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Unlocking Adoption: Redesigning Qonto’s Product Discovery System

The mission: Rethink how 600,000+ businesses discover and engage with Qonto’s financial features to solve a major adoption gap.

As Lead Designer, I led the shift to a scalable, personalized platform, boosting feature discovery to 40%+, cutting costs by 80%, and enabling autonomous team iteration.

Index

User research

Explorations

Final solution

Key results

YEAR

2024

CLIENT

Qonto

TEAM

Cross-functional team: PM, Engineers, UX Writers, Product Marketing Managers

EXPERTISES

Data Analysis, Product Design, Design System, Motion Design

Index

Index

Index

User research

User research

User research

Explorations

Explorations

Explorations

Final solution

Solution

Final solution

Key results

Results

Key results

What were our challenges?

Early 2024: Qonto users are missing key tools.
Despite offering powerful invoicing, bookkeeping, and spend management features, only 5% find client invoicing and 9% discover supplier invoices in their first month.
Static, hardcoded onboarding left features buried.

Early 2024: Qonto users are missing key tools.
Despite offering powerful invoicing, bookkeeping, and spend management features, only 5% find client invoicing and 9% discover supplier invoices in their first month. Static, hardcoded onboarding left features buried.

Early 2024: Qonto users are missing key tools.
Despite offering powerful invoicing, bookkeeping, and spend management features, only 5% find client invoicing and 9% discover supplier invoices in their first month. Static, hardcoded onboarding left features buried.

Increase non-banking features usage within 30 days

Increase non-banking features usage within 30 days

40%

40%

EXPECTED

EXPECTED

25%

25%

CURRENT

CURRENT

Boost financial tool adoption without disrupting key setup steps (KYC, first income, card orders)

Boost financial tool adoption without disrupting key setup steps (KYC, first income, card orders)

Improve overall activation within 60 days

Improve overall activation within 60 days

+12%

+12%

EXPECTED

EXPECTED

Boost financial tool adoption without disrupting key setup steps
(KYC, first income, card orders)

Boost financial tool adoption without disrupting key setup steps (KYC, first income, card orders)

Boost financial tool adoption without disrupting key setup steps
(KYC, first income, card orders)

Build a low-maintenance system for teams to create, test, and refine discovery actions

Build a low-maintenance system for teams

Build a low-maintenance system for teams

Customize actions based on user profile, plan, company, role, and features usage

Customize actions based on user profile, plan, role…

Customize actions based on user profile, plan, role…

Ensure uniform activation and discovery experience across all Qonto platforms

Ensure uniform activation and discovery experience across all Qonto platforms

Ensure uniform activation and discovery experience across all Qonto platforms

Build a low-maintenance system for teams to create, test, and refine discovery actions

Customize actions based on user profile, plan, company, role, and features usage

Ensure uniform activation and discovery experience across all Qonto platforms

Why this adoption rate was so low?

The design process began with deep user research that revealed critical insights:

- Only 17% of companies discovered client invoicing within 30 days after contract signed

- Only 9% discovered supplier invoices in the same period

- Users felt overwhelmed by the existing interface

- Mobile and web experiences were fragmented

- The old system was static and non-tailored to user needs

The design process began with deep user research that revealed critical insights:

- Only 17% of companies discovered client invoicing within 30 days after contract signed

- Only 9% discovered supplier invoices in the same period

- Users felt overwhelmed by the existing interface

- Mobile and web experiences were fragmented

- The old system was static and non-tailored to user needs

Navigation Blind Spots

Sabine

I was not aware that Qonto had invoicing capability as I only use mobile

Multi-Feature Adoption Gap

Paul

I discovered the supplier section speaking with my accountant, he recommended it to me

Navigation Blind Spots

Sabine

I was not aware that Qonto had invoicing capability as I only use mobile

Multi-Feature Adoption Gap

Paul

I discovered the supplier section speaking with my accountant, he recommended it to me

Static, unsegmented system

Daniel

I don't want to go through the whole flow to understand what functionalities Qonto invoices includes and whether they fit my needs

Static, unsegmented system

Daniel

I don't want to go through the whole flow to understand what functionalities Qonto invoices includes and whether they fit my needs

The foundation of the Product Discovery System emerged from comprehensive user research conducted during the New Navigation project, which revealed critical insights about feature discoverability.

