Patrimonio Hoy: Microfinance program for low-income homebuilders
How a 3-Day Design Sprint Solved 6 Critical Problems for 10,000+ Low-Income Homebuilders
Facilitating a remote Design Sprint to align stakeholders, prioritize pain points, and prototype a mobile app that made construction financing accessible for underbanked communities in Mexico.
3-day remote Design Sprint + user testing
Design Sprint Facilitator & Prototyper
CEMEX Innovation Department (Mexico)
Key Metrics
3 Days
70+ Problems
6 Prioritized Solutions
5 Users Tested
10K+ Downloads
The Problem
When CEMEX's Innovation Department reached out, their request was straightforward: "Teach our Patrimonio Hoy team UX principles so they can build an app for our partners."
But I saw a different opportunity.
Instead of delivering theoretical workshops, I proposed co-creation: facilitate a Design Sprint where stakeholders would build the solution themselves, using their deep domain expertise while I guided the process. This approach would kill two birds with one stone, create a validated solution while teaching UX through practice.
The Strategic
Pivot
Understanding Patrimonio Hoy
Patrimonio Hoy is CEMEX's microfinance program that enables low-income families in Mexico to build or improve their homes through:
- Weekly payment plans (similar to "tanda" savings models)
- Access to quality construction materials delivered to their homes
- Technical advisory services for construction planning
- No credit history required - only ID and proof of address
The program serves thousands of families who are largely excluded from traditional banking systems.
The Challenge
The Patrimonio Hoy team wanted to create an app for their partners (called "socios"), but faced critical barriers:
Organizational Challenge:
- 6 team members with dozens of identified problems
- No clear priorities or alignment on what to solve first
- Scattered understanding of user needs
User Complexity:
- Socios with limited or no internet access
- Low technological literacy
- Mostly unbanked (no credit/debit cards)
- Weekly payment cycles requiring consistent engagement
Operational Friction:
The Patrimonio Hoy team wanted to create an app for their partners (called "socios"), but faced critical barriers:
- Manual processes for payments (had to visit physical locations)
- Complex material request procedures
- Unclear communication about project status and costs
- Long wait times for scheduling advisory services
The team knew they needed a digital solution, but lacked alignment on where to start.
Process
Phase 1: Alignment Workshop (Day 1)
We kicked off with Expert Interviews a Design Sprint exercise where each stakeholder documented pain points they'd observed from socios, internal teams, and operational data.
The Exercise: Each participant framed problems as "How Might We" (HMW) questions, creating a shared language for discussing opportunities.
Communication & Accessibility
- How might we stay in contact without internet?
- How might we reach socios who don't answer calls?
- How might we communicate in real-time?
Transparency & Trust
- How might we give socios clarity on their payments?
- How might we show material pricing transparently?
- How might we make account statements easier to read?
Process Friction
- How might we speed up material scheduling?
- How might we facilitate payment methods?
- How might we deliver advisory services formally?
Engagement & Motivation
- How might we keep socios motivated throughout their project?
- How might we make home improvement a priority?
- How might we maintain long-term engagement?
Key Insight
The team discovered patterns they hadn't seen before. What they initially framed as "operational issues" were actually visibility problems, “socios” couldn't see their progress, understand their payments, or track their project status.
Output: 70+ HMW questions across four major themes:
Process
Phase 2: Solution Workshop (Day 2)
With 70+ opportunities identified, we needed to focus. I facilitated a prioritization session using dot voting.
The Method:
- Each participant received 3 votes
- Final decision rested with the Patrimonio Hoy General Manager (the "Decider" in Design Sprint methodology)
The 6 Prioritized Challenges:
- How might we facilitate payment methods?
- How might we facilitate requesting materials/advisory services?
- How might we give socios visibility of payment progress and promotions?
- How might we create transparency about what they've purchased?
- How might we remind them of the process step-by-step?
- How might we increase interaction with socios?
With priorities clear, we mapped the end-to-end user journey—from discovering Patrimonio Hoy through completing a construction project and potentially restarting.
