changes helped create a smoother and more user-centered experience.

outcome/final design

The final design delivers a trustworthy and intuitive payment experience by directly addressing key user concerns around security, transparency, and ease of use.

To reduce human error, the platform introduces invoice-based mandates, allowing freelancers to automate payments without needing to track invoice numbers or manually follow up. The mandate & authorisation feature ensures payments are executed based on agreed terms, minimising missed or delayed transactions.

To increase transparency, every payment is linked to a clear invoice reference, giving users full visibility and control over their cash flow. The contacts (whitelisted vendors) feature also helps users quickly recognise and trust who they are transacting with.

To build trust and credibility, the product uses a clean, modern interface combined with structured flows that make actions simple and understandable. Clear authorisation steps and secure data access reinforce confidence, while the professional visual design aligns with user expectations of a reliable financial service.

landing screen.png
Onboarding: home
Home
Mandate
Authorisation
Contacts
Settings

conclusion, learnings & next steps

conclusion

Was the project successful?
Yes—based on short-term goals.

Achievements:

  • Identified user needs, concerns, and motivations

  • Designed a more user-friendly and trustworthy platform

  • Delivered a validated prototype aligned with research insights

Limitations:

  • Long-term success (user trust and adoption) could not be measured due to time constraints

learnings

  • Research is critical:
    Limited data led to challenges in defining direction. Stronger research would improve outcomes significantly.

  • Start, even if imperfect:
    Overcoming creative blocks requires action—ideas can always be refined later.

  • Structure helps productivity:
    Clear outlines and manageable tasks reduce overwhelm and improve focus.

  • Divergence matters:
    Exploring multiple ideas leads to stronger solutions, even if the first idea seems promising.

next steps

  • Conduct more in-depth user research with a larger sample

  • Refine personas with clearer needs and behaviors

  • Improve visual design consistency and branding

  • Usability testing with real users over time

  • Measure trust and engagement through real product metrics:

    • User adoption rate

    • Payment completion rates

    • Reduction in late payments

    • User trust/satisfaction scores

    • Retention rate

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Recruitee: HR SaaS website