Design Chit-Chat vol.13 – Core App & Growth Team

What is Design Chit-Chat?

PayPay has grown into a mobile payment service with 57 million users, which translates to one in every two smartphone users in Japan. One thing that is indispensable in the service’s development is the presence of product members with rich personalities from more than 50 countries and regions around the world. The process of understanding both the differences and commonalities in each other’s thinking has transformed us into a team capable of creating ideas, approaches, and outputs that have never existed before.

In this Design Chit-Chat series, we would like to present a series of member’s voices to give you as direct a picture as possible of the PayPay Design Team and its atmosphere of craftsmanship.

This time, we will introduce members of the Core App & Growth Team in the Design Department of the Product Division.

What does the Core App & Growth Team do?

Kyoko :
The Core App & Growth Team is, as the name indicates, responsible for addressing challenges in the core app and growth areas. “Core app” includes various elements, including login, account, payment completion screen, notification center, and so on, on top of payment-related matters.
The other aspect, “growth,” refers to our handling of marketing strategies like promotional campaigns.

Sekki :
In collaboration with the Product Operation Team, we also respond to issues raised by the CS Team. We handle a variety of cases, whether it be login-related or account take over countermeasures.

What challenges do you face in the Core App & Growth Team?

Sekki :
A major challenge is to design while maintaining a good balance between business requirements, such as marketing, and the user experience. For example, there is a lot of information that PayPay wants to communicate to users on the home screen and payment completion screen, such as promotions and coupon information. In that context, we must always consider the balance of how each component should be placed to make it useful and approachable for the user. We propose what would be the best ideas from the user’s point of view, taking into account business requirements, and reflect them in the design.

Mari :
When a request for a new feature comes in, the first thing we consider is whether the feature will truly solve a problem. If we believe that the solution does not get to the root of a problem from the user’s perspective, we may propose another solution.

Michael :
To achieve a win-win situation for users and business, it is crucial to align users’ needs with business objectives effectively. A key aspect in doing this is gaining empathy by collecting feedback from users and considering diverse perspectives and opinions. We gather insights directly from PayPay users, as well as from people around us, and conduct online research including social media analysis. Additionally, We collaborate with our Customer Support Team to enhance the user experience and resolve issues that arise.

What is your role in the team and what are your current challenges?

Sekki :
I am primarily in charge of PayPay’s home screen. The home screen is the most important part of the PayPay app and the first thing users see. So, we need to take into account how users are prompted to take certain actions and how they discover new features. We are always in touch with users’ opinions and feedback, and try to incorporate them into designs and improvements.

I am also working on design “debt” together with Kyoko. PayPay has grown rapidly in a short period of time, so some designs require a review since they were implemented on a tight schedule. For example, the increasing number of mini apps can sometimes make it difficult to find the one you are looking for, and the addition of new features may require modifications to existing designs. We are addressing these “debts” one by one and making improvements accordingly.

And also as a team manager, my priority is to provide a good working environment for the entire team. I also value the growth and development of each individual team member with mutual respect.

Kyoko :
I am in charge of identity verification and promotional campaigns. PayPay requires identity verification for certain features. However, identity verification can be difficult for some users and some are even rejected, so we are improving our identity verification procedures to make the use of PayPay more comfortable, based on our understanding of users’ situations and problems.

In addition, we are working on creating easily understandable contents to clearly convey campaign details and participation requirements.

Michael :
I am mainly responsible for the payment completion screen, PayPay STEP, and payment-related projects. I am also often involved in new features and services, so it is important for me to stay up-to-date with essential information.
The goal is to empower users by accurately understanding their situation and promptly taking the required steps.
As a side project I do user research and gather feedback to improve existing features in PayPay, particularly focusing on areas such as identity verification.

Mari :
Currently, I’m working mainly on a project to improve PayPay Points. Since I have just been assigned to this project, my immediate task is to first understand the big picture of the project and how it will affect other features and services. I will consult with other teams to generate feasible concrete ideas and work with Marketing.
Apart from that, I am also responsible for other features, like the login screen, accounts, and announcements.

The team’s culture

Sekki :
I would say we are friendly, flexible, and non-hierarchical.

Michael :
It’s an open and supportive culture that makes it possible to voice your opinion and ideas with anyone. Sekki facilitates a great culture, enables our growth as designers and makes sure that we’re not overworked through managing resources.

Mari :
What I find wonderful is that everyone is open to listening to new ideas and suggestions. Besides, everyone is supportive and ready to help when someone is in trouble. There is a lot of experience sharing between the design team and you can learn a lot with everyone.

Kyoko :
Although I live in Nagano, which is physically far away from Tokyo, I never feel distant from the team members. I think it’s because the Design Team as a whole has a very friendly and communicative culture.

What is the appeal of working as a designer at PayPay?

Sekki :
The diverse environment. This team consists of members from different countries and the entire company has members from more than 50 countries, so we are exposed to many different ideas and cultures. I think the flexibility and respect people have for each other’s opinions is attractive.

Kyoko :
It is rewarding to see the features I’m involved in being used even in places where the internet connection can be limited. PayPay is also used in diverse locations such as music festivals, festival food stalls, and many other places. I sometimes find areas for improvement based on actual usage, and I am proud of the nationwide acceptance for our products.

What do you want to try out next at PayPay?

Kyoko :
I’m not sure if it’s achievable, but I would like to be involved in a financial education project for children. We have heard that because PayPay is so convenient, people who are not good at managing money can overspend, not just limited to children. Given that it’s a product used by numerous users, I aspire to promote initiatives that help users develop appropriate usage and self-management skills, thereby establishing a safety net in their relationship with money.

Mari :
I would like to continue conducting and expanding user interviews and research activities to understand users’ concerns and how they are using PayPay.
I also want to make PayPay a more exciting app through the Point Portal project. I want to make a financial app that is not overly complicated and provides a special experience for our users.

Michael :
I want to focus on the importance of PayPay’s corporate social responsibility. It’s similar to Kyoko’s idea, and I want to work on promoting financial wellness to encourage users to use financial services wisely. I also want to work on improving our overall efficiency in order to make PayPay more accessible.

Sekki :
I would like to establish the PayPay ecosystem. I believe that there is still a lot of room for expansion in the financial and investment domains. I would like to think of ways to contribute from a designer’s perspective. I will also work on ideas to improve everyone’s life balance!

A message to our readers please!

Sekki :
In PayPay, there are ongoing projects where designers take the initiative to solve product issues, so this is an environment where designers can easily voice their opinions.
PayPay is perfect for people who enjoy problem-solving, have a flexible mind, and are playful!

Kyoko :
I tend to get bored easily, but there are always plenty of new things to do here at PayPay, and it’s always exciting! It’s also a great company for people who like to learn new things.

Mari :
PayPay is very open to new ideas and there is a lot of room for you to grow here. When you make suggestions, you get all kinds of feedback, and I think this is perfect for open-minded folks.

Michael :
PayPay is dynamic and enjoyable, and it provides a wonderful environment where you can make a positive impact on society. We welcome individuals who not only fulfill assigned tasks but also actively seek knowledge, have their own opinions, and fearlessly take on challenges.

*Recruitment status and employee affiliations are correct at the time of the interview.