Introduction

The Carteira bB was created to solve a critical issue: in many small cities, reliance on cash made local economies fragile and limited access to digital financial services. In risky situations, such as robberies, commerce would simply stop.

Focused on individuals and local merchants with low digital banking access, the solution addressed key challenges for the bank — adoption, transaction volume, user retention, and digital expansion in remote regions.

The Carteira bB offers a simple and reliable digital alternative to keep local economies running.

Another digital wallet, so what?

"Ok, Michael — but what’s the difference? There are already so many digital wallets.”

That’s true. Even before 2019, digital wallets were everywhere — and many more will continue to emerge.

Each brings its own angle, audience, and value, reshaping how people manage money and what a digital wallet really means.

For this reason, Carteira bB has always understood the need to be different — to deliver value and relevance to people’s lives. That’s why we began applying UX concepts to the project.

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1 — Discovery

It all started with IBM Design Thinking to foster collaboration, align teams, and define a clear intention to solve users’ problems — enhancing customer experiences at the speed and scale the company requires.

What drives this approach are the users, a multidisciplinary team, and a mindset of constant reinvention.

1.1. Working with data and research from the beginning of the project

Through research and interviews — along with the intelligence and insights provided by partner agencies — we uncovered a new reality.

1.2 — Who are they, where do they live?

By analyzing the complexity of the problem, we conducted user research and built Personas to better understand the people behind this reality.

This process revealed a critical insight: most digital wallets overlooked the least-served populations — those who needed simple, practical solutions with real impact.

This insight reshaped the entire strategy behind Carteira bB.

1.3. CSD Matrix

With a clear view of the personas and their journeys, we used a Certainties, Suppositions, and Doubts (CSD) Matrix to identify knowledge gaps, challenge assumptions, and define the right questions. This helped us focus the project’s efforts where they would create the most impact.

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2 — Hands on (but not so much)…

In parallel with the UX work, I collaborated with FutureBrand on visual identity, tone of voice, typography, naming, and brand positioning. Early user tests were intentionally conducted with low-fidelity screens, allowing us to validate features and usability without visual bias.

This phase clarified what Carteira bB truly meant to people: more than a digital wallet, it became the digital version of everything they carry in their physical wallet — documents, benefits, money, and everyday essentials.

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3 — The Brand is born

After the success of the first version, I focused on building the visual identity and brand, working alongside talented agencies and partners. Our goal was to create a brand that felt approachable, secure, and easy to use — and that truly resonated with its audience.

3.1. Colors and graphics

They represent, in a simple and practical way, the variety of functions within a single product. They manifest as colorful layers that spread and expand, indirectly reflecting the magical personality of Carteira bB.

3.2. Icons

With the combination of stroke and fill and two levels of detail that vary according to use—functional or illustrative—I added the final touch of refinement: thickness, shape, patterning, and, most importantly, creativity.

3.3. Typography

The typographic family bB Display was developed by Fabio Haag Studio. Compact and available in four weights, it is designed for titles and short phrases. For running text and mobile, we chose Hind, a versatile font with multiple weights that adapt to space, size, and content.

3.4. illustrations

The illustration style of Carteira bB represents real Brazilians, avoiding clichés and creating an authentic visual language. Inspired by woodcut — a traditional wood engraving technique — the illustrations carry textures and irregularities that give the brand a tone of informality and differentiation.

The greatest challenge in adopting this style was balancing the woodcut aesthetic for mobile use: conveying a tactile, handcrafted feeling in the digital space without appearing exaggerated.

3.5. Tone and Voice. How does Carteira bB speak?

All product communication was designed to feel like a real conversation with users, using clear language and visual emphasis to guide reading. Working closely with our UX Writer and subject matter expert, Auana de Andrade, we ensured the brand’s positioning was clearly and consistently reflected in every interaction.

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4 — And how did Carteira bB become such a beautiful product?

I knew you’d want to talk about User Interface (UI). Let’s explore the rationale behind some of the app’s screens — which have evolved significantly since the first version, incorporating new features and possibilities. At this stage, the Carteira bB team was complete, with a group of talented designers.

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5 — Enterprise vision

We also developed an Enterprise experience using the same visual language — icons, colors, typography, and tone of voice — arranged in a distinct way. This created a clear separation while maintaining coherence within the product.

Although I initially questioned the approach, the team highlighted its low risk and long-term benefits — a decision that proved to be right over time.

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6 — And finally…

We continuously validated hypotheses through research, user testing, and iteration — even after launch, with ongoing Design Sprints and Blueprints.

In future posts, I’ll share more about our methodology, including the bB Design System, the pilot in Areia (Paraíba), and presenting the project at UX Conf BB 2021.

Here are some key numbers from the Carteira bB so far:

This was a summary of a story of more than two intense years, I hope you enjoyed it and soon I will talk about other projects.

See you soon

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