ClearScore: Turning a failing embedded lending journey into a conversion win
The challenge
ClearScore launched a native lending journey for Loqbox to improve control and user experience. But the embedded version underperformed by 11% compared to the affiliate link flow it was meant to replace.
The team needed to understand why the journey was failing — and redesign it quickly, with limited design capacity and high commercial pressure.
My role
As the design lead, I took responsibility for rethinking the journey structure and messaging. With limited support from visual or UX designers, I led the project from diagnosis through to implementation — collaborating with engineers, product owners, and CRO analysts.
I also contributed to the Go/No-Go decision presented to senior leadership about whether this native model should continue at scale.
My approach
Reviewed user behaviour data to identify friction points and premature exits
Reorganised the content flow to match user expectations and mental models
Reduced unnecessary friction by eliminating redundant questions and clarifying what was pre-filled from the credit report
Rewrote CTAs and guidance to better support completion and trust
Collaborated with legal and compliance to ensure changes met regulatory standards
A/B tested variations and tracked uplift over time
The outcome
The new journey outperformed the affiliate version in A/B testing
Helped secure a more consistent UX for ClearScore’s embedded lending strategy
Demonstrated how language and flow — not just UI — can drive conversion
Informed the senior leadership decision to deprioritise this model in favour of scalable alternatives
What I learned
You don’t always need full design resources to solve UX problems — but you do need to understand how language shapes behaviour.
This project reinforced the power of content to influence outcomes, even under high constraint — and reminded me that sometimes, the most strategic move is knowing when not to scale.