Transforming a black-box payout system into a transparent money journey for SaaS merchants.
Timeline
5–6 Hours (Design Assignment)
Platform
Web Dashboard
Role
Product Designer
Year
2026
Making payout systems understandable and trustworthy for SaaS merchants
Dodo operates as a Merchant of Record (MoR), meaning it becomes the legal seller for every transaction.
As a result, payouts are not a direct reflection of sales. Taxes are deducted upfront, and factors like fees, refunds, and reserves shape the final amount received.
For users, this creates a fundamental disconnect — they are not tracking individual transactions, but trying to understand how their earnings are transformed over time.
Dodo operates as a Merchant of Record (MoR), meaning it becomes the legal seller of record for every transaction.
As a result, payouts are not a direct reflection of sales. Taxes are deducted upfront, and multiple factors such as fees, refunds, and reserves influence the final amount received.
I began by mapping the user’s mental model:
“I made sales - I should get paid.”
However, the actual system involves multiple transformations - from sales to fees, taxes, refunds, reserves, and finally settlement.
This mismatch between expectation and system behaviour creates uncertainty and distrust.
To address this, I focused on making the system legible instead of simplifying it. This involved mapping the payout lifecycle end-to-end, identifying key points where users lose visibility, and designing for clarity at each stage of transformation.
Payout Overview
Provides real-time visibility into available, pending, and in-transit funds, helping users understand what they can access immediately.
Payout Breakdown
Breaks down the transformation from gross earnings to final payout, making deductions such as taxes, fees, refunds, and reserves transparent and easy to understand.
Payout Control / Settings
Gives users control over payout preferences, including frequency and account settings, increasing predictability and reducing uncertainty in how and when funds are received.
Make Gross-to-Net Calculation Visible
Expose how payouts are calculated by revealing all deductions.
Introduce Lifecycle Visibility
Show payouts as a staged journey so users know where their money is.
Use Progressive Disclosure
Provide a clear overview with the option to view detailed breakdowns.
Reduced ambiguity in payout calculations by exposing system-level transformations
Improved user trust by making financial flows transparent and verifiable
Enabled users to independently reconcile payouts without relying on support