{"id":5827,"date":"2023-04-16T17:18:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-16T11:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laveshsumant.com\/?p=5827"},"modified":"2026-01-19T17:37:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T12:07:15","slug":"from-cash-to-clicks-indias-upi-journey-and-the-experience-behind-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/laveshsumant.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/16\/from-cash-to-clicks-indias-upi-journey-and-the-experience-behind-it\/","title":{"rendered":"From Cash to Clicks: India\u2019s UPI Journey and the Experience Behind It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There was a time when paying in India meant counting notes, waiting for change, or trusting someone to remember an IOU. Fast forward to today, and a simple scan<\/em>, tap<\/em>, or voice prompt<\/em> moves money instantly. That quiet revolution has a name \u2014 UPI<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

India\u2019s Unified Payments Interface<\/strong> isn\u2019t just a payment system. It\u2019s a behavioural shift. A design success story. And from where I\u2019ve seen it up close, it\u2019s also a masterclass in user-centric innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

The UPI Moment: When Payments Became Invisible<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

UPI changed one fundamental thing: payments stopped feeling like a task<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No IFSC codes.
No waiting for confirmations.
No dependency on wallets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Money started moving as easily as messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While collaborating on the development of the HSBC India Mobile X App<\/strong> (Android & iOS), I had the opportunity to deep-dive into this ecosystem. My role went far beyond screens and flows. I conducted in-depth research on real user behaviours \u2014 first-time users, power users, merchants, and even those hesitant to trust digital money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The outcome?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • 15+ end-to-end UPI user journeys<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Covering onboarding, payments, failures, reversals, mandates, and trust-building moments<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Designed to feel simple<\/em>, safe<\/em>, and human<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    That experience reinforced one truth: UPI works because it respects how people think, not how systems work.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Key UPI Features \u2014 A Clear Comparison<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    Feature<\/strong><\/td>UPI<\/strong><\/td>Traditional Banking<\/strong><\/td>Digital Wallets<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Real-time payments<\/td>\u2705 Yes<\/td>\u274c Often delayed<\/td>\u2705 Mostly<\/td><\/tr>
    Works across banks<\/td>\u2705 Yes<\/td>\u274c No<\/td>\u274c Limited<\/td><\/tr>
    QR-based payments<\/td>\u2705 Native<\/td>\u274c No<\/td>\u2705 Yes<\/td><\/tr>
    Needs wallet top-up<\/td>\u274c No<\/td>\u274c No<\/td>\u2705 Yes<\/td><\/tr>
    24\u00d77 availability<\/td>\u2705 Yes<\/td>\u274c Limited<\/td>\u2705 Yes<\/td><\/tr>
    Direct bank account link<\/td>\u2705 Yes<\/td>\u2705 Yes<\/td>\u274c No<\/td><\/tr>
    Merchant acceptance<\/td>\u2705 Massive<\/td>\u274c Limited<\/td>\u26a0\ufe0f Moderate<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
    UPI didn\u2019t just compete \u2014 it absorbed the best of everything<\/strong> and removed the friction.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    The Power of \u201cScan & Pay\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Scanning a QR code might feel ordinary now, but it\u2019s one of UPI\u2019s most powerful design decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • No typing errors<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • No language barriers<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Works for street vendors and supermarkets alike<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      From a UX lens, QR scanning reduced cognitive load to almost zero<\/strong>. Point. Scan. Pay. Done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      This single interaction brought millions into the digital economy without needing tutorials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/div>\n\n\n\n

      A Truly Mobile-Ready System<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      UPI was born mobile-first \u2014 not adapted later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Lightweight apps<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Low bandwidth tolerance<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Works even on budget smartphones<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Seamless Android & iOS experiences<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        During HSBC Mobile X development, this philosophy guided every design decision. Every screen had to load fast. Every action had to feel reassuring. Because when money is involved, confidence is part of the interface<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/div>\n\n\n\n
        \n
        \"\"

        <\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        The UPI Ecosystem<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        UPI thrives because of collaboration:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • Banks<\/strong> \u2013 Account providers and trust anchors<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Apps<\/strong> \u2013 Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM, and bank apps<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Merchants<\/strong> \u2013 From kirana stores to global brands<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Users<\/strong> \u2013 Individuals, families, small businesses<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Regulators<\/strong> \u2013 Ensuring scale with safety<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          This ecosystem works because it\u2019s open, interoperable, and experience-led<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          <\/div>\n\n\n\n

          Pros and Cons of UPI<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
          Pros of UPI<\/strong><\/td>Cons of UPI<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
          Instant money transfer<\/td>Fraud attempts are increasing<\/td><\/tr>
          No dependency on cash or cards<\/td>Dependency on internet connectivity<\/td><\/tr>
          Free or low-cost transactions<\/td>Occasional downtime during peak loads<\/td><\/tr>
          Works across banks and apps<\/td>User confusion around \u201ccollect requests\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
          Inclusive \u2014 urban to rural adoption<\/td>Over-trust in unknown payment links<\/td><\/tr>
          Strong authentication layers<\/td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
          Great design reduces friction \u2014 but it can also lower guardrails if users aren\u2019t educated<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
          <\/div>\n\n\n\n

          How to Detect and Avoid UPI Fraud<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          UPI fraud usually exploits human behaviour<\/em>, not technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Watch out for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • Requests asking you to approve<\/em> to receive money<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Unknown QR codes sent via WhatsApp or SMS<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Urgency-based messages (\u201caccount will be blocked\u201d)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Screen-sharing requests from \u201csupport executives\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Golden rule:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n

            To receive money, you never need to approve or enter a PIN.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

            Good UX must be paired with continuous user education<\/strong> \u2014 something the ecosystem is still evolving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            <\/div>\n\n\n\n

            What UPI Really Teaches Us<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            UPI\u2019s success isn\u2019t accidental.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            It proves that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            • Simplicity scales<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Trust is designed, not assumed<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Local context beats global templates<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Great UX can change national behaviour<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              Working on UPI journeys for HSBC reinforced my belief that the best products disappear into daily life<\/strong>. When technology fades into the background, impact takes centre stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              <\/div>\n\n\n\n
              \n

              UPI isn\u2019t just India\u2019s payment story.
              It\u2019s India\u2019s design story<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Have you noticed how rarely you think about how<\/em> you pay anymore? That\u2019s not convenience \u2014 that\u2019s thoughtful experience design at work.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              There was a time when paying in India meant counting notes, waiting for change, or trusting someone to remember an IOU. Fast forward to today, and a simple scan, tap, or voice prompt moves money […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5828,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[74,50,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5827","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-findings","category-learnings"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/laveshsumant.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5827","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/laveshsumant.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/laveshsumant.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laveshsumant.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laveshsumant.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5827"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/laveshsumant.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5827\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5838,"href":"https:\/\/laveshsumant.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5827\/revisions\/5838"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laveshsumant.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5828"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/laveshsumant.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5827"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laveshsumant.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5827"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laveshsumant.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5827"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}