PayPal Cashier Update
Role: Mid level UX Designer | Player Experience Team
Sector: Online Gambling
Challenge: Urgent Payment Update in Cashier
Timeline: 2 days ​
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SKILLS + EXPERIENCE
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Agile Workflow
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Financial Services
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AI Tools
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Strategy and Problem Solving
Context
Challenge: In late December 2023, we were informed that PayPal’s license had changed, transitioning from an EU license to a UK license.
There was an issue with the renewal process, and we were faced with the possibility of PayPal no longer being available as a payment option.
This posed a critical business challenge, especially given the high revenue period in January and February, which is key to the betting industry's transactional calendar.
With only a few days to prepare for a potential loss of PayPal functionality, the communication needed to be clear, urgent, and aligned with both regulatory requirements and user experience expectations.​​
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Constraints:
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2 day tight timeframe with limited resources during the Christmas period.
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The messaging needed to change dynamically, first informing users of the temporary issue, and then communicating the permanent removal of PayPal if it wasn’t renewed.
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Mobile and desktop screens, as well as email communications, needed to be ready for senior management approval by Friday, December 30th, and implementation had to happen over the weekend.​
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My Role and Responsibilities
As the only UX Designer covering the Christmas period, I was responsible for:
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User Communication Strategy: Developing clear, accessible messaging for both mobile and desktop interfaces, as well as email communications.
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Utilising existing design systems: Making necessary adjustments to the cashier interface to reflect PayPal’s possible removal and suggest alternative payment methods.
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Stakeholder Collaboration: Working with a cross-functional team, including the product team in India, my UX manager, and the new UX Head of Design, to deliver the solution in an expedited timeline.
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Leveraging AI for Efficiency: Since no copywriters were available, we utilised AI tools to quickly generate effective email communications that aligned with brand tone and regulatory needs.
Structured for Rapid Review
To support an agile and rapid iteration process, I structured my working file to clearly differentiate between pre-2nd Jan and post-2nd Jan solutions.
This layout enabled my UX manager and the Product Team to quickly review changes, compare iterations, and provide focused feedback.
By organising the file in this way, we streamlined discussions and decision-making, ensuring efficient collaboration and alignment on the best user experience solution
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Process and Approach
Understanding User Impact:
I analysed the current payment flow and identified critical touch points where users needed to be informed about PayPal’s status before the 2nd January and after the 2nd January.
These were:
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Deposit and Quick Deposit Page.
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Payment Method Pages.
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Withdrawal Pages post 2nd January.
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Email communication.
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Seamless Payment Method Redirection
A streamlined redirection flow to ensure a frictionless transition for users needing alternative payment methods. This solution minimiSes disruption, guiding users efficiently through the process while maintaining clarity and trust.
The screens illustrate how users are swiftly redirected to other payment options, ensuring a smooth experience without unnecessary drop-offs.​
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AI for Rapid Communication
With no copywriters available, I suggested to my line manager that we leverage AI tools to generate initial email drafts.
This allowed us to quickly iterate on clear, user-friendly messaging.
The email content was refined to include:
A message informing users about the issue with PayPal (up until January 2nd).
A follow-up message post-January 2nd, stating that PayPal would no longer be available, and providing users with alternative payment methods.
We ensured that the messaging was accessible, clear, and met regulatory guidelines.​
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Accessibility
Ensuring Accessibility & Clarity:
The cashier team had been siloed and had developed their own toaster message, which, upon review, didn’t match the established design system and failed to meet accessibility criteria (AA rating).
The standard message alert message referred to the user needing to be in “all options” when the user was already in all options.
We insisted on using the proper design system toaster, which adhered to the AAA contrast accessibility standards, ensuring that the messaging was both visually clear and accessible to all users.​
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Outcome and Impact
The solution was ready for the Head of UX to present to senior management for approval on Friday morning, December 30th, and ready for Hyderabad to implement the changes over the weekend, including updated UI and email communications.
PayPal ultimately agreed to continue with the UK license at the last moment, which was a significant relief for the business, as PayPal was the most popular payment method for UK users.
Despite the reprieve the Key Metrics we were delivering had the issue not been resolved were:
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Minimise user complaints post-deployment with clear communication.
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Reduce customer service queries with easy redirect payment method flow.
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Smooth implementation and business continuity despite the urgency.
Key Takeaways
Agile Execution: We successfully navigated rapid decision-making in a high-pressure environment, delivering the solution within a two-day window.
AI Efficiency: AI tools played a pivotal role in speeding up content creation, enabling us to meet tight deadlines without the usual resources.
User-Centered Communication: We focused on clear, accessible messaging to minimize user confusion and ensure a smooth transition to alternative payment methods.
Cross-Functional Teamwork: Collaboration with remote Product and Tech teams in India, UX manager in Gibraltar, and senior leadership in UK was essential in ensuring the success of this project despite the holiday constraints.
UX Team’s Integral Role: The project highlighted to our new Head of UX and the rest of the business that our UX team’s skills are essential to agile and collaborative working, proving our ability to drive impactful results even under tight timelines.
