Mobile App Redesign: Elevating the Ria Financial Mobile Experience
Ria Financial’s old mobile app was simply a “wrapped” version of our website—functional, but not fully leveraging the power of native mobile features and design language. We set out to completely overhaul the app to make it more intuitive, feature-rich, and aligned with modern mobile experiences. This case study explores how we tackled the redesign and created an app that truly met user needs.
Challenge
The original Ria Financial mobile app mirrored our website, making it clunky and less user-friendly. The main challenges we faced were:
Lack of Native Functionality: The app didn’t take advantage of mobile-specific features like push notifications, geolocation, or gesture-based navigation.
Clunky User Experience: Because the app was just a website in disguise, the interface felt inconsistent with other apps users were familiar with, including our competitors in the space.
Low Engagement: User retention was low because the app didn’t provide the seamless, intuitive experience expected from modern mobile apps. There wasn’t really a point for our users to install the mobile app since the website provided the same experience.
Process
Research and Discovery
To understand the problems and design the best solution, we began by gathering insights:
User Feedback: We conducted surveys and interviews with app users to understand their pain points, frustrations, and desired features.
Competitive Analysis: We reviewed similar apps in the industry to identify features and design elements that worked well for users.
Usability Testing: We analyzed how users interacted with the old app, identifying navigation issues and areas where users struggled.
Defining Key Features
We identified several key areas to focus on in the redesign:
Streamlined User Flow:
Simplified the registration, transfer, and payment processes, reducing the number of steps required to complete common tasks.
Native Mobile Features:
Integrated mobile-specific features such as push notifications for transaction updates, geolocation for finding nearby locations, and camera-based scanning for easier data entry.
Modern Design Language:
Adopted a native iOS/Android design “system” for a cleaner, more intuitive interface that felt like it belonged on their phone instead of the “wrapped” web app feel it had before.
Personalization:
Added personalized features like quick access to frequently used recipients and the ability to set custom notifications for preferred exchange rates
Prototyping and User Testing
With wireframes and prototypes in hand, we conducted multiple rounds of testing with real users to ensure the app was easy to use and met their needs. Feedback helped us refine the design, especially for key interactions like money transfers and account management.
Figma prototype
This is a prototype of the send money flow for the Ria Money Transfer mobile app.
This is an example of a repeat transfer, a lot of the payment information and recipient information had already been entered by the user on a previous transfer.
Note: Due to this being a prototype, and not the real product, not all fields/buttons are interactive. If you’re unsure where to tap, tap an empty space on the prototype, and the interactive elements will briefly light up in light blue. You can make the prototype fullscreen by tapping on the expand icon on the top right of the black background. If on mobile, tap the button below!
Impact
The redesigned Ria Financial mobile app addressed key pain points and delivered tangible results:
Improved User Retention: The new app led to a 35% increase in user retention over the first quarter after launch.
Enhanced User Experience: Users reported that the app felt faster, more intuitive, and better integrated into their daily routines.
Increased Engagement: Push notifications and personalized features led to a 20% increase in daily active users.
App Store Reviews: App Store and Google Play reviews increased by .75 stars on average.
Takeaways
Leverage Native Features: Using mobile-specific features like push notifications and geolocation significantly enhances user engagement and satisfaction.
Focus on Simplicity: Simplifying complex tasks and streamlining processes are key to improving usability and retention.
Iterate and Test: Continuous user feedback and testing ensure the final product meets real user needs and expectations.
By redesigning the mobile app to fully embrace native mobile functionality and design, Ria Financial provided a seamless, user-friendly experience that helped improve engagement, retention, and overall user satisfaction.
Here is a sample of how the design team laid out a Figma file for consumption by all stakeholders.