Uphold Crypto Wallet — Redesigning Onboarding & Activation for Trust and Efficiency

The UX Operations Group North Star was to scale and streamline Design & Research processes, foster collaboration, and empower UXers to create impactful and innovative experiences.

COMPANY

COMPANY

Uphold Financial & Blockchain Services

OutSystems

ROLE

ROLE

Principal Product Designer

UX Operations Manager

SKILLS

SKILLS

Product Design, User Research, Data-Driven Design, Design Leadership

Design Leadership & Management, Design Operations, Design Systems and Research Ops

THE SCOPE

THE SCOPE

Uphold’s onboarding experience had grown long and complex, with users abandoning the process due to an overwhelming manual process and identity verification.
I led a dual-track initiative: Onboarding (completion rate) and Activation (first deposit rate), to simplify the journey, reduce friction, and build trust without compromising compliance.

As UX Ops Manager I led the UX and Design Ops Vision & Strategy, fostering the growth of the Design Ops practice for a 70+ person design and research team. Within the UX Ops group, I was also overseeing the Design System and Research Ops teams.

Users expected a fast, familiar fintech experience but faced an 11-step flow requiring manual data entry, document uploads, and early ID verification.
Our goal was to make onboarding as quick and transparent as modern P2P platforms, while staying compliant.

The primary challenge was transforming a UX group rooted in engineering principles into a design team fully immersed in user experience. Additionally, my mission included enhancing overall processes and practices, elevating the maturity of this 70+ person design and research team to the next level.

My leadership challenge at OutSystems, particularly within the UX Ops group, was characterized by transformation, resilience, and a commitment to growth and excellence. Upon returning from maternity leave, I embarked on a journey to not only lead but also significantly develop the UX Ops area. This endeavor involved overseeing two teams, nurturing the growth of design leaders, and promoting a culture of collaboration and innovation. This team was quite eclectic, featuring eight designers with a variety of specialties such as interaction design, UX design, content design, research, and engineering.

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KEY ACHIEVEMENTS 

  Building the UX Ops Practice
  Hiring Practice Enhancement
  Organizational Changes Leadership
  Design System Maturity
  User Research Program Maturity
  Cross-Functional Partnerships
  UX Management Support 
  Communities of Practice
  UX Ceremonies and Rituals Overhaul
  Support System Implementation
  Research Ops & Crisis Management
  Post-Layoff Morale Management