Test Transactions

Overview

About

At LegitScript, I worked on redesigning the Test Transactions experience within the Merchant Monitoring platform. Test Transactions allow analysts to conduct controlled purchases on suspicious websites in order to gather evidence and verify merchant behavior. Over the course of a 12-week project, I led research, design exploration, and prototyping to modernize the workflow and improve how analysts review transaction evidence during investigations.

Who it's for?

Visa Analysts use Test Transactions to review merchant activity and gather evidence for enforcement decisions.

The Problem

The original Test Transactions experience was outdated and hard to use. Important actions and evidence were buried, slowing investigations and creating friction for analysts.

The Measurable Outcome

The redesigned experience was tested with Visa Analysts through multiple usability sessions to validate improvements to the workflow and interface. Analysts reported a significantly clearer structure for reviewing evidence and navigating investigations. The final design achieved a 91% satisfaction score and a 92% overall product experience rating, indicating strong confidence in the updated Test Transactions experience.

Business Context

Why does Visa require a new flow?

Visa needed a new Test Transactions flow to streamline how analysts review merchant activity. The goal was to provide a clearer, faster process for collecting and evaluating evidence, reducing friction in investigations while supporting compliance decisions.

Risk + Compliance Implications

Inefficient workflows created a higher risk of missing violations like transaction laundering. Without a more usable experience, analysts could overlook critical evidence, delaying enforcement actions and potentially exposing Visa to regulatory or reputational risks.

What would happen if this wasn't solved?

If the system remained outdated, analysts would continue to struggle with cluttered interfaces and hard-to-find evidence. This could slow investigations, increase errors, and reduce confidence in enforcement decisions across the payments ecosystem.

Core Problem

Lack of clarity in Test Transaction Status

Analysts struggled to quickly understand the current state of each test transaction. Ambiguous labels and scattered information made it difficult to track progress, slowing down investigations.

High Cognitive Load

The interface required analysts to remember multiple steps and navigate between screens to gather evidence. This increased mental effort and made the workflow more error-prone.

Risk of Compliance Errors

Missing or hard-to-find evidence, combined with inefficient workflows, increased the likelihood of incorrect enforcement decisions and compliance oversights, impacting overall merchant monitoring.

Constraints

The redesign needed to integrate seamlessly with the existing MyLS platform, ensuring analysts could access Test Transactions alongside other merchant monitoring tools. It had to support multiple types of evidence, including screenshots, documents, and transaction data, while maintaining a clear and consistent interface. The workflow had to align with established analyst processes, avoiding disruptions to ongoing investigations or compliance activities. Additionally, the solution had to account for technical limitations of the platform, including legacy data structures, user permissions, and performance considerations, while remaining scalable for future feature enhancements.