Capital One
As a Senior Product Designer at Capital One, I was the lead designer for the payments space (mobile and desktop). My work focused on simplifying complex interactions for millions of everyday consumers, from rewards tracking to transaction clarity. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, I drove projects that boosted customer engagement.
The role:
2022
Owned Venture Rewards
Mobile & Desktop
Senior Designer
+10 projects / features
Contributions:
Venture Rewards miles
Split check deposits
Merchant info reporting
Transaction filters
Quick action menu
Restricted visibility
Capital One adheres to a stringent confidentiality policy regarding sharing intellectual property. The below analysis on prior project work while at Capital One will be limited to only features that were made public.
1. Venture Rewards - Miles Visibility & Redemption
Before the Project
Prior to this redesign, Capital One’s Venture Rewards program lacked seamless integration into the consumer-facing mobile app and desktop portal. Customers could view miles balances periodically, but real-time updates tied to day-to-day spending were unavailable, and redemption options were buried in complex navigation menus, requiring multiple steps to access travel bookings or statement credits.
Customer Challenges
Venture cardholders, often frequent travelers, expressed frustration over delayed miles visibility, making it hard to plan redemptions. The clunky redemption process deterred engagement, with some users opting for competitor cards offering intuitive rewards interfaces. Internal data showed a drop in redemption activity compared to industry benchmarks, signaling missed opportunities to deepen customer loyalty.
Analysis Process
As lead designer, I reviewed the recently completed research analysis with 200+ Venture cardholders via surveys and usability testing, identifying pain points in rewards tracking and redemption. Journey mapping revealed that 70% of users abandoned redemption flows due to navigation complexity. I collaborated with data analysts to study transaction patterns, confirming high spending in travel and dining—key categories for miles accrual. Competitive analysis of rival apps (e.g., Chase Sapphire) highlighted the need for real-time updates and one-tap redemption options.
Build Process
I worked with a cross-functional team of three front-end developers, and two data scientists to integrate real-time miles tracking into the app and portal. We partnered with the Capital One Travel team to streamline redemption UX, (later syncing with 15+ loyalty programs, e.g., Accor, Avianca, etc.). Agile sprints over six weeks included biweekly user testing to refine layouts, ensuring accessibility compliance.
Benefits and Positive Impact
Launched in Q3 2023, the redesigned Venture Rewards UI increased redemption rates by 25%, adding $10 million in customer value annually, per internal metrics. Real-time miles visibility boosted app engagement, with daily active users rising to 2 million.
2. Split Check Deposits
Before the Project
Capital One’s mobile check deposit feature required users to deposit entire check amounts into one account. Splitting deposits across checking, savings, or other accounts was unavailable, forcing manual transfers post-deposit.
Customer Challenges
Customers, particularly small business owners and gig workers (25% of Capital One’s 360 Checking base, per 2023 Annual Report), found the single-account deposit limiting. Surveys showed 65% wanted split options to manage cash flow, with 30% using competitor apps like Chime for flexibility. This gap risked losing deposits to rivals, impacting Capital One’s $30.4 billion revenue stream.
Build Process
I guided three designers and four developers to build a UI with percentage sliders for splitting checks (e.g., 60% checking, 40% savings). The team integrated with Capital One’s deposit system, using secure APIs. Five-month development included beta testing with 200 users, fixing allocation errors. AWS-hosted infrastructure ensured scalability, per Capital One’s tech stack.
Benefits and Positive Impact
Launched in Q2 2024, split check deposits increased mobile deposits by 12%, adding $1 billion in annual deposits. Customer satisfaction hit 88% in surveys, with gig workers citing time savings. For Capital One, the feature strengthened 360 Checking’s market share, supporting a 5% revenue uptick in consumer banking. By streamlining financial management, the project embodied Capital One’s commitment to “human-centered technology,” enhancing its reputation as a digital banking leader.
3. Merchant Information Reporting - Self-Service Transaction Clarity
Before the Project
Capital One’s transaction interface displayed merchant names as provided by payment processors, often showing cryptic codes (e.g., “POS1234”) instead of recognizable names. Customers had to call support to report mislabeled transactions, with no self-service option in the mobile app or desktop portal.
Customer Challenges
Mislabeled transactions caused confusion, especially for small business owners and frequent travelers tracking expenses. Support calls spiked by 40% monthly, straining contact centers and leading to a 10% drop in Net Promoter Score (NPS). Customers felt disempowered, unable to resolve issues quickly, risking trust in Capital One’s transparency.
Approval Process
I pitched the feature to the Consumer Banking Leadership Team, using mockups to demonstrate a three-step reporting flow. Data projected a 30% reduction in support calls, saving $2 million annually. After addressing privacy concerns with legal teams, the project gained approval in Q1 2023, tied to Capital One’s AI-driven personalization goals.
Analysis Process
For years, Capital One has been using machine learning software to automatically match transactions to merchent names at a 98% rate. However after several famous cases of the automatic merchant matching tool incorrectly assigning erroneos names to transactions went viral, there was a clear need to fix the remaining 2%. Additionally, heatmap analysis of the app showed high drop-off rates on transaction detail screens. I collaborated with fraud and compliance teams to assess risks, ensuring user-reported data wouldn’t compromise security. Benchmarking against PayPal’s dispute system inspired a streamlined reporting flow. This aligned with Capital One’s $200 million community impact initiative (2020–2025), per their 2023 ESG Report, emphasizing trust and accessibility.
Build Process
Partnering with two back-end developers and a machine learning engineer, I designed a UI enabling customers to submit merchant corrections via a dropdown menu. The system integrated with Capital One’s AML algorithms, as described in a 2022 Harvard case study, to validate reports without triggering false fraud alerts. Four-month development included A/B testing with 500 beta users, refining error messaging. The app and portal updates leveraged AWS microservices for scalability, per Capital One’s 2025 AWS case study.
Benefits and Positive Impact
Rolled out in Q4 2023, the feature cut support calls by 35%, saving $2.5 million yearly, and boosted NPS by 12 points. Customers reported 90% satisfaction with the self-service tool in post-launch surveys. For Capital One, reduced operational costs funded further AI innovations, supporting the company’s goal to be an “AI-first” bank. By empowering users to resolve issues independently, the project enhanced trust, aligning with Capital One’s vision of delivering “real-time, intelligent customer experiences.”
Get in touch
You can reach me at john.s.f.lloyd@gmail.com
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