PROGRESS TRACKING & ENGAGEMENT
Socios lost motivation mid-project and didn't prioritize home improvement.
PROJECT COMPLETION &
RE-ENGAGEMENT
After finishing one project, socios didn't return for additional home improvements.
MATERIAL REQUEST & DELIVERY TRACKING
Material ordering was manual, slow, and lacked transparency on pricing and delivery.
ADVISORY SERVICE REQUEST & TRACKING
Scheduling technical advisory (Asesoría de Vivienda) was slow and opaque.
PAYMENT TRACKING & TRANSPARENCY
Socios couldn't see their payment progress, causing confusion and disengagement.
DISCOVERY & ONBOARDING
Socios needed clarity on what Patrimonio Hoy offers before committing to weekly payments.
This collaborative mapping surfaced critical touchpoints where the app could add value.
Process
Phase 3: Decision Workshop (Day 3)
I translated the user flows into a medium-fidelity prototype, designing features that directly addressed each prioritized challenge.
Core Features Designed:
1. Self-Service Payments
- In-app payment via card/PayPal
- Digital receipt generation
- Payment history and upcoming due dates
- Auto-pay option for consistent payers
2. Material & Advisory Scheduling
- Request materials directly from app
- Schedule advisory services (Asesoría de Vivienda)
- Track delivery status in real-time
- Choose preferred suppliers and compare prices
"Mi Objetivo" Progress Dashboard
- Visual progress tracking with gamification
- Points system unlocking rewards
- Construction project breakdown
- Milestones tied to payment completion
"Mi Objetivo" Progress Dashboard
- Visual progress tracking with gamification
- Points system unlocking rewards
- Construction project breakdown
- Milestones tied to payment completion
Proactive Notification System
- Automated reminders for weekly payments
- Alerts when advisory services are available
- Delivery notifications with estimated arrival
- Promotional benefits and loyalty rewards
Proactive Notification System
- Automated reminders for weekly payments
- Alerts when advisory services are available
- Delivery notifications with estimated arrival
- Promotional benefits and loyalty rewards
Transparency Features
- Complete construction project details (post-advisory)
- Material catalog with transparent pricing
- Clear account statements
- Payment breakdown and remaining balance
Service Ratings & Feedback
- Rate advisors after service delivery
- Rate suppliers after material delivery
- Chat with advisors for follow-up questions
- Submit feedback without calling call center
Validation
User Testing with Real Socios
Before finalizing the prototype, I conducted testing sessions with 5 real Patrimonio Hoy socios—the actual users who would depend on this app.
Testing Method: Remote prototype walkthroughs with structured feedback sessions focused on usability and value perception.
What We Learned
What Resonated Most:
"Being able to see my loan status, what I owe, and this week's payment—that's what I need most."
The transparency features struck a chord. Socios valued visibility into their financial status above all else—confirming our insight from Day 1 that this was fundamentally a visibility problem.
All 5 participants said they would use the app, with one critical condition: it had to run on their low-end devices.
Critical Constraint Discovered:
The majority of socios were unbanked, meaning they didn't have credit or debit cards. The digital payment feature, while desired, wouldn't work for most users in the near term.
Impact &
Outcomes
Immediate Results
Stakeholder Alignment Achieved:
- Moved from 70+ scattered problems to 6 focused solutions in 3 days
- Created shared language and vision across departments
- Built internal buy-in through co-creation (team owned the solution)
Validated Prototype Delivered:
- Medium-fidelity prototype ready for development handoff
- User-tested with real socios before writing a single line of code
- Strategic clarity on MVP scope based on actual constraints
De-Risked Development:
- Discovered the "unbanked" constraint before building payment infrastructure
- Prioritized features by real user value, not assumptions
- Aligned technical investment with user readiness
Reflections
& Learnings
Why Design Sprint Over Training?
When the Innovation Department requested UX training, I saw an opportunity to deliver something more valuable: action over education.
