The Scale Problem: Research behaves very differently at scale.

When a product serves millions of users across multiple countries, patterns stop being local and mistakes multiply fast. Assumptions that work for small user bases fail dramatically at global scale.

At the time of the project, the BBVA mobile app served 72 million active users worldwide, spanning:

• Different financial behaviors

• Different accessibility needs

• Different cultural expectations

• Different levels of digital maturity

Designing for this scale required moving beyond opinion-based UX and into validated, behavior-driven decisions.

Research at Global Scale

This was not research about what users say. It was research about how users behave. We worked with advanced research methodologies that combined:

• Mental models and conceptual understanding

• Deep usability testing

• Multidimensional accessibility analysis

• Contextual and cultural adaptation by region

This approach allowed us to define tropicalized behaviors—patterns that feel native in each country while remaining globally consistent. The result was a design foundation capable of scaling without fragmenting.

From Research to Iteration

One of the most critical challenges was turning research insights into a product that could be safely iterated by a global team. The BBVA design organization involved nearly 50 designers distributed across multiple countries.

Consistency was not optional—it was mandatory.

Our work helped convert research findings into:

• Clear interaction principles

• Shared behavioral rules

• Design decisions that reduced ambiguity

• A product language that designers could trust and reuse

This ensured that every iteration reinforced the same experience, regardless of who designed it or where it was built.

A Multidisciplinary Effort

Designing at this level is never a solo discipline. The project brought together:

• Product designers

• Content designers and copywriters

• Motion designers

• Frontend engineers

Together, we pushed the boundaries of interface and motion design—without compromising performance.

Animations and interactions were carefully engineered to feel expressive and human, while remaining fast, lightweight, and reliable on real-world devices. Every visual decision was validated against usability, clarity, and execution feasibility.

Outcomes

The redesigned BBVA mobile experience became a global benchmark for digital banking UX.
As a result of this work:

• The BBVA mobile app received international recognition and design awards for its user experience and product design

• The product successfully scaled across markets while maintaining consistency and clarity

• The design system and interaction principles enabled long-term evolution without fragmentation

More importantly, the app proved that award-winning design at scale is not about aesthetics, it’s about decisions that work for millions of people, every single day.

Key Takeaway

UX that works for millions works because it removes confusion—not because it adds features.

This project reinforced a simple truth:

When the margin of error is zero,
Clarity becomes the most valuable feature.