PhonePe | My Site 3

PhonePeEasy : Simplifying Digital Payments for the Elderly

Academic Project | Semester 1 | Guided by - Dr. Sukanta Majumdar

Project Overview

PhonePeEasy is a UX concept project focused on making digital payments accessible, understandable, and stress-free for elderly users in India. Built on top of PhonePe, the project reimagines the payment experience by addressing challenges such as low digital literacy, fear of making mistakes, poor readability, and cognitive overload. The goal was not to redesign PhonePe entirely, but to design an inclusive layer that enables confident usage for first-time and elderly users.

The Problem

Despite the widespread adoption of UPI and digital payments, a large section of elderly users remain excluded or dependent on others. Existing payment apps assume a level of digital familiarity that many seniors do not have. Complex navigation, unclear terminology, small text sizes, and lack of reassurance often lead to fear, errors, and avoidance of digital payments altogether.

My Role

UX Designer : Research • User journeys • Wireframes • Information architecture • Interaction & Interface Design • Accessibility-focused UX Decisions

The Users

Elderly users (55+), first-time smartphone users, and people with low digital literacy who feel anxious navigating digital payment apps and often depend on others to complete transactions.

The Opportunity

By simplifying flows, improving readability, and adding guided reassurance, PhonePeEasy can empower independent usage and expand digital payment adoption among an underserved user group.

UX Research & Insights

Research Methods

The research combined contextual inquiry with elderly users to understand how they interact with digital payments in real-life situations. Informal interviews with parents and grandparents helped uncover emotional barriers, fears, and trust issues related to using payment apps. These insights were strengthened through observation of real-world payment scenarios such as local shops, pharmacies, and utility payments, where hesitation and dependency were most visible. Secondary research on accessibility principles and age-inclusive design provided a strong foundation for translating these findings into inclusive UX decisions.

Key Insights

The research revealed that elderly users fear pressing the wrong button more than losing money, highlighting anxiety around irreversible actions. English-heavy terminology often creates confusion and hesitation, increasing dependence on others. Speed is far less important to users than clear confirmation and reassurance at every step. Visually dense screens overwhelm users quickly, causing them to abandon tasks. Instead of exploring interfaces freely, users rely on familiar patterns and memory cues, making consistency and clarity critical to the design.

View Research in Detail

User Persona

Emotional Journey Map

Fear of Fraud (4/5): Strong initial fear of online scams and mis-transactions.
Intimidation (3.5/5): Feels intimidated by unfamiliar digital platforms.
Frustration (1/5): Frustration arises from struggles with technology.
Low Confidence (1.5/5): Initially lacks confidence due to age and lack of digital knowledge.
Enthusiasm for Learning (4/5): Eager to learn once recognizing the benefits of technology.
Confidence in Mastery (3/5): Grows confident after mastering tasks like UPI payments.
Satisfaction (4/5): Finds satisfaction in the convenience and time-saving benefits.
Willingness to Learn (5/5): Fully open to learning new skills as technology becomes essential.