Designing a Simpler Way to Dispute Transactions
Summary
Discover’s transaction dispute experience existed only on web, even though most customers accessed their accounts through the mobile app. This gap forced customers to switch channels or call support, with nearly 70% of disputes initiated through calls to customer service. I led the design of a mobile-first dispute experience that simplified the process, enabled document uploads and status tracking, and helped customers resolve issues faster without calling support.
Company
Discover
Role
Design Director
Team
Matthew R, Strategy
McKenzie B, Design
Brian R, Product
Timeline
6 months
Problem
Discover’s merchant dispute experience was only available on the web, despite the majority of customer logins occurring in the mobile app. As a result, 70% of disputes were initiated through phone agents, at a cost of up to $30 per call. Customers frequently switched channels and often called for reassurance or status updates. This disconnect between user behavior and platform capability created significant operational strain and avoidable service costs.
Problem and Constraints
Federal regulations require that customers be able to dispute any transaction, but disputes are high-stress moments. When customers don’t recognize a charge, frustration rises and they often call support. The faster and more clearly we guide them to resolution, the better the experience and the lower the cost.
Research
We conducted usability and accessibility testing with 12 Discover cardmembers using interactive mobile prototypes of the dispute experience. Participants completed key tasks for the two most common dispute scenarios—“Do Not Recognize” and “Did Not Receive Goods or Services”—while sharing feedback on clarity, confidence, and ease of completion. Accessibility testing included participants who use screen readers, alternative navigation, and screen magnification, helping us uncover improvements in labeling, contrast, and content structure. These sessions validated the overall flow while surfacing opportunities to reduce confusion, simplify steps, and ensure the experience worked well for a wider range of customers.
Guiding Customers to the Fastest Resolution
The first step in the experience asks whether the customer has already contacted the merchant. In many cases, issues can be resolved more quickly with the merchant than through a formal dispute, which can take up to 60 days. Through several design explorations, we tested different icons, layouts, and language to ensure the message was clear and supportive. A key goal was helping users understand their options without making the screen feel like an error state or an ad, which some icons unintentionally communicated. The final design strikes a balance between guiding customers toward the fastest resolution while still making it easy to proceed with a dispute if needed.
Deflect Exploration 1
Deflect Exploration 2
Deflect Exploration 3
Deflect Exploration 4
Deflect Exploration 5
Final Deflection Experience
Reducing Perceived Complexity
Although the dispute process required multiple pieces of information, we wanted the experience to feel simple and manageable for customers. Because the backend system is shared with customer service agents, we were limited in how much the underlying process could change. Instead, we focused on reducing the perceived complexity of the flow. By redefining a “step” as a meaningful action the customer needs to take, we streamlined the experience from five steps to three. The initial deflection screen became a bottom sheet overlaying the transaction detail screen, and the final confirmation screen was removed from the step count. While the flow still contains five screens, framing the experience as three clear actions made the process feel faster and easier, helping customers complete their dispute instead of abandoning the flow and calling support.
Deflection
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Confirmation
Flexible Document Upload
Supporting documentation is often critical to resolving disputes quickly, so we designed the experience to encourage uploads without making them a blocker. Customers are prompted to add receipts or other proof as early as Step 2, helping Discover investigate and resolve cases faster. However, because documentation isn’t always immediately available, we intentionally avoided making it a requirement to prevent users from abandoning the flow and calling support. Customers can also upload documents on the confirmation screen or return later through the Disputes Center, where they can track the status of their disputes and add additional information if needed.
Step 2
Confirmation Screen
Disputes Center
Impact
Secured executive alignment and approval by presenting a validated, mobile-first disputes strategy tied to growth and cost reduction. Delivered on time amid merger-driven priorities, completing successful usability and accessibility testing and launching a beta experience. While the broader rollout was paused due to merger decisions, the work established a scalable foundation for future digital dispute transformation.
Learnings
Next time, I’d spend more time upfront understanding where the process was actually breaking down before jumping into solutions. We moved quickly into execution, and earlier partnership with strategy could have helped us step back and uncover bigger upstream opportunities.I’d also prototype sooner. With so many stakeholders involved, even rough visuals would have helped us align faster and cut down on meeting time.