kósmos: Currency Exchange for Global Travelers 

Project Overview

Project Title: Designing a Currency Exchange Experience for Global Travelers.

The Product: A responsive website (mobile and desktop) designed to help travelers find current exchange rates and cultural currency information.

My Role: Generalist Product Designer

Responsibilities: User research, wireframing, and prototyping, etc.

Project Duration: August 2025 to February 2025.

The Challenge: Identifying the Problem

The Problem: Travelers often struggle with not knowing where to exchange currency for the best rates and lacking a deep understanding of the local currency’s value.

The Goal: Create a tool that provides ease in finding exchange locations, offers the best rates, and helps users understand the actual value of their money.

Research and Empathy

User Research: I conducted interviews via text and email to uncover that most users had never used a dedicated currency exchange app before.

Key Pain Points: Users are confused about whether to use native or home currency, they lack quick references for product value in different countries, and they struggle to calculate total amounts after exchange fees.

Personas: I developed personas like Sophia, who needs map-based exchange locations with pop-up rates, and Hector, who wants to understand local customs and currency value to make informed decisions.

The Design Process: Iteration and Refinement

Early Concepts: I began with paper wireframes to iterate on the home screen, exchange, and country pages before moving to digital wireframes.

Usability Study Findings: Initial testing (of the high fidelity prototype only) revealed that users preferred a single-page layout, a combination of a search bar and a map, and a minimal navigation design.

Pivoting for the User: Based on this feedback, I converted three separate pages into a single, cohesive experience with increased negative space to reduce cognitive load.

Accessibility and Inclusive Design

Reducing Cognitive Load: By streamlining the journey into a single page, I made the interface more approachable for neurodivergent users or those with ADHD.

Visual Clarity: I intentionally increased white space to prevent users from feeling overwhelmed and implemented a clear typographic hierarchy to guide the eye toward critical information.

Impact and Future Thinking

User Feedback: A participant noted that the exchange website was "super convenient" and something they would "definitely be using a lot".

Next Steps: To further improve the product, I plan to integrate a real-time API for live fluctuations and a "best rates nearby" feature using geolocation to help travelers avoid high-fee tourist traps.

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