Refer for Cash

Leading design on the 0→1 of a brand new referral program with a unique value proposition.
Design Management∙Vision and Strategy∙End-to-End Product Design

 

The Challenge

The company had previously launched a failed referrals program, attempting to get users to refer Super+, a premium subscription with little perceived value.

Without strong incentives, adoption was low.

This time, leadership wanted to leverage a proven in-app feature Earnings, where users could make real money through playing games and downloading apps. The goal was to create a referral system that incentivized sharing and sustained engagement.

As Staff Product Designer and Design Manager, I led the design execution and strategy for this initiative. I managed an intern and senior designer, ensuring our process incorporated structured research, process optimization, and scalable design solutions within a fast-moving, delivery-focused team.

 
 

Approach & Contributions

The product team had a predetermined vision, but there was no clear understanding of how users would engage with referrals or what incentives would drive adoption. I pushed for structured research and competitive analysis, guiding the team to refine our approach based on real user behaviors rather than assumptions.

I led the design effort, ensuring strategic alignment across teams while balancing execution speed and quality. My contributions included:

 
 
 
 

Managing & Coaching Design Talent

I led a diverse group of interns, mid-level, and senior designers, directly managing the intern and senior-level designer. I provided mentorship, process guidance, and performance feedback. When the senior designer struggled to advocate for time and quality, I coached him on project structuring and trade-offs, though ultimately, I had to take over his responsibilities.

 

Driving Research & Strategy

I initiated and oversaw a competitive analysis of referral incentives across similar industries, conducted by our PD intern. This strategic research informed our incentive models and reward structures, ensuring alignment with industry best practices.

 
 

Validating Design Decisions Through Research

Given time constraints, I developed a lean, impact-driven usability testing strategy, leading two rapid usability tests to:

  1. Assess whether users could find and understand the referral program.

  2. Identify what would drive referred users to take action.

 
 
 
 

Advocating for Critical UI Enhancements

I identified and advocated for an overlooked high-impact referral entry point that was initially deprioritized. I built a strong case for its inclusion, and once launched, it became the highest-converting entry point in the entire referral experience.

 
 
 
 

Challenges & Constraints

Lack of Research Time
The team prioritized speed over deeper user insights. I worked within this constraint by running targeted usability tests to catch major issues.

Difficult Product Partners
The product team did not see design as a strategic partner, which made it difficult to push for certain improvements. I had to navigate trade-offs while still advocating for key UX enhancements.

My Report’s Performance & Transition
Midway through the project, my senior designer departed the team, despite our best effort to coach him through challenges. I had to balance mentoring him while also preparing to take over his work.

A Skeptical User Base
Testing revealed that many users wouldn’t share referrals unless they trusted the platform. This wasn’t an issue design alone could fix, so I escalated this insight to the team responsible for platform trust and acquisition.

 

MVP Launch & Learnings

  • 2.2% k-factor (vs. 20% goal) → This was significantly lower than the target, indicating that referral motivation wasn’t strong enough in the initial design.

  • 774 monthly earners (vs. 3K goal) → The program drove engagement, but traction was lower than expected.

  • The Highest-Converting Entry Point Came From a UI Element I Advocated For → While referrals overall underperformed, the entry point I pushed for had the best conversion rate of all referral touchpoints.

 

Key Takeaways & Next Steps:

While the MVP didn’t hit its original goals, it was never intended to be the final version. The company culture prioritized launching fast and iterating, and the next phase was expected to address why users weren’t sharing.

My main observation was that the team wasn’t investigating the root cause of low sharing. I had begun setting up a more structured approach to post-launch iteration before my time at the company ended.