Designing for User Logic

Overview

This project focused on improving the payout experience for music performers.

Although wallet balances were growing, many users couldn’t access their earnings. Some were blocked by hidden conditions, others by outdated thresholds — and support teams were overwhelmed with repeated questions.

I led a cross-functional effort to design a payout system that reflected user expectations, enabling real-time withdrawals and restoring trust in a critical touchpoint.

About MyMusicSheet

MyMusicSheet is a global platform where music performers sell sheet music and earn revenue.

Once their wallet reaches a minimum threshold, performers can request a payout via bank transfer or PayPal. The platform supports users in 80+ countries — each with different regulations, currencies, and verification requirements.

The Problem

During the COVID crisis, many performers told us that even small amounts of income were meaningful — but they couldn’t access it when they needed to. This exposed a deeper misalignment:

The payout system didn’t match how users thought it should work.

Many assumed that once they made a sale, they could immediately withdraw funds. But in reality, the backend applied complex, hidden rules:

• A $30 minimum threshold, blocking small-scale earners

• A monthly batch payout cycle, causing long delays

• A manual verification step, adding another 10+ days for new users

Each rule made sense operationally — but to the performer, the system felt unclear, slow, and untrustworthy.

As a result:

• Users didn’t understand what was blocking them

• They lost confidence in the platform

• And support tickets about payouts kept piling up

This wasn’t just about information clarity — it was about rebuilding the system to reflect the way users expected it to behave.

The Solution

1. Mapping the hidden logic

I worked across product, engineering, support, and finance to fully map out the fragmented backend logic — including:

• Country-specific tax requirements

• Identity and document verification states

• Threshold rules by payout method

• Timing dependencies related to account status

Instead of presenting technical errors or vague explanations, we aimed to restructure the flow around outcomes users cared about — like “Can I withdraw today?” and “How soon will it arrive?”

2. Introducing on-demand payouts

We removed the batch-based model and built a new payout experience using:

• Stripe for global coverage

• Payple for South Korea

• PayPal as a fallback

Performers could now request payouts anytime, with clear status and timeline feedback. This shift wasn’t just about speed — it was about predictability and control.

3. Removing delays instead of explaining them

In earlier iterations, the attempts had focused on explaining the underlying conditions of the system logic — adding progress bars and helper text with error validation messages.

But these patches didn’t solve the real problem.

Instead of layering explanations over friction, the new system removed the friction itself:

• Users saw only the payout methods available in their country

• There was no more batch logic or eligibility guesswork

• Real-time updates and clear eligibility checks were built into the experience

4. Lowering the barrier to entry

To support smaller earners, I proposed reducing the payout threshold from $30 to $0.50 — just enough to cover processing fees.

This opened access to thousands of users who were previously locked out of the system due to small balances.

The Result

The new system restored confidence at the most sensitive moment of the user journey — getting paid.

Performers can now withdraw earnings anytime they want. No more waiting for monthly payout cycles. No more confusing rules or unclear messages.

We replaced the old batch logic with an on-demand system that’s:

• Available in 88+ countries

• Supports real-time payout methods like PayPal, Stripe, and Payple

• Works with a low $0.50 threshold, so even small earnings can be accessed

This shift gave users full control and clarity.

As a result:

• Payout-related support tickets dropped by 43%

• More users withdrew earnings without support

• Trust in the platform increased, especially among first-time earners