Empathy Map - Revolut

Overview

I analysed Revolut's mobile app platform to understand user pain points and create actionable insights for improving the digital banking experience. Using empathy mapping methodology as my guide to generate hypotheses about user needs and behaviors.

Platform Selected: Revolut Mobile Banking App

Device Type: Mobile (iOS/Android)

Target Audience: Young professionals and digital natives (ages 25-35) in urban areas

Research Methods

User Interviews (n=5): In-depth conversations with current Revolut users

Online Survey (n=150): Quantitative data on usage patterns and pain points

App Store Review Analysis: Analysis of 100+ recent reviews

Competitor Analysis: Comparison with traditional banks and fintech competitors

Behavioral Analytics: Secondary research on fintech user behavior patterns

Target User Profile

"Digital-First Millennials"

• Age: 25-35 years old
• Location: Urban areas
• Income: €30K-€70K annually
• Occupation: Knowledge workers, freelancers, digital nomads
• Tech savvy with high smartphone usage
• Values convenience, transparency, and control over finances

Research Findings

Complex Navigation: Users struggle to find specific features within the app

Feature Overload: Too many options can overwhelm new users

Customer Support: Difficulty reaching human support when needed

Transaction Categorization: Auto categorization often inaccurate

Paid Plans Clarity: Confusion about what's included in paid plans

Empathy Map

SAYS

• "I love how I can exchange currencies instantly"
• "The spending analytics help me budget better"
• "The metal card makes me feel premium"
• "Sometimes I can't find the feature I'm looking for"
• "It's great for traveling abroad"
• "Customer service takes too long to respond"

THINKS

• "Is my money really safe with a digital-only bank?"
• "This app makes me feel more in control of my finances"
• "I wonder if traditional banks will catch up"
• "Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the options"
• "I'm worried about making a mistake with investments"

DOES

• Checks balance multiple times daily
• Exchanges currencies before traveling
• Compares rates with other providers
• Uses budgeting features sporadically
• Explores new features through trial and error

FEELS

• Satisfied with transparent fee structure
• Excited about new feature releases
• Confident when traveling internationally
• Empowered when managing finances independently

Insights

Insight 1: Control vs. Complexity Paradox

Users want financial control but get overwhelmed by too many features. They want powerful tools that are still simple to use.

Insight 2: Trust Through Transparency

Users love the innovation but worry about the security of digital only banking.

Insight #3: Context-Driven Usage Patterns

Users interact with different features based on specific life contexts (traveling, budgeting, investing) rather than exploring comprehensively.

Insight #4: Support Expectations

Users expect instant, human like support but often encounter chatbots or delays, creating frustration despite overall app satisfaction.

Next Steps

Immediate Actions

• Conduct task based testing focusing on navigation pain points
• Simplify feature organization based on usage patterns
• Create progressive onboarding that introduces features gradually

Long term strategic considerations

• Develop AI-driven personalization for feature recommendations
• Create in app educational content for complex financial concepts
• Explore peer to peer learning and support mechanisms

Conclusion

This empathy mapping shows that users need the right features at the right time, not just more features. They like digital banking but want better security information and easier access to help.

Revolut should make the app more intuitive by showing relevant features based on what users are trying to do. They also need to build more trust and improve support access. This will turn confusion into satisfaction for their tech savvy users.