Case Study: Designing CLYRA – A Currency Exchange App

Overview

CLYRA is a mobile-first financial app designed to simplify currency exchange for frequent travelers, remote workers, and global professionals. The challenge was to build a seamless experience that balances clarity, trust, and speed, while also presenting live market data in an accessible way.


The Problem

Users need a reliable and transparent way to exchange currencies without hidden fees. Existing platforms often overwhelm users with complex charts, slow flows, or hidden charges, making it difficult for them to feel confident in their transactions.


Research & Personas

To ground the design in real needs, we created three fictional personas:
 

• Michael Tan – A Sales Manager who travels frequently across Europe and Asia. Needs speed and trust when making quick exchanges.

• Sofia Ramirez – A Freelance Graphic Designer working with international clients. Needs low fees and visibility on live rates.

• Linda Hoffman – A University Professor traveling for conferences. Needs simplicity and reassurance when using the app occasionally.

Key Insights
 

• Michael values efficiency under time pressure.

• Sofia wants control and transparency to track income across currencies.

• Linda needs simplicity and confidence in secure payments.

User Flows

The app supports simple and repeatable tasks:
 

1. Select currency pair

2. View live exchange rates

3. Enter amount to exchange

4. Confirm and approve payment

5. Get instant success confirmation

Each persona’s journey confirmed that the flow needed to be short, predictable, and reassuring.


Design Process

1. Wireframes

We started with basic screens: Homepage, Live Rates, Exchange, Expenses, and Profile Settings. The goal was to keep information organized in modular cards so users could scan and act quickly.

2. High-Fidelity Designs

We used a dark theme to enhance chart visibility, supported with bold red CTAs for important actions like “Exchange” or “Learn more.” News cards added financial context, making the app not just transactional but also informative.

3. Iteration Based on Personas
 

• For Michael: Reduced steps in the exchange flow.

• For Sofia: Added a Live Rates dashboard with real-time updates.

• For Linda: Simplified the Success screen with clear confirmation and exchange summary.

The Solution

The final app delivers:
 

• Transparent rates (no hidden fees, live data shown upfront).

• Streamlined exchange flow (5 steps, under 30 seconds).

• Clear visual hierarchy (dark mode with red highlights).

• Trust signals (confirmation screens, secure payment options).

Results & Learnings

Though fictional, the prototype highlights how persona-driven design helps prioritize features:
 

• Frequent users get efficiency.

• Freelancers get visibility and control.

• Occasional users get simplicity and reassurance.

If tested in real life, we would measure task completion time, user trust perception, and repeat usage as success metrics.


Final Reflection: This project reinforced the importance of designing around different user mindsets. By grounding flows in clear personas, the app became adaptable to both fast-paced professionals and casual users.