Outline of the Problem
A failing checkout system was bleeding revenue and credibility. Customers were reporting payment freezes lasting up to 27 hours, unclear product details, and a lack of trust in the platform. The urgency escalated when two of our largest creator accounts threatened to cancel contracts after losing thousands in sales.
The challenge was clear: fix the checkout flow fast, without compromising user trust or business continuity.
Brief Summary & My Participation
My role: Product Designer leading discovery, research, and solution design.
Team: PM, 3 Back-End Devs, 2 Front-End Devs, 1 CS Specialist.
Duration: 1-month sprint of intense immersion.
Deliverables: Journey map, optimized checkout prototype, usability recordings (Loom), final report with recommendations, and a functional checkout built on adapted legacy code.
I led the UX research, information architecture, and design iteration, ensuring insights translated directly into feasible product improvements.
The Problem
The existing checkout was:
Buggy: transactions freezing for up to 27h.
Unclear: users couldn’t access detailed product information.
Misaligned with real usage: flow didn’t reflect standard e-commerce expectations.
Untrustworthy: no visible security signals or guidance, leaving users skeptical.
The consequences were severe: abandoned carts, lost revenue, and high churn risk among top accounts.
The Outcome
Through a focused 14-day design sprint, we:
Cut checkout completion time by 40%.
Increased click-through from 52% → 80% in prototype testing.
Reduced churn by 30% and boosted new account sign-ups by 15% in the following quarter.
Restored trust with enterprise clients who renewed after seeing improvements.
During a CS call we heard the team say: “Client X lost R$3,000 in sales, canceled their subscription, and requested contract termination.”
That’s when our PM Emília said, “Luis, we need a plan. Now!”
My Role
I guided the team through the Double Diamond process, balancing urgency with user-centered rigor:
Discovery: mapped pain points via Hotjar recordings, heuristics, and CS feedback.
Definition: reframed problems into “How Might We” questions and opportunity areas.
Ideation: facilitated workshops, benchmarked competitors, and designed hypotheses.
Delivery: prototyped on legacy code, ran usability tests, and shipped validated improvements.
I mapped every click and delay in the checkout using session recordings and tests with two real clients. They agreed cause it was urgent.
In a Lean Discovery workshop, we dissected key drop-off points: unclear fields, poor feedback, and no trust signals. Also, the technology was out dated.
Since Checkout is all about human bias, we used some of them.
Initial Data
Hotjar session recordings + two quick client tests exposed stalls in form fields, unclear copy, and lack of feedback.
CS team flagged urgent revenue losses: “One client lost R$5,000 in a single day.”
Desk Research & Benchmarks
Compared checkout flows from e-commerce leaders.
Identified three pillars: security, detailed product info, linear/fast flow.
Key Takeaways
Bugs and confusion weren’t just technical—they eroded trust.
Users expected a straightforward, recognizable checkout.
We crafted HMWs like: "How might we guide users step-by-step without overwhelming them?"
Our core hypothesis: if we eliminate unnecessary decisions and add trust badges throughout the flow, speed and confidence will rise.
User Research
Approach
Given time constraints, I recruited 5 users who had abandoned carts and ran task-based usability tests combined with qualitative scripts.
Key Findings
Confusion around “discount session” and “confirm boleto.”
No confidence the payment had been processed.
Wanted visual security badges and confirmation cues.
In tests with 5 new users, the checkout click-through rate jumped from 52% to 80%.
CS confirmed the changes addressed key frustrations and should go live.
What began as a tense sprint turned into a high-efficiency case study: communication flowed, deliveries sped up, and production went live, saving us from bigger losses.
Ideation & Solution
Proposed Ideas
Eliminate unnecessary fields.
Add security badges and purchase confirmation cues.
Redesign into a linear, guided flow with a progress bar.
User Flows
Mapped the streamlined checkout: Product → Payment → Confirmation (3 clear steps).
Within 48 hours, we hit a breakthrough and removed two friction points. The outdated technology (causing bugs) and a horrible checkout UX.
We added trust signals and simplified confirmations. Using human bias based on science to guide the user and make him feel safe while making the transaction.
They could make a purchase in seconds.
I learned that in moments of crisis, old prototypes can be launchpads for real solutions.
Impact & Outcomes
Final Results
Conversion click-through: 52% → 80%.
Viewer trust improved, churn reduced by 30%.
New sign-ups increased 15% in the following quarter.
Business Impact
Prevented loss of major accounts.
CS team reported reduced complaints.
Checkout became a competitive advantage in closing deals.
User Impact
Faster, more transparent checkout.
Stronger sense of safety and control.
Confidence that purchases would go through without errors.
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