Automating Quality in Strata Reports: Designing to Accelerate Inspections, Set Standards, and Improve Buyer Comprehension

Transforming Philippine Banking:
Digitizing for efficiency in remittance transactions
Key Contributions
User Research, KYC and Compliance, UX/UI Design, User Testing, Analytics
Tools
Figma, Zoom, Mixpanel
Project Links:
FIGMA FILE
STORYBOOK
FIGMA FILE
STORYBOOK
GITHUB
CONTEXT

Remittance Transactions for Overseas Filipinos

For years, remittances have served as a lifeline for many in the Philippines with 10% of the Philippines’ GDP coming from personal remittances. However, bank transfer remittances significantly dropped by PhP 33.8 billion in 2020 due to the pandemic.

The decline of remittances sent was felt by BDO Unibank, the largest bank of the Philippines as their remittance service, BDO Remit, did not have a digital process their regular remitters could use.

This created an opportunity for us to partner with BDO Remit and create BayaniPay, a digital process for customers to remit money to the Philippines in a convenient, safe, and secure manner.
INSIGHT
Migrant Filipinos sending money home is deeply ingrained in the Filipino cultural fabric as it poses an opportunity to support and be part of their family despite the distance. They are considered modern-day heroes, or Bagong Bayani (New Hero in Tagalog), thanks to their major contributions to their family and the nation’s economy.
Because this is a financial service in partnership with a bank and compliant with banking laws, our scope was limited to users in California. Here were our goals:
  • Translate the BDO Remit face-to-face process to a digital way that is secure and compliant with banking regulations
  • Develop a Progressive Web App (PWA) as an MVP
  • Validate the market and onboard 1,000 users
The sender, though not physically present, remains connected to the family, shares their joy, and participates in their rituals and celebrations.
- A Mattson, 2020
A Study on What Factors Influence the Remittance Behaviors of First-Generation Filipinos Living Permanently in the US
WORKING WITH BANKS

Digitizing an offline banking experience

To start off, we determined the average experience was like for BDO customers to use the remittance service. We gathered relevant documentation from our partner bank and mapped out the experience of how a user can fill it in.
Offline form being used by BDO Remit
Below are a list of user requirements we needed to collect securely:
  • Legal full name
  • Mobile number authentication
  • Email authentication
  • Date of birth
  • Source of funds
  • Work information
  • Addresses
  • ID Verification
  • Adding Bank account
Moreover, when designing for a highly regulated partner such as a bank, numerous considerations come into play, notably AMLA (Anti-Money Laundering Authority) and KYC (Know Your Customer) regulations.

Fintech products must delicately balance the tightrope between leveraging new technology for convenience while ensuring the utmost security of funds and maintaining user trust.

As we worked towards an MVP, we leveraged KYC technology such as Veriff in order to speed up the development process as well as provide a smooth online process for our users to verify that their identity matched their valid IDs.
How Veriff works
GO TO MARKET STRATEGY

Building community and belongingness

Partnering with BDO Remit, part of BDO Unibank, the largest bank in the Philippines, allowed us to offer unbeatable remittance rates compared to competitors. With this strong product offering—fast, cheap, and secure transfers from the U.S. to the Philippines—we needed a strategy that truly set us apart.

As part of our Go-To-Market strategy, we set up account activation booths in key locations like Seafood City, the go-to supermarket for Filipino-Americans. But we didn’t stop there—BayaniPay also sponsored Filipino-American community events, we recognized the important dual role we play:
First, by facilitating money transfers, we help Filipinos in the U.S. stay connected to their families in the Philippines, sharing in their joys and supporting them from afar.

Second, through community events, we foster connections among Filipinos in America, strengthening bonds and building a sense of belonging.
GATHERING FEEDBACK

Collecting feedback and analyzing data

Having direct access to our users allowed us to gather valuable feedback firsthand. This was supplemented by analyzing key metrics through Mixpanel, enabling us to pinpoint areas of improvement in our onboarding flow.

To gain deeper insights, we regularly consulted with the Activation Team at our booths and the Support team. For instance, Mixpanel data revealed a significant drop-off when users needed to link their bank accounts when going through the onboarding process for the first time.
The activation team helping users with our hybrid onboarding process
Through discussions, we identified two primary reasons for dropoffs:
  • Users registering at Seafood City booths often didn't have their bank account details readily available.
  • Technical delays in linking banks via Dwolla, a payment platform that facilitates bank transfers, was causing frustration.
INSIGHT
We also observed a 16% drop-off during our mobile authentication stage, primarily due to poor signal reception, preventing users from receiving their OTP codes. However, due to the security importance of mobile authentication, we couldn't remove this step. Instead, we focused on addressing the bank account linking issue, as it was more actionable.
Recognizing that the link bank account step was creating too much friction, we decided to remove this requirement from the initial account creation process. Instead, we shifted it to an optional action users could complete later or as part of an automatic flow when they initiate their first remittance.
Revision in our onboarding checklist
By combining quantitative data with qualitative feedback from our teams, we refined the onboarding process to address these pain points, ultimately improving the overall user experience.
IMPACT

Digitizing an offline experience

Our early release to the Filipino-American community proved to be highly successful.
Early Success (First 3 Months):
  • 1,300 users acquired
  • $714.8k in remittance transactions processed
Continued Growth (Next 3 Months):
  • User base expanded to 4,000+
  • Total remittances reached $3.5M
This rapid growth highlighted the strong demand for BayaniPay's reliable, community-focused remittance service. Our strategic approach not only accelerated user acquisition but also strengthened our presence within the Filipino-American community, laying the groundwork for sustained success.

Below are some quotes and heartfelt feedback from our users:
"My BayaniPay experience exceeded my expectations. My first remittance was so smooth. It was ready for pick-up in less than 2 hours! Let's support new and thriving Filipino American businesses like BayaniPay!"
- Ivy, BayaniPay Customer
"It's a great experience for me to send money using BayaniPay. It's very convenient, reliable, safe, and very easy to send money to the Philippines. The instruction is so easy to follow. My sister is so happy to receive the money within 24 hours. Maraming salamat Bayanipay!"
- Victoria, BayaniPay Customer
"The convenience of sending via BayaniPay without fee and with high exchange rate was a no-brainer! I hope you keep your rates high, cause it helps us build and help our people in the Philippines.Please know I'm grateful for BayaniPay."
- Tessana, BayaniPay Customer
"I need to send large amounts to buy medical equipment. I save a lot of money with BayaniPay in exchange fees. Saving money on those fees is more money that I can give back to the community."
- Mel, BayaniPay Customer
REFLECTIONS

Designing with purpose

I’m incredibly proud to have been part of this project, not just because of what we built, but because it felt so personal. Creating something that directly helps my fellow Filipinos was deeply fulfilling. Being so closely connected to the culture gave me a unique edge—I deeply understood the user needs, pain points, and cultural nuances, which made decision-making more intuitive.
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I also can’t emphasize enough the importance of cross-functional collaboration. Working with teams across development, business, marketing, and customer support was fantastic. We weren’t just working in silos; we were all in it together, united by a common goal and closely engaging with our users—analyzing data, observing interactions, and iterating to create a better experience each time.
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Lastly, this project gave me a strong appreciation for the complexities of working in fintech. Handling people’s money demands strict security measures and a meticulous approach to compliance, ensuring we adhered to all banking laws. This experience has not only made me a better designer but also deepened my commitment to creating impactful, user-centered solutions in every project I take on.

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