Pedro Falcao

Challenge

HSBC wanted to test Connect Plus, a new value proposition designed to address the challenges of cross-border banking. The key selling points included:

✔️ Send, receive, and spend like a local—with zero fees.
✔️ A single view for all currencies, accounts, and transactions in one place.
✔️ Global Saving Pots—a feature to connect, share, and save money with family and friends.

Approach

To ensure these features resonated with users and were intuitive, adoptable, and valuable, we followed a structured validation process. Our delivery approach included: (1) Mapping the User Journey, (2) Prototyping, (3) Testing the Value Proposition and (4) Reporting.

1. Mapping the User Journey

We began by collaborating closely with HSBC’s product, engineering, and compliance teams to define a potential user journey for the product, ensuring it aligned with the existing requirements.

2. Prototyping

With a clear journey map in place, we developed a high-fidelity prototype to serve as a stimulus for qualitative interviews and test the Value Proposition and its Key Selling Points.

3. Testing the Value Proposition

Qualitative interviews were carried to test the key selling points of the value proposition.  Our research objectives included:

✔️  Understanding expatriates' financial management needs and challenges.
✔️  Exploring current behaviors around savings, transfers, and investments.
✔️  Assessing the appeal and usability of the proposed financial solution.
✔️  Identifying key functional and emotional jobs related to financial management.

See discussion guide and session notes  →

4. Business impact

A detailed report was produced, synthesizing user research insights into actionable recommendations to strengthen the value proposition and key selling points. While Connect Plus was ultimately not launched as a standalone product, its core innovations directly influenced the development of HSBC’s Global Money Account: