Redesigning E.Sun Bank's cross-border payment experience for Japan travelers. We are a 5 people team, and selected as 3rd place in the competition out of 200 teams, winning 50,000 NTD.

• My positionUX and UI Designer
• StackFigma
• Research MethodQuantitative survey (n=150), Interviews, User Journey Mapping

Project Background

Esun Bank is looking for innovative ideas and solutions to improve the financial industry. They hope that with our idea we can accelerate the financial ecosystem that they have built and provide a better service to their customers.

Project Goal

Our team aims to provide a quick user-friendly service to the traveling customers of Esun Bank. Boost the usage of E.Sun Bank cross-border payment in Japan and grow their app usage AU rate when traveling up for 20%.

Problem Statement

The traveling customers of Esun Bank are facing a problem with the current service. The service is not user-friendly and it is not quick enough for the customers. We have seen the potential of travelers to Japan with 1.8 billion USD consumption in the first half of 2023. The current E.Sun Bank APP is starting to support cross-border payments, but the adoption rate is not growing as expected.

Discovery & Research

To understand the friction points, we conducted a quantitative survey with 150 participants (aged 20-40, independent travelers). Our survey revealed that while users treat travel as one event, banking apps treat it as disconnected transactions. We identified three specific anxiety peaks:

1. Pre-trip Overload: 56% of users felt overwhelmed comparing exchange rates and insurance plans across multiple tabs.
2. In-trip Payment Fear: 88% reported anxiety about cash vs. card payments and fear of card rejection.
3. Post-trip Social Friction: 75% found splitting bills with family complex due to fluctuating exchange rates and mixed payment methods.

The User Journey Insight

Our User Journey Map revealed a critical disconnect: while users mentally group "booking a flight" and "spending money abroad" as a single life event, the banking app treated them as isolated transactions. The friction wasn't in the interface itself, but in the timing — users viewed the bank as a passive utility and often forgot to exchange currency until the last minute.

We shifted the interaction model from Reactive (waiting for the user to search) to Anticipatory (acting on user context). Instead of a static "Currency Exchange" button, the system now recognizes the booking event and prompts the user at the optimal moment: "Your trip is in 30 days. Exchange JPY now to lock in a good rate."

Ideation: Task-Based Gamification

We utilized Gamification not merely for engagement, but as a navigation system to guide users through complex banking tasks. We structured the app information architecture around a linear timeline rather than a service catalog:

1. Mission Dashboard (Pre-Trip): A progress bar tracks "Trip Readiness." Completing a task (e.g., "Buy Insurance") fills the bar and grants a reward.
2. Crisis Mode (In-Trip): A simplified, high-contrast interface with large, thumb-friendly buttons for urgent needs ("Lost Card", "Need Cash", "No Internet").
3. Smart Split (Post-Trip): Automated accounting. Users scan a receipt or select a transaction, and the app auto-calculates shares based on the day's exchange rate.

Interface Design

Feature A – The "Mission" Dashboard: A card-based interface where financial products are presented as "Missions." Users can tap "Exchange Currency" to open a mission card showing the current rate trend and potential reward, reducing cognitive load.

Feature B – Integrated Payment & Tax Refund: With the PayPay API integrated directly into the wallet, users can toggle between "Payment Code" and "Tax Refund QR Code" with a single swipe.

Feature C – The "Trip Recap": Inspired by Spotify Wrapped, this feature visualizes spending habits with cheerful illustrations to turn reviewing expenses into a shareable social moment.

Impact & Outcome

1. Implementation: Our new information structure and idea for the Bank adding up for 35,000+ new active users in 2023.
2. Business Impact: We reduced the drop-off rate in the insurance and travel purchase flows using bank apps.
3. Award: Won 3rd place from E.Sun Bank, winning 50,000 NTD prize.

What I Learned

The biggest takeaway was that "Financial UX is complex and highly regulated by governments due to the risk it includes on the operation of money." Reducing the anxiety of foreign payments is just as important as the technical success of the transaction. By using friendly visuals and clear progress indicators, we turned a stressful banking chore into a supportive travel companion.

Media coverage

• News Coverage3rd place Team 熊欣壯志