Multi-Feature Adoption Gap

Paul

I discovered the supplier section speaking with my accountant, he recommended it to me

Navigation Blind Spots

Sabine

I was not aware that Qonto had invoicing capability as I only use mobile

Static, unsegmented system

Daniel

I don't want to go through the whole flow to understand what functionalities Qonto invoices includes and whether they fit my needs

How to craft this new Discovery System?

We have followed a structured design methodology in 5 steps:

A structured design methodology in 5 steps

- Current Situation Mapping: Deep analysis from customers insights, data, to UX audit and product discrepancies.

- Competitor Analysis: UI/UX teardown of best-in-class examples.

- Design principles: Four foundational principles that would guide every of our decision.

- Prototyping: Clickable prototypes for validation and stakeholder alignment.

- Visual Design System Architecture: A two-tier card system with distinct visual hierarchy and components.

Get started page

Banners

Checklist

Walkthrough

Welcome screen

Welcome screen

Identify key patterns and
learn from “Best-in-class”

Identify key patterns &
learn from “Best-in-class”

 Design Principles as

North Stars

Design Principle

Design Principle

Personalization

Personalization

Actions would be customized based on price plan, company type, user role, country, and feature usage, making every user's journey uniquely relevant.

Actions would be customized based on price plan, company type, user role, country, and feature usage, making every user's journey uniquely relevant.

Design Principle

Design Principle

Cognitive Load

Cognitive Load

Show only what's relevant and frequently needed. This meant dedicating space specifically for setup actions, creating clear navigation paths, and reducing information overload.

Show only what's relevant and frequently needed. This meant dedicating space specifically for setup actions, creating clear navigation paths, and reducing information overload.

Design Principle

Design Principle

Progressive Disclosure

Progressive Disclosure

Features would be revealed gradually: basic actions first, advanced features later. This kept the interface simple for newcomers while progressively empowering experienced users.

Features would be revealed gradually: basic actions first, advanced features later. This kept the interface simple for newcomers while progressively empowering experienced users.

Systemic approach
and modularity

 Design Principles as

North Stars

Design Principle

Personalization

Actions would be customized based on price plan, company type, user role, country, and feature usage, making every user's journey uniquely relevant.

Design Principle

Cognitive Load

Show only what's relevant and frequently needed. This meant dedicating space specifically for setup actions, creating clear navigation paths, and reducing information overload.

Design Principle

Progressive Disclosure

Features would be revealed gradually: basic actions first, advanced features later. This kept the interface simple for newcomers while progressively empowering experienced users.

Systemic approach
and modularity

Lost in Iteration: Forgetting the Goal

Early explorations attempted to merge activation and feature discovery into one unified experience, which led to confusion, weak prioritization, and cognitive overload.

Fast Activation for deeper Engagement

Through iterative layouts testing, we assessed each solution to understand what worked and what didn’t.


This process revealed that activation and discovery required distinct design approaches, leading us to re-scope the experience into two clear tracks: activation for speed, and engagement for depth.

Iterative layouts testing revealed that activation and discovery required distinct approaches, leading to two clear tracks: activation for speed, and engagement for depth.

Iterative layout testing revealed that activation and discovery required distinct approaches, leading to two clear tracks: activation for speed, and engagement for depth.

System & Implementation

From concepts to components, the team built a modular discovery system.


By combining architectural thinking, content strategy, clear action hierarchy, and platform-specific UX, we simplified onboarding, ensured consistency, and drove user engagement.

From concepts to components, the team built a modular discovery system.

By combining architectural thinking, content strategy, clear action hierarchy, and platform-specific UX, we simplified onboarding, ensured consistency, and drove user engagement.

Unlock actions after KYC validation

From Setup to Discovery

From Setup to Discovery

How teams scaled the system

Multiple teams have built on the discovery card system, adapting it to offer contextual guidance tailored to their features, such as invoicing setup.


From first month activation to feature education, they've extended its impact far beyond the original scope.

Level up documentation

We leveraged Figma's component system to create a scalable, maintainable design framework.

The Product Discovery pattern became part of Qonto's broader design system, with reusable components, standardized across web and mobile.

