Project

Flex Pool

About
Visa Flex Credentials (VFC) is a global product line that allows consumers to link multiple funding sources to a single Visa card, enabling them to choose their preferred payment method at the point of sale. Examples of funding sources include debit, credit, loyalty points, and buy-now-pay-later - you can learn more from the recent product announcement.

VFC’s launch in North America will be led by Flex Pool, a new alternative overdraft feature. If successful in North America, Flex Pool will be scaled out to the global market.
The Product
Flex Pool offers a friendlier solution to overdraft management, and will be accessed through a user’s banking platform. Its goal is to increase users’ control in overdraft scenarios to avoid fees and improve flexibility. It offers a pre-approved amount of funds that acts as a line of credit when a user needs it most, allowing them to set rules to trigger Flex Pool as well as options for repayment.
The Team
For this project, Visa Product engaged my Innovation team to bring a research-validated prototype to clients, so that Flex Pool could be the first VFC feature to launch in North America. Our team included a partner designer, a researcher, and two product owners.
My Role & Contribution
  • Led UX & UI design for all post-enrollment flows
  • Collaborated to create service blueprint and other artifacts
  • Led all design prototyping
  • Supported usability testing
  • Rapidly iterated to meet user and stakeholder needs
Outcome
Flex Pool is expected to launch in late 2025
  • The design prototype tested very well with users in both desirability and usability
  • The product team was able to validate the prototype with potential clients, allowing them to easily visualize Flex Pool within their own banking platforms - this led to new partnership opportunities
  • This marked the first successful Innovation team partnership with Visa Product, and created the path for product line to move into the North American market
Mapping out
the design
Stakeholder Alignment
We created a service blueprint to ensure all stakeholders were aligned on the feature’s direction and elements to be designed. We mapped out the intended user actions and compared them with the associated card issuer and issuer processor actions.
Service Blueprint
Location Logic - Access to Flex Pool
For the pilot, Flex Pool will exist within a user's checking account. It needs to be intuitively findable by the user, accessible when relevant, and not detract from existing checking account details.

This partial site map shows where Flex Pool would sit within a user's banking app/website. The Flex Pool design is differentiated from the placeholder banking's app to call attention to the differently branded ecosystem.
Partial Site Map
Initial User Flows
I created the below user flow to depict the main user actions - enrollment with preference setting, viewing and managing Flex Pool within a banking app, editing preference settings, and making a payment. I designed the flows for everything after user enrollment (which was delivered by another designer).
Targeted User Flow
Flex Pool Card
The Information Presentation
The Flex Pool card within a user's checking account is the defining home area for the product and the main interaction point for enrolled Flex Pool users. The details on a user’s Flex Pool card need to be quickly and easily understood. Since Flex Pool functions as a line of credit, I utilized a progress bar to show the amount of funds used and remaining. I also pulled their payment due date to the front for transparency, and highlighted the principle action of making a payment.

The Card Flip
Why the card flip? Even with an better alternative to overdraft management, overdrafts aren’t known for being fun. So I wanted to bring moments of delight to the experience, even tiny ones.

From a functional standpoint, the card flip enables more information and interaction in limited real estate. The most important details are highlighted on the front of the card, and a user can flip the card to view or edit their Flex Pool preferences. The back-of-the-card elements are ultimately secondary and can be exposed at the user’s convenience.
Flex Pool Card - Wireframes
Flex Pool Card - High-fidelity
Make a Payment
Principle User Action
The main action for a user to take within Flex Pool is to make a payment. When a user makes a payment, the Flex Pool experience visually becomes full page, differentiating from the banking site.

Quick Education
With several selections to review, it's important that users clearly understand their payment details. To boost clarity, we brought details like interest accrual to the forefront. I used tags such as "interest saving" on the selections, so that users can proceed with the relevant details.
Make a Payment - Wireframes
Make a Payment - High-fidelity
Usability Testing
The designs’ usability tested very well, with no notable hiccups. The biggest misunderstanding was in the product descriptor - there were a few users who did not understand (or like) that Flex Pool would be triggered even when their account balance was not $0. We intended to incorporate a fix for this in the next iteration of the product.
View the Prototype
Prototype Screens - Hi-fidelity
Next Steps
Refining Design Style
Working on a tight timeline with many changes and multiple designers had its challenges. Ultimately, the enrollment flow doesn't quite match the post-enrollment. Visa Innovation organization ended at the time we were validating this product with clients, but given more time, we would fully align the design styles.
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Finding a Host Bank
The design will be changed depending on which bank Visa partners with for Flex Pool's launch.

Flex Pool in Other Markets
Once Flex Pool successfully launches in North America, the feature will be rolled out to other Visa Flex Credentials markets.