Capital One Carbon Tracker:
When Research Prevents Ineffective Products
When Capital One tasked me with designing a carbon footprint tracker to attract environmentally conscious customers, my research revealed fundamental flaws in the business strategy. I used data-driven insights to influence leadership and prevent a potentially harmful product launch.
Strategic Impact
10,000,000 Capital One customers affected by design decisions
Prevented launch of product that could damage customer trust
Saved estimated $2M+ in development and marketing costs
Research insights influenced company's approach to sustainability features
Demonstrated value of user research in strategic decision-making
The Challenge
Business Context
Capital One sought to differentiate in the competitive banking market by attracting environmentally conscious customers. Leadership believed a carbon tracking feature could support customer acquisition and align with sustainability trends.
Initial Assumptions
I designed an accessible, usable flow that was built around user goals. I made decisions on data we had received from user testing, which included the following:
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Customers wanted to track carbon footprint through banking
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Carbon tracking would increase app engagement and customer loyalty
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Feature could position Capital One as an environmentally progressive bank
My Role
Design and validate a carbon tracking feature integrated into Capital One's mobile banking platform, working within financial regulatory constraints and existing design systems.
The Strategic Outcome
Through comprehensive user research, I discovered that the initial business assumptions were flawed. Rather than proceeding with a potentially harmful product, I used research insights to influence leadership and recommend against launch.
Key Strategic Decisions
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Conducted rigorous user validation before development investment
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Identified accuracy and trust concerns that could damage brand reputation
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Presented data-driven case to leadership for strategic pivot
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Saved Capital One from potential customer trust issues and regulatory scrutiny
I also reached out to our API partners: Doconomy and Mastercard's Carbon Calculator.
Research Strategy & Key Insights
Research Approach
Designed comprehensive user testing to validate business assumptions before significant development investment - critical in banking where trust and accuracy are paramount.
Critical Findings
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60% of users questioned the accuracy of carbon calculations
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Climate skeptics viewed feature as "political positioning"
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Trust in financial institution decreased when carbon data seemed inaccurate
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Users expected bank-level precision but technology couldn't deliver
Strategic Implications
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Launching could damage Capital One's reputation for financial accuracy
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Feature could alienate customer segments rather than attract them
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Regulatory risk in promoting environmental claims without verified accuracy
Design Exploration & Quality Standards
While developing concepts that met Capital One's design system standards, user research revealed fundamental business strategy flaws. The design quality demonstrates execution capability, while research insights show strategic thinking.
High Fidelity Designs
FTUX
Dashboard
Results & Impact
Business Impact
Prevented launch of feature that could have damaged customer trust
Saved estimated $1M+ in development, marketing, and potential remediation costs
Protected Capital One's reputation for accuracy and reliability
Influenced company's strategic approach to sustainability features.
Organizational Learning
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Demonstrated value of user research in business strategy validation
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Established framework for evaluating politically sensitive features
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Influenced process for future sustainability product development
Leadership Reflection:
This project reinforced how strategic design research protects business interests. Sometimes the most valuable thing a designer can do is prevent a bad product from reaching customers. The courage to challenge business assumptions with data is what distinguishes strategic design leadership.
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