Designing an interest-free instalment experience
A clearer journey for higher-value purchases, including renewable energy, across web and mobile.
Role: Lead product designer
Scope: Discovery, interaction design, prototyping and usability testing
Team: Product, Design, Engineering and Data
Timeframe: One quarter
Client: Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Introduction & discovery
For larger purchases, particularly renewable energy products, customers had fewer interest-free financing options.
The design challenge
The problem
The Australian BNPL market was largely focused on smaller, short-term purchases. For larger purchases, particularly renewable energy products, customers had fewer interest-free financing options.
My role
I led discovery, interaction design, prototyping and usability testing for onboarding and repayment choices, while mentoring a junior designer. I worked with Product, Design, Engineering and Data to shape and deliver the experience.
CommBank customers
Project analysis identified customers making repayments to external financing providers for renewable energy loans.
In monthly repayments
Moving from CommBank accounts to providers such as Plenti and Brighte, according to the project’s analysis.
Validating the opportunity
We worked with Product, BA and Tech to challenge our assumptions, combining stakeholder insights, transaction analysis and competitor research to build a clearer picture of the opportunity.
Qualitative
Stakeholder interviews
We explored demand for sustainable financing and stakeholder expectations around new financial products.
Quantitative
Research & data analysis
We analysed customer repayment behaviour and compared financing offerings from Plenti, Brighte, Klarna and Humm to understand the market gap.
Synthesis
Insight alignment
We brought findings back to Design, Product, Tech and business stakeholders to challenge assumptions and agree on a shared direction.
From an assumed gap to an evidence-backed opportunity
The research clarified existing customer behaviour, the competitive landscape and where CommBank could explore a differentiated financing experience.
Defining the opportunity
We explored the evolving BNPL landscape and the needs of homeowners considering solar and battery purchases. The research focused on onboarding, repayment flexibility, trust and mobile-first experiences.
Research / 01
Competitor analysis
We compared how leading providers approached flexible repayment solutions in the Australian market at the time of the project.
Humm
Interest-free instalment plans with longer repayment periods, with a strong focus on larger-purchase financing.
Klarna
Flexible “Pay Later” experiences with a strong focus on seamless onboarding and mobile-first customer journeys.
LatitudePay
Splitting purchases into interest-free repayments, supporting both smaller and larger transaction values.
Research / 02
Persona
A research persona for homeowners considering solar and battery purchases.
Gene the Greenovator
Environmentally conscious homeowners looking for flexible ways to invest in renewable energy products without large upfront financial pressure.
KEY BEHAVIOURS
- Research and compare sustainable household solutions before purchasing.
- Seek interest-free or low-interest repayment solutions.
- Prefer transparent and trustworthy financial products.
MOTIVATION
- Reduce long-term energy costs.
- Transition towards more sustainable living.
- Avoid large upfront payments.
- Improve household sustainability without financial stress.
PAIN POINTS
- Limited financing options for larger renewable energy purchases.
- Confusing onboarding and repayment structures.
- Lack of transparency around fees and repayments.
- Difficulty understanding financing terminology.
Research / 03
Understanding the user journey
The experience crossed merchant discovery, bank entry points, eligibility and repayment decisions. Mapping the sequence helped identify moments of uncertainty.
View full-size research artifact ↗Six areas to investigate
Some were observed friction; others were potential risks that required user validation.
Merchant availability
Limited merchant adoption could create friction and reduce confidence.
Unclear repayment expectations
Customers needed visibility into repayment structures, fees and financial commitments.
Data security concerns
Customers wanted reassurance around privacy and financial information.
Customer support dependency
Poor onboarding clarity increased reliance on assisted support.
Lengthy onboarding flows
Complex credit and verification steps could slow onboarding and increase drop-off.
Limited repayment flexibility
Rigid repayment structures raised concerns during periods of financial uncertainty.
The map helped the team decide where reassurance, product terms and repayment information needed to appear.
Exploring design directions
I facilitated collaborative ideation workshops with stakeholders, business analysts, developers and technology leads. We explored onboarding concepts, validated feasibility and aligned the experience across merchant and CBA ecosystems.
Low fidelity
Make complex financial questions easier to complete
The liabilities and share-of-expenses screens were long and complex, creating potential drop-off points. We used the workshop to decide which repayment details were essential, what could be deferred and where questions might interrupt completion.
The approach
Improve visual clarity, simplify complex inputs, provide timely guidance and use existing customer information to reduce repeated form filling.
Mid fidelity
Bridge the gap between concepts and execution
The screens made onboarding realistic enough to review. We checked interactions, gathered stakeholder feedback and worked through feasibility with developers before moving to high-fidelity design and testing.
View full-size research artifact ↗What testing revealed
Testing application, repayment and approval
We tested the InstalPay onboarding experience to understand how customers moved through the journey and where they needed clearer guidance.
Five 60-minute usability sessions used an exploratory, task-based approach across mobile and desktop. High-fidelity prototypes helped us refine interactions, strengthen trust and prepare for development.
Insights from usability testing
What worked
- Customers responded positively to structured onboarding and step-by-step progression.
- Users appreciated being able to explore and compare repayment structures.
- Simplified financial terminology helped people understand repayments, obligations and application steps.
What needed improvement
- Some customers wanted clearer visibility into what would happen after submission and approval.
- Certain onboarding moments still felt too dense and required further simplification.
The final solution
Objective: Make the financing journey easier to understand and complete.
Evidence: Testing supported guided steps and clearer repayment choices, while revealing uncertainty about next steps and dense information.
Response: Focused interactions, consistent web and mobile patterns, and a dedicated entry page that explains the offer.
FINAL DESIGN / 01
Guided mobile onboarding
The experience was designed around focused, step-by-step interactions to reduce cognitive load and help customers complete one action at a time.
FINAL DESIGN / 02
A consistent desktop experience
Testing across mobile and desktop helped ensure usability, consistency and clarity regardless of screen size or entry point.
FINAL DESIGN / 03
A clearer starting point
The dedicated InstalPay landing page introduced the product, explained the financing model, built trust and guided customers into the application experience.
Outcomes & lessons
We tracked onboarding milestones, customer understanding and usability to see where the financing journey was working and where it needed refinement.
The case study records improved completion at each measured stage of the application.
Measuring success
| Journey stage | Completion event | Target | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application | Onboarding started | 68% | 81%+13 percentage points vs target |
| Consent | Consent completed | 62% | 74%+12 percentage points vs target |
| Financial details | Details submitted | 58% | 70%+12 percentage points vs target |
| Submission | Application submitted | 52% | 63%+11 percentage points vs target |
Reduced effort
Guided steps made the financing application easier to follow.
Improved speed
Breaking onboarding into steps helped customers move through the application.
Lower dependency
Clear repayment information helped reduce uncertainty during the application.
Scalable core
Shared patterns created a foundation for future onboarding improvements.
Lessons learnt
Trust starts with clear terms
Participants needed to understand repayments, fees and approval expectations throughout the journey.
Simplicity matters in financial onboarding
Breaking the experience into smaller, guided steps reduced cognitive load and made complex financial decisions easier to understand.
Agile collaboration improved delivery
Rapid iteration between Design, Product and Engineering helped the team validate ideas, reduce friction and align on feasible solutions.
Research should guide product decisions
Customer interviews, usability testing and market analysis helped prioritise the right onboarding improvements and reduce assumption-based decisions.