ABOUT THE PROJECT
Q’PRO was my end-of-career project for the Industrial Design program at PUCP, developed in collaboration with a Peruvian bank seeking to expand its reach to a new market segment: young Peruvians.
Q’PRO was my end-of-career project for the Industrial Design program at PUCP, developed in collaboration with a Peruvian bank seeking to expand its reach to a new market segment: young Peruvians.
The bank wanted to understand the challenges and unmet needs of this demographic within the current banking system, with the goal of crafting solutions that resonated with their values and lifestyles.
• Research: conducted user research to uncover insights into the financial behaviors, needs, and pain points of Peruvian youth.
• Ideation and Design: contributed to the brainstorming and development of innovative banking solutions tailored to this demographic.
• Client Coordination: served as the primary link between our team and the client, ensuring alignment and effective communication throughout the project.
• Ideation and Design: contributed to the brainstorming and development of innovative banking solutions tailored to this demographic.
• Client Coordination: served as the primary link between our team and the client, ensuring alignment and effective communication throughout the project.
PROJECT IMPACT
The project provided the client with a comprehensive understanding of the Peruvian youth segment, including actionable insights and tailored recommendations to better serve their needs. The research and proposed solutions offered a roadmap for crafting products and services designed to attract and retain this important market segment.
The project provided the client with a comprehensive understanding of the Peruvian youth segment, including actionable insights and tailored recommendations to better serve their needs. The research and proposed solutions offered a roadmap for crafting products and services designed to attract and retain this important market segment.
THE PROPOSED SOLUTION
THE PROCESS
01.
UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT
We began by identifying the core challenges faced by young Peruvians with financial institutions. Our analysis revealed three key issues:
• Distrust: Financial institutions struggled to build trust with younger users.
• Accessibility: Barriers such as complex processes and limited digital integration hindered engagement.
• Relatability: Existing systems lacked an identity that resonated with the values and lifestyles of the youth.
• Distrust: Financial institutions struggled to build trust with younger users.
• Accessibility: Barriers such as complex processes and limited digital integration hindered engagement.
• Relatability: Existing systems lacked an identity that resonated with the values and lifestyles of the youth.
These insights set the stage for designing a financial system that addressed these gaps.
Our research findings were synthesized into clear infographics to ensure our client's understanding.
02.
IDENTIFYING THE USER
Through interviews, surveys, and focus groups, we explored the pain points, aspirations, and financial perceptions of young Peruvians. This research revealed seven user profiles grouped into three main categories:
• Digitally Banked: Users with access to online financial tools but seeking better experiences.
• Banked but Not Digitally: Users relying on physical banking services with limited digital adoption.
• Unbanked: Individuals without formal banking access, often citing mistrust and complexity as barriers.
These profiles helped us understand diverse needs and informed our approach to creating inclusive solutions.
• Digitally Banked: Users with access to online financial tools but seeking better experiences.
• Banked but Not Digitally: Users relying on physical banking services with limited digital adoption.
• Unbanked: Individuals without formal banking access, often citing mistrust and complexity as barriers.
These profiles helped us understand diverse needs and informed our approach to creating inclusive solutions.
Our user profiles
03.
IDENTIFYING RESEARCH-BASED OPPORTUNITIES
Using methodologies such as Design for Behavior Change, Gamification, Human-Computer Interaction, and Cultural Design, we guided our ideation process. We also conducted benchmarking across international markets to gather inspiration and best practices.
Our proposal, Q’PRO, was conceptualized as a financial system that is:
• Trustworthy: Building confidence through transparency and reliability.
• Accessible: Simplifying processes with both digital and physical solutions.
• Relatable: Creating a brand identity that resonates with young users.
• Trustworthy: Building confidence through transparency and reliability.
• Accessible: Simplifying processes with both digital and physical solutions.
• Relatable: Creating a brand identity that resonates with young users.
Q’PRO aimed to empower young Peruvians by helping them save and manage their money, improve their financial literacy, and develop a healthy financial culture.
By creating a map for our user's interaction with our Q'PRO system, we were able to identify all the relevant aspects that needed to be considered before implementation.
04.
DESIGNING THE SYSTEM
We designed a holistic system that integrated digital and physical products and services:
Digital Products:
• A mobile and desktop app for seamless financial transactions.
• An educational section offering basic financial concepts through interactive games, challenges, and a community forum.
• A mobile and desktop app for seamless financial transactions.
• An educational section offering basic financial concepts through interactive games, challenges, and a community forum.
Physical Product & Services:
• A debit card designed for everyday use.
• Smart ATMs for intuitive banking interactions.
• Informative modules placed strategically across the country to provide real human support and address fears associated with traditional banking.
• A debit card designed for everyday use.
• Smart ATMs for intuitive banking interactions.
• Informative modules placed strategically across the country to provide real human support and address fears associated with traditional banking.
These solutions worked together to create a trustworthy, accessible, and engaging financial experience tailored to the needs of young Peruvians.
Our mobile app provided an accesible interface for everyday financial transactions.
It also included an educative section where, through games, our users could improve their financial literacy.
Our system proposed including physical elements like an informative station and smart ATM to ensure our user's direct contact with the bank and enhance credibility.