Biometrics Experience Improvement
Redesign of the biometric access system in the Aviva app: activation on first login, automatic prompt on app re-entry, and biometric settings module in the user profile.
- Company
- Aviva Crédito
- My Role
- Product Designer
- Period
- Oct 2024 – Jan 2025
Highlights
The redesign resolved the structural visibility issues of biometric access and centralized its configuration in the user profile. Precise post-launch adoption metrics are not available (objectives were marked TBD in the PRD). The most significant technical challenge was implementing the native OS prompt, which required close coordination with engineering to adapt the design to iOS and Android particularities without sacrificing consistency.
Problem
The Aviva app's biometric login had multiple friction points: the activation option was not visible, the steps to enable it caused confusion, there was no configuration module in the security section, and there was no clear differentiation between NIP and biometric access flows.
Research
Analysis of friction points reported in the existing biometrics flow. Key finding: the biometric access option was embedded within the NIP screen without clear visual hierarchy, making it imperceptible to most users. The absence of a configuration module in the profile also forced users to go through the login flow to change their biometric preferences.
Solution
I redesigned the biometric activation and access flows across three scenarios: first-login activation using the native OS prompt, automatic biometric access on app re-entry with a NIP fallback option, and biometric management from the user profile. The redesign also included minor improvements: SMS code auto-fill and an updated INE scan screen.
Learnings
1. Implementing the OS-native prompt requires early alignment with engineering: iOS and Android handle the biometric trigger differently, and that difference impacts the flow design. Discovering this after design would have caused rework. Coordinating from the start was the critical decision.
2. Not defining success metrics before launch is a product risk: the PRD marked goals as TBD, making it impossible to measure actual post-launch adoption. A flow without a defined success metric cannot iterate with evidence.
3. All three scenarios (activation, access, configuration) must be designed as a system: each screen alone seems simple, but the coherence across all three scenarios is what builds user confidence in how authentication works in the app.
The native prompt challenge — iOS and Android behave differently for biometric prompts (Face ID vs. fingerprint, cancellation flows, error handling). The design had to adapt to both platforms while maintaining visual consistency, which required more iterations than planned with the engineering team.
Designing for native — Working with native OS components limits the visual control a designer has. Learning to design around the native prompt, instead of trying to replace it, was key to staying consistent with operating system conventions and reducing friction with engineering.
Scope creep — The project started as a targeted improvement to the biometric flow and ended up incorporating the INE scan update, SMS autofill, and the settings module in the profile. Defining the scope more precisely from the start would have reduced design and handoff time.
Next steps
1. Define and activate biometric adoption metrics: % of users who enable biometrics on first login, biometric vs PIN usage rate on subsequent accesses, and % who change preferences from their profile.
2. Consider including biometric activation as part of the main onboarding — currently it's opt-in post-login; moving it to the first-access flow could significantly increase adoption rates.