CHASE
UltimateRewards
A simple, personal travel planning experience;
available exclusively to Chase cardmembers.
BACKGROUND
One destination for Chase cardmembers that provides travel inspiration, info-gathering, planning and itinerary creation, booking and trip management that is accessible from anywhere
CONTRIBUTION
Lead product strategy, UX and product design, partnered with 3rd party vendors for content and personalization development
CHALLENGE
Despite UR being one of Chase’s most engaged platforms, we faced a significant hurdle: users were not taking advantage of all the redeemable offerings. Many cardholders redeemed points in only one way, often opting for cash back due to habit or the perception of maximizing monetary value. The existing UR hub was cluttered, lacked a compelling narrative, and didn’t effectively communicate the holistic value of Chase’s card products..
• Change customers’ mindsets to explore varied redemption options
• Simplify the travel planning and booking process.
• Personalize the experience based on user preferences and activity.
• Make the platform accessible, inclusive, and engaging.
DISCOVERY & RESEARCH
Our journey began with in-depth research. We discovered that the average traveler engages in 9.5 internet sessions and visits 22 different sites before booking a vacation. Additionally, 85% of Freedom credit card holders only redeemed cash, and 44% hadn’t redeemed points in over two years.
Cardholders are always in a state of redemption, the interplay of earn and burn, or spend and save, we categorized them as:
1. Non-redeemers: Needed encouragement to start redeeming
2. Single-category redeemers: Needed motivation to explore varied redemption options.
3. Multi-category redeemers: Needed continued engagement to maintain their varied redemption habits.
We conducted interviews with over 200 participants to understand current behaviors. Key takeaways included:
• Rewards programs without the need to read fine print.
• The current experience lacked delight and joy.
• Expect exclusive perks similar to competitors like Amex.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
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FOCUS ON NEEDS
Personalize offers based on Chase customer data and allow Chase customers to purchase offers with their Ultimate Rewards points.
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VALUE, NOT FEATURES
Offer a seamless, simplified travel planning, booking and on-the-go experience.
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DESIGN WITH DATA
Aggregate travel offers and travel content from premium travel partners.
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USABLE & ATTRACTIVE
Enable travel, making every step easier, more enjoyable, and more meaningful.
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ACCESSIBLE & INCLUSIVE
Chase embraces accessibility, and we made sure Passport was usable for everyone
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LASTING & REUSABLE
Passport and Ultimate Rewards has continued to prosper and grow since launch
SOLUTIONS
Explainer Framework
I created “The Explainer” —a strategy for simplifying the complexity of earning and burning points. By categorizing almost all cardholder activities as “Give Something,” “Go Somewhere,” or “Do Something,” we created a more human-friendly and simple approach and moved away from jargon or fine print.
Make a Plan, Set a Goal
A major opportunity lay in demonstrating the value of points by with ‘earn goals’ - travel plans, concert tickets, high ticket items; anything that cardholders save points for. With a goal, we could reinforce saving, have a valuable reason to communicate with cardholders, and the highest conversion rate for spending points on a single purchase.
We needed to communicate the value of the cardholder’s Chase product, and create a method of goal building, that would guide users through inspiration, planning, booking, and trip management (for a travel goal).
Personalization and Bundling
To encourage varied redemption, we leveraged user data to personalize recommendations and bundled offers. For example:
Get Something: Personalized rewards based on implied and informed interests
Go Somewhere: Guide cardholders on selecting a goal, then reinforce progress to encourage cardholder success
Do Something: Highlight activities and experiences that earn the most, encouraging save and spend.
Responsive Design & Accessibility
We used our responsive design system, the first in the financial space, to ensure the UR platform was WCAG and AA complaint across all devices (smartphones, tablets, and desktops) delivering on Chase’s commitment to inclusivity.
Your Travel Plans, Together
Gave travelers a vastly simplified travel experience by consolidating:
Integrated Itinerary: A unified place for all travel plans.
Integrated Checkout: Seamless transaction processes.
Integrated Servicing: Personalized support and recommendations.
PROCESS
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DISCOVERY & RESEARCH
It takes the average traveler 9.5 Internet sessions to book a vacation, during which they visit 22 different sites.
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DEFINING OPPORTUNITY
No single site offers: Inspiration, Comparison, Transaction and Itinerary Management (for Members or from Chase)
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STRATEGY & IDEATION
Offer travelers a vastly simplified travel planning experience at all steps in the travel lifecycle, focusing specifically on integrated itinerary, integrated checkout, and integrated servicing.
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Provide guidance, clarity, and value to help stakeholders and leadership align on strategies and concepts.
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PROTOTYPE & TEST
As soon as we had an execution to validate, we began experiencing it in every way possible. We brought in Chase cardmembers to provide feedback on both concepts and designed experiences (user testing).
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PARTNER & ENHANCE
Identify content, inventory and service partners to provide best-in-class experiences
IMPACTS
Impact
INCREASED ENGAGEMENT
Chase saw a direct correlation between the new design system-powered experience and points spent by card holders. Users immediately began exploring and using new redemption options, like travel, beyond cash back.
Impact
INCREASED ADOPTION
New and existing Chase Customers showered UR with positive feedback on every touchpoint. The praise for its personalized, user-friendly interface let Chase eventually move their other properties onto the design system
Impact
ACCESSIBILITY / INCLUSIVITY
Ultimate Rewards was the first Chase digital property to be both WCAG and AA-level compliant, in addition to being Chase’s first design system and fully responsive experience. Inclusive design strategy was baked in from day one.
Impact
INDUSTRY RECOGNITION
Received a Cannes Silver Lion (Cyber), and positive reviews from outlets like The Points Guy. Reviews universally highlighted the beautiful, easy to use experience, and the added value of the Ultimate Rewards Experience.
AWARDS
Cannes Silver Lion – Cyber 2014
REVIEW by The Points Guy
https://thepointsguy.com/2015/04/is-the-chase-ultimate-rewards-travel-portal-worth-using/
REVIEW by CreditD
Director, Product Design / UX
NOISE
Lead product strategy and ideation, successfully pitched clients, lead product development and management, experience and product design, partnered with technology director for development
Product Design / UX
Innovation / Ideation
Vision / Strategy
Design Thinking
Product and UX
Director (me)
Product Manager
UX Lead
UX Designer
UI Designer
Visual Design
Digital Art Director
Visual Designer
Copywriter