At the outset, I focused on understanding the business and stakeholder vision without jumping into solutions.
Through discussions, I aligned on:
This helped establish a clear foundation, ensuring that the product direction was grounded in both business goals and real user needs before moving into discovery.
The product is primarily built for individuals planning international travel, especially young professionals.
However, their experience with visa applications varies — from first-time applicants who find the process confusing, to repeat travelers seeking a faster and more streamlined journey — creating a need for clarity, guidance, and convenience across the experience.
Despite 20+ years of operational experience, the visa application journey remained highly manual and fragmented.
Users weren't struggling with intent — they were struggling with clarity.
During early discussions with stakeholders, an interesting perspective emerged:
"Users don't start with visas — they start with travel."
This wasn't derived from structured research at this stage, but rather a strong assumption based on their on-ground experience with customers.
At the same time, competitors were already digitizing visa services — offering faster, more guided, and transparent experiences.
This shift increased user expectations and highlighted the need for a more intuitive digital flow.