“Pi” Payment Platform and “Albert” Point-of-Sale Device

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Message “Pi” Payment Platform and “Albert” Point-of-Sale Device Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) is a major provider of integrated financial services, including retail banking, funds management, and investment services. As a leader in financial technology solutions for personal, business, and corporate needs in Australia, CBA approached IDEO to explore and develop impactful new ways to improve everyday payment interactions. The result was the conception, design, and implementation of a new open platform—“Pi”—and portable payment device—“Albert.” Pi is an open retail business platform designed to enhance customer relationships, not just improve customer transactions. Pi improves face-to-face customer interactions at the point of sale by offering an unprecedented level of flexibility, functionality, and customization for businesses. Whether you’re providing an easier way to split the bill in a restaurant, activating a loyalty program in a store, enabling customers to donate to a charity, or responding to individual preferences to offer more personalized experiences at a hotel—all of this new app-based functionality is now possible with Pi. To access the open Pi platform, IDEO and CBA partnered with Wincor Nixdorf to create a multifunctional, interactive device powered by the Android operating system. The portable device, called Albert, combines the openness of an app-based platform with all the security of current card payment (EFTPOS) terminals. Featuring a 7” touchscreen, Albert enables businesses to provide a wide range of customizable tools and customer payment options, all in one device. Other features include: —A large, intuitive touchscreen and virtually-encrypted “pin” entry —Apps functionality that enables merchants to choose from an ever-growing selection of apps —Bespoke merchant-facing functionality that eases merchant/customer interactions by eliminating the need to turn around the device —Wireless and 3G technology for a variety of data connections —An integrated solution for existing and future card payment methods —Modular device housing that fits into different use case scenarios —A large battery that supports retailers on the go The flexibility of Pi as a portable platform enables organizations of all sizes to benefit: Large merchants can incorporate Pi as part of their existing network. Small merchants can grow their business using powerful, flexible business tools. And end customers can easily and intuitively access a variety of payment methods and helpful applications. The IDEO/CBA team developed Pi and Albert based on human-centered insights uncovered during design research conducted in Australia, the UK, and Germany. Three key research findings informed the design of Pi and Albert: —Current devices take simple card payments only. An ideal platform should support the full spectrum of human behavior around payment. —Current systems are seen just as a necessity. There is an opportunity for a next-generation platform to add value by facilitating better relationships between bank, merchant, and customer. —Current devices don’t reflect the nature of a merchant’s business; they offer the same experience in a luxury boutique as in a gas station. A next-generation platform could enable merchants to customize and evolve the payment experience offered to customers. IDEO also collaborated with CBA to identify a network of product engineering and implementation partners. Subsequently, IDEO worked with CBA and Wincor Nixdorf throughout the detailed design, rapid prototyping, and implementation phases of the project. IDEO, CBA, and Wincor Nixdorf worked together closely to keep the design intent in focus and steward the design through product development and implementation. Concurrently, IDEO designers continued to gather feedback from merchants during rapid, iterative cycles. This ongoing collaboration led to the addition of new features and refinements during product development. Pi and Albert were unveiled in Australia on July 17, 2012 and will be available internationally in 2013. In March 2013 CBA won a Canstar “Innovation in Excellence Award” for Albert and Pi. http://www.ideo.com/work/pi-payment-platform-and-albert-point-of-sale-device

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) is a major provider of integrated financial services, including retail banking, funds management, and investment services. As a leader in financial technology solutions for personal, business, and corporate needs in Australia, CBA approached IDEO to explore and develop impactful new ways to improve everyday payment interactions. The result was the conception, design, and implementation of a new open platform—“Pi”—and portable payment device—“Albert.”

Pi is an open retail business platform designed to enhance customer relationships, not just improve customer transactions. Pi improves face-to-face customer interactions at the point of sale by offering an unprecedented level of flexibility, functionality, and customization for businesses. Whether you’re providing an easier way to split the bill in a restaurant, activating a loyalty program in a store, enabling customers to donate to a charity, or responding to individual preferences to offer more personalized experiences at a hotel—all of this new app-based functionality is now possible with Pi.

To access the open Pi platform, IDEO and CBA partnered with Wincor Nixdorf to create a multifunctional, interactive device powered by the Android operating system. The portable device, called Albert, combines the openness of an app-based platform with all the security of current card payment (EFTPOS) terminals. Featuring a 7” touchscreen, Albert enables businesses to provide a wide range of customizable tools and customer payment options, all in one device.

Other features include:
—A large, intuitive touchscreen and virtually-encrypted “pin” entry
—Apps functionality that enables merchants to choose from an ever-growing selection of apps
—Bespoke merchant-facing functionality that eases merchant/customer interactions by eliminating the need to turn around the device
—Wireless and 3G technology for a variety of data connections
—An integrated solution for existing and future card payment methods
—Modular device housing that fits into different use case scenarios
—A large battery that supports retailers on the go

The flexibility of Pi as a portable platform enables organizations of all sizes to benefit: Large merchants can incorporate Pi as part of their existing network. Small merchants can grow their business using powerful, flexible business tools. And end customers can easily and intuitively access a variety of payment methods and helpful applications.

The IDEO/CBA team developed Pi and Albert based on human-centered insights uncovered during design research conducted in Australia, the UK, and Germany.

Three key research findings informed the design of Pi and Albert:

—Current devices take simple card payments only. An ideal platform should support the full spectrum of human behavior around payment.
—Current systems are seen just as a necessity. There is an opportunity for a next-generation platform to add value by facilitating better relationships between bank, merchant, and customer.
—Current devices don’t reflect the nature of a merchant’s business; they offer the same experience in a luxury boutique as in a gas station. A next-generation platform could enable merchants to customize and evolve the payment experience offered to customers.

IDEO also collaborated with CBA to identify a network of product engineering and implementation partners. Subsequently, IDEO worked with CBA and Wincor Nixdorf throughout the detailed design, rapid prototyping, and implementation phases of the project.

IDEO, CBA, and Wincor Nixdorf worked together closely to keep the design intent in focus and steward the design through product development and implementation. Concurrently, IDEO designers continued to gather feedback from merchants during rapid, iterative cycles.

This ongoing collaboration led to the addition of new features and refinements during product development.

Pi and Albert were unveiled in Australia on July 17, 2012 and will be available internationally in 2013.

In March 2013 CBA won a Canstar “Innovation in Excellence Award” for Albert and Pi.

A new digital platform and portable payment device built on the Android operating system

To access the open Pi platform, IDEO and CBA partnered with Wincor Nixdorf to create a multifunctional, interactive device powered by the Android operating system.

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Project date: 2012