WeTax Refund
A WeChat mini-app that provides a new digital refund option for Chinese travelers.
Timeline: 3 weeks, 2020
Role: Interaction Designer
Tools: Paper, Pen, Sketch
Team: 1 PM, 1 IxD, 1 Visual, Software Developers
Overview
The process for Chinese travelers to claim tax back on purchases made abroad was notoriously time-consuming and inefficient. It involved waiting in line for hours to get forms stamped, followed by another round of waiting to submit the paperwork and receive the money.
Thankfully, Chinese users of WeChat now have a much simpler solution. They can apply for tax refunds with just a few taps on their mobile device while abroad or from the comfort of their own home. Even better, the refund is deposited immediately into their WeChat wallet.
How It Works?
Problem
The previous design needed an update to better match the current service offerings.
As I did my research on the product and its target users, I noticed two designs (and its logic) were confusing and cumbersome. I've outlined my findings below.
Solutions
Skip to specific projects by clicking on the following links below:
User Goals
I researched online, interviewed people around me, and referenced to my own offline tax refund experience to create the user journey map below.
Related Quotes:
1. "At first glance, I can't tell the difference between the three methods listed. Which one am I eligible for? Or easier?"
2. "I have submitted everything, what happens next? Which step of the refund process am I currently on/at?"
Combining all findings, I came to two insights (the first highlighted in orange, the following in green):
1. Our users, especially first-time users, have a hard time deciding which method to use. The lack of understanding makes making a decision difficult.
2. Submitting the correct materials is only half the battle. The next part, arguably more difficult, is to wait until further notice. To eliminate the uncomfortable feeling caused by uncertainty, our users need a visually clear status/progress bar.
Project #1: Homepage
Before
All refund methods are listed on the homepage, regardless of the user's location.
This is a problem, in the case of China, when two of the three refund methods displayed above aren't actually available.
How might we leverage the location data we have on hand to provide a better user experience?
After
Introduced a "smart" aspect for this digital tool, whereby given the user's location, the most applicable tax refund method will be listed at the top.
Project #2: Step Progress Bar
Visually, it isn't clear whether the user's refund status is at the second or third stage.
The same checked icon on the left paired with different colored texts is confusing.
After realizing this issue, I took the initiative to redesign and unify all progress bars in the mini-app.