Discovery cards

Upload supplier invoices to stay on top of your cash flow

Get started

Connect an integration to automate importing invoices to Qonto

Get started

Create a quote and turn it into an invoice once approved

Get started

Add your accountant or find a new one to streamline your accounting

Get started

Buy now, pay later: finance supplier invoices up to €10,000

Get started

Activate the Pay later option to finance your supplier invoices

Get started

Import supplier invoices from Google Drive and automatically match them to transactions

Get started

Attach receipts to transactions and let us automatically detect the VAT

Get started

Reimburse your mileage trips with compliant spanish rates

Get started

Discover the improved mileage flow, with electric vehicle rates and automatic receipts

Get started

Bookkeeping bundle

Invoicing bundle

Pay later

Mileage

Discovery cards

Upload supplier invoices to stay on top of your cash flow

Get started

Connect an integration to automate importing invoices to Qonto

Get started

Create a quote and turn it into an invoice once approved

Get started

Add your accountant or find a new one to streamline your accounting

Get started

Buy now, pay later: finance supplier invoices up to €10,000

Get started

Activate the Pay later option to finance your supplier invoices

Get started

Import supplier invoices from Google Drive and automatically match them to transactions

Get started

Attach receipts to transactions and let us automatically detect the VAT

Get started

Reimburse your mileage trips with compliant spanish rates

Get started

Discover the improved mileage flow, with electric vehicle rates and automatic receipts

Get started

Bookkeeping bundle

Invoicing bundle

Pay later

Mileage

The design system now supports 20+ card types and continues to evolve, proving that thoughtful initial design creates lasting value.

Connect an integration to automate importing invoices to Qonto

Get started

Upload supplier invoices to stay on top of your cash flow

Get started

Action title

Primary action

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2

1

3

Action title

Primary action

Action title

Primary action

Action title

Primary action

Action title

Primary action

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4

3

Impact: Numbers tell the Story

The new Discovery System outperformed targets:

- Setup actions saw up to 42% click rates.

- Discovery actions reached 17.6%, far exceeding the original 9–17% baseline and driving stronger user engagement across the board.

- Discovery cards creation time cut from 0.5–1 full day to under 4 hours, enabling product teams to independently create actions across web and mobile.

The new Discovery System outperformed targets:

- Setup actions saw up to 42% click rates.
- Discovery actions reached 17.6%, far exceeding the original 9–17% baseline and driving stronger user engagement across the board.

- Discovery cards creation time cut from 0.5–1 full day to under 4 hours, enabling product teams to independently create actions across web and mobile.

The new Discovery System outperformed targets:

- Setup actions saw up to 42% click rates demonstrating that removing friction for users during registration is a good way to activate them more quickly.

- Discovery actions reached 17.6%, exceeding the original 9–17% baseline and driving stronger user engagement across the board.

- Discovery cards creation time cut from 0.5–1 full day to under 4 hours, enabling product teams to independently create actions across web and mobile.

KYC Verification Card

40% click rate, impacting 40,000 customers

40% click rate, impacting 40,000 customers

Share IBAN

42% click rate, impacting 24,000 customers.

42% click rate, impacting 24,000 customers.

Mobile Adoption

17% click rate, more than double the <8% baseline.

17% click rate, more than double the <8% baseline.

Magnificent illustrations by the talented Qonto Brand team 🫶🏻

KYC Verification Card

40% click rate, impacting 40,000 customers

Share IBAN

42% click rate, impacting 24,000 customers.

Mobile Adoption

17% click rate, more than double the <8% baseline.

A year of proof: timing matters

The data shows that contextual, action-triggered cards significantly outperform generic discovery cards, with conversion rates 5-10x higher when shown at the right moment in the user journey.


Example: Pay Later card is show to users with low balance
(< €2,000)

The data shows that contextual, action-triggered cards significantly outperform generic discovery cards, with conversion rates 5-10x higher when shown at the right moment in the user journey.


Example: Pay Later card is show to users with low balance (< €2,000)

The data shows that contextual, action-triggered cards significantly outperform generic discovery cards, with conversion rates 5-10x higher when shown at the right moment in the user journey.


Example: Pay Later card is show to users with low balance (< €2,000)

The data shows that contextual, action-triggered cards significantly outperform generic discovery cards, with conversion rates 5-10x higher when shown at the right moment in the user journey.

Example: Pay Later card is show to users with low balance (< €2,000)

Next project

Next project

Next project

Next project

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