Credit card instalment revamp
Applying for instalments wasn't difficult. Understanding the financial commitment was.

A new statement-based instalment option was planned for Techcombank's credit card experience, and our team was responsible for bringing it into the app. What started as a feature expansion became a broader redesign after research revealed that customers weren't struggling to complete the flow, they were struggling to confidently predict what they would end up paying over time.

The redesign focused on making fees, repayments, and eligibility easier to understand, helping customers evaluate an instalment plan with greater confidence before confirming it.

ROLEProduct designer

TEAMTechcombank • Payment

TIMELINEJul to Sep, 2023

ContextInstalment used to work one way only: convert a purchase before it hit your statement. The new feature introduced another path: converting the statement balance after the statement was issued.

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For the business, the new option could increase instalment revenue by adding a second conversion opportunity that helped capture missed demand, convert larger balances, while reducing repayment risk and retaining credit card customers.

On paper, adding new option looked like a convenience add-on. In practice, it added a second decision point: customers now had to know which option even applied to their situation before they could use either one.

An underlying product rule:Only eligible purchases can be converted into instalments, not every transaction. The statement balance option simply gives customers a second chance to convert eligible purchases that have already appeared on their latest statement, not the entire outstanding balance.

As-is experienceBefore adding anything new to the product, we examined how customers experienced the existing instalment flow by first reviewing previous findings, then conducting Usability testing to evaluate product comprehension and Short interviews about how people perceive instalments and debt management generally.
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Key findings

^{Finding 1.} Customers couldn't confidently predict the financial impact of an instalment plan before committing.

A "0% Interest" offering still comes with a fee, and customers couldn't pin it down confidently.
Customers only encountered the conversion fee (0.6% × months × principal amount) at the tenor selection step. From there, fee information remained inconsistent, switching between percentages and flat amounts, with part of the repayment breakdown hidden behind "..." .

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They couldn't fully picture how instalment worked before committing.They were unsure whether to register before or after making a purchase, couldn't preview how their purchase would be converted into an instalment plan, and weren't clear on what their monthly repayments would look like.

^{Finding 2.}Customers mentally treat instalment as a fixed monthly bill.
Customers evaluate instalment as a recurring monthly expense, making monthly repayment visibility essential for budgeting and assessing future financial commitments.

Design challenge reframedWe hypothesized that introducing a second conversion path without first helping customers build a clear understanding of how instalment works and what it would cost would amplify the uncertainty. So the challenge now framed:

How might we help users understand and confidently evaluate the financial impact of an instalment plan before committing?

This led us to rethink multiple touchpoints across the end-to-end journey, rather than focusing solely on the product introduction.

Design Solutions

1. Making product rule easier to understandThe first challenge was introducing two instalment options without burying customers in credit terminology and therefore misunderstand of what could be converted to instalments. The product framing evolved over two rounds of usability testing before we settled on the final approach.

^1.1 Initial framing used the framing the business had originally defined the product around "Purchase" vs. "Balance" , with the eligibility condition explained in a supported line.
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1st-round testing: Misunderstanding identified
Most participants skimmed the headline and interpreted "Balance" as their entire outstanding debt, creating the false impression that their entire balance had been converted into instalments, this potentially leaving other purchases unpaid and overdue.

^1.2 Revised framing changed the headline phrasing itself to better reflect what was actually being converted.

"Select 1 by 1 eligible purchases not yet in statement to convert" vs. "Convert all eligible purchases in latest statement"
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2nd-round testing: Improved comprehension and here's why
First, it simplified the distinction between the two instalment options. Customers only needed to understand one concept: whether the purchase had appeared on their statement yet. Especially for users unfamiliar with credit card terminology.

Second, using "purchases" made it explicit that not every transaction could be converted into instalments (with eligibility details available).

2. Earning trust through consistent fee communication Surface the fee early. We chose to lead with 0% interest while still keeping the fee visible nearby, rather than hiding it further down the flow.

Fee explained clearly and consistently. Use one representation throughout the experience.

Reinforce the total cost before confirmation. A final repayment summary brought the key financial information together before customers committed.

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3. Supporting monthly affordability decisions
Provide a simulation. We adapted the simulation pattern (originally built by the Savings & Investment team) to recommend a suitable tenor based on what customers could comfortably repay each month, instead of weighing all options themselves.
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This same insight also shaped the experience after sign-up.

For repeat customers, keep the focus on monthly repayments. We redesigned the instalment management view around customers' mental model, showing total monthly repayments instead of individual converted purchases.

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Project outcomeThe redesigned experience shipped as the new credit card instalment flow.The final experience brought together clearer product framing, more transparent cost communication, and repayment planning into a cohesive journey.
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Iterative testing reduced key comprehension issues before launch.Each iteration addressed misunderstandings uncovered in testing, resulting in a clearer and more understandable experience.

Further explorationDebt isn't inherently bad.

What matters is whether it remains affordable and predictable. Instalments help customers spread costs into manageable monthly repayments. When used intentionally, it can support healthier financial planning.
Looking across the entire journey, one idea that emerged from the project but wasn't built:

An in-app mini course on debt literacy "Is debt always bad for your personal finances?" covering:

Good debt vs. bad debt
Instalment answers "when," not "whether you can afford it"
Estimating a sustainable monthly repayment
Recognising when instalment use becomes risky
The conversion fee as the cost of restructuring cash flow, not a penalty

Key Takeaways

Trust comes from helping customers predict financial outcomes, not simply disclosing more information. In lending products, uncertainty around costs and repayments can outweigh the cost itself.

Supporting better decisions often matters more than exposing more functionality. A new feature only creates value when customers understand when to use it and feel confident about its financial impact.