Role
Lead Product Designer

Project Space
FinTech
Omnichannel
0-1 Projects
B2B
B2C

“Pocket Change” is an innovative technology company revolutionizing foreign currency exchange with kiosks installed across Japan. These kiosks allow users to exchange foreign currency, recharge transportation IC cards, and convert leftover balances into points or e-money for other services.

As the Lead Product Designer, I developed the company’s branding, corporate identity, design system, and website. I also designed intuitive, multilingual interfaces for the kiosks to ensure accessibility for a diverse, international user base.

Pocket Change aimed to simplify foreign currency exchange by providing a seamless solution for travelers, while expanding its range of services with e-money and voucher partnerships worldwide. By focusing on user accessibility and convenience, the company sought to position itself as the go-to currency exchange service in Japan.

Current Features

• Currency Support: Accepts 10 different currencies, with plans for further expansion.

• E-Money / Vouchers: Offers a wide variety of global options, including PayPal, WeChat, Rakuten, and Amazon Gift Certificates, along with public transportation e-money like Rakuten Edy, WAON, and nanaco.

• Charity Support: Allows users to donate leftover currency to organizations like UNICEF.

• Network Coverage: 80 kiosks installed nationwide, including major airports in Japan.

Hypothesis

• A visually appealing, intuitive kiosk interface and website will improve user engagement and satisfaction.

• Expanding currency and e-money options will attract more users and increase transaction volume.

• Promoting the service’s wide coverage and diverse offerings will enhance brand awareness and trust.

Branding and Corporate Identity

• Established a cohesive brand image, creating high-quality photographs of kiosks, employees, and locations.

• Designed a comprehensive design system to ensure consistency across digital and physical touchpoints.

Website Development

• Built a responsive corporate website from scratch, aligning it with the company’s mission and showcasing its features, coverage, and partnerships.

Kiosk UX/UI Design

• Developed an intuitive, multilingual kiosk interface to cater to international users, focusing on graphical designs to transcend language barriers.

• Highlighted the seamless process for exchanging currency, recharging IC cards, and converting balances into vouchers or donations.

Service Expansion

• Incorporated messaging about expanding currency offerings and new partnerships to build user trust and confidence.

• Enhanced the service’s usability by adding features like detailed instructions and an instructional video to the website.

• Sales

  +140%

• Kiosk installations

  80+

• Awards

  1

• Media Coverage

  300+

Impact

• Recognition: “Pocket Change” won the Good Design Award in 2018 for its innovative service and user-friendly design.

• Adoption: 80+ kiosks installed nationwide, including major airports, serving millions of users annually.

• Global Integration: Partnered with international services like PayPal and WeChat, as well as Japan-specific e-money providers like Rakuten Edy and WAON.

• Enhanced User Experience: Multilingual and visually intuitive designs improved accessibility and satisfaction for international travelers.

Financial Overview (2020)

• Net Income: ▲70.13 million yen

• Retained Earnings: ▲114.75 million yen

Learning

• Scalable Design: Designing for continuous service and currency expansion is essential for long-term growth.

• Localization Matters: Multilingual support and partnerships with local services like Japanese e-money providers increase user trust and engagement.

• Comprehensive Ecosystem: Combining digital platforms (website) and physical kiosks in a seamless ecosystem maximizes user adoption.

This project successfully positioned “Pocket Change” as a trusted, innovative solution for currency exchange, leveraging thoughtful design and strategic partnerships to serve both international travelers and domestic users, while addressing financial challenges for sustainable growth.