A doctorate spent building banking for people without a bank

Having no bank account costs money

People without a bank account pay check cashing and money transfer fees just to use the money they earn. I first saw that problem while building an employment app for a reentry program in Colorado Springs, the same community I build TAP-in for today. It became the subject of my doctorate.

I built it, then asked people to pick it apart

My study followed Design Science Research: build a working tool, test it with real people, and improve it on what they say. I built Pay'd in Python on the XRP blockchain, with a short sign up and a digital wallet for sending money and paying bills. A panel of two software developers and two finance technology professionals reviewed a demonstration.

Simple won, and the crypto worried them

The panel liked the sign up most. As one reviewer put it, people like simplicity. They also warned that the cryptocurrency underneath could turn people away, and that connecting an outside wallet made people manage two accounts.

What this study cannot prove

Four reviewers saw a demonstration in a test setup, not daily use. The study showed the idea can work. It did not show that people would adopt it. I carry the first lesson into every app I build: keep it simple enough to use on day one.