Role: UX Lead with 2 UX Designers and 1 UI Designer, working in collaboration with executive-team sponsors and client project managers.
​Problem: Debt collection lacked empathy, prompting the client to transform the end-to-end consumer experience. The goal was to shift from a "hunter" mentality to a "compassionate shepherd" approach.
Outcome: Successfully shifted the client’s mindset toward user-centered thinking, even among long-tenured leadership, Project goal to increase consumer engagement by 1–2% (from a baseline of 3%) was on track, with positive feedback from regulators and internal teams, Demonstrated the power of empathy-driven design to challenge assumptions and drive real change.
Workshop Facilitation & Alignment
I led a two-part workshop with executives, including the CEO, using User-Centered Design Canvas, Empathy Mapping, and Design Principles activities.
This helped pivot the organization’s approach to place users at the center of decision-making.
Service Blueprint
We conducted interviews across the organization to map the ecosystem and critical consumer touchpoints.
I created a detailed Service Blueprint to inform future experience improvements based on current state interaction points between consumer, support agents, and back-end technology and systems.
Competitive Landscape Analysis
We conducted a thorough landscape analysis of traditional and emerging competitors, including fintech companies, to identify user-centered strategies.
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We used findings to shape the client’s approach toward more compassionate practices.
Consumer Survey
We designed and conducted a nationwide survey, exceeding the goal with 684 responses.
We discovered much that informed our 1:1 interviews including 1/4 of respondents have been contacted about multiple debts in the last 5 years and that medical and credit card debts are most likely to be ignored or disputed.
Most participants wanted more resources to help improve their credit scores.
Consumer Interviews
We interviewed 22 individuals across diverse demographics, uncovering deep emotional insights into debt experiences. This built empathy and understanding that directly informed design decisions including the recommendations to put customers at the center of the experience by providing them more control and flexibility.
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We also recommended to leverage human agents where a personal interaction has more impact, saving automated and technological solutions for transactional interactions.
Personas & Journey Maps
We created personas based on quant + qual research to guide design and communication strategies. This included the Strategic Payer, the Debtor by Necessity, Paying for their Mistakes, Financially In-Secure Non-Payer, the Type-A Debtor and more.
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By mapping their individual pain points, motivations, and goals, we're able to recommend more personalized experiences.
Mobile Wireframes
We designed a conversational UI focused on the needs of the priority persona: the Financially Insecure Non-Payer. We built a more empathetic, streamlined digital experience that provides resources to the user and helps them control how much and when they resolve their debts.