The team possessed deep domain expertise about Patrimonio Hoy, their socios, and operational realities. They didn't lack knowledge—they lacked a framework to channel it into prioritized action.
By facilitating co-creation through a Design Sprint, we:
- Built the solution together while they learned UX principles through practice
- Leveraged their expertise instead of treating them as students
- Created buy-in because they owned the outcome
Business Value Created:
By facilitating co-creation instead of delivering training workshops, we:
- olved real problems instead of theoretical ones
- ✅ Compressed months of alignment into 3 days
- ✅ Delivered a prototype ready for engineering immediately
- ✅ Validated assumptions with users before committing development resources
De-Risked Development:
- Discovered the "unbanked" constraint before building payment infrastructure
- Prioritized features by real user value, not assumptions
- Aligned technical investment with user readiness
Patrimonio Hoy: Microfinance program for low-income homebuilders
How a 3-Day Design Sprint Solved 6 Critical Problems for 10,000+ Low-Income Homebuilders
Facilitating a remote Design Sprint to align stakeholders, prioritize pain points, and prototype a mobile app that made construction financing accessible for underbanked communities in Mexico.
3-day remote Design Sprint + user testing
Design Sprint Facilitator & Prototyper
CEMEX Innovation Department (Mexico)
Key Metrics
3 Days
70+ Problems
6 Prioritized Solutions
5 Users Tested
10K+ Downloads
The Problem
When CEMEX's Innovation Department reached out, their request was straightforward: "Teach our Patrimonio Hoy team UX principles so they can build an app for our partners."
But I saw a different opportunity.
Instead of delivering theoretical workshops, I proposed co-creation: facilitate a Design Sprint where stakeholders would build the solution themselves, using their deep domain expertise while I guided the process. This approach would kill two birds with one stone, create a validated solution while teaching UX through practice.
The Strategic
Pivot
Understanding Patrimonio Hoy
Patrimonio Hoy is CEMEX's microfinance program that enables low-income families in Mexico to build or improve their homes through:
- Weekly payment plans (similar to "tanda" savings models)
- Access to quality construction materials delivered to their homes
- Technical advisory services for construction planning
- No credit history required - only ID and proof of address
The program serves thousands of families who are largely excluded from traditional banking systems.
The Challenge
The Patrimonio Hoy team wanted to create an app for their partners (called "socios"), but faced critical barriers:
Organizational Challenge:
- 6 team members with dozens of identified problems
- No clear priorities or alignment on what to solve first
- Scattered understanding of user needs
User Complexity:
- Socios with limited or no internet access
- Low technological literacy
- Mostly unbanked (no credit/debit cards)
- Weekly payment cycles requiring consistent engagement
Operational Friction:
The Patrimonio Hoy team wanted to create an app for their partners (called "socios"), but faced critical barriers:
- Manual processes for payments (had to visit physical locations)
- Complex material request procedures
- Unclear communication about project status and costs
- Long wait times for scheduling advisory services
The team knew they needed a digital solution, but lacked alignment on where to start.
Process
Phase 1: Alignment Workshop (Day 1)
We kicked off with Expert Interviews a Design Sprint exercise where each stakeholder documented pain points they'd observed from socios, internal teams, and operational data.
The Exercise: Each participant framed problems as "How Might We" (HMW) questions, creating a shared language for discussing opportunities.
Communication & Accessibility
- How might we stay in contact without internet?
- How might we reach socios who don't answer calls?
- How might we communicate in real-time?
Transparency & Trust
- How might we give socios clarity on their payments?
- How might we show material pricing transparently?
- How might we make account statements easier to read?
Process Friction
- How might we speed up material scheduling?
- How might we facilitate payment methods?
- How might we deliver advisory services formally?
Engagement & Motivation
- How might we keep socios motivated throughout their project?
- How might we make home improvement a priority?
- How might we maintain long-term engagement?
Key Insight
The team discovered patterns they hadn't seen before. What they initially framed as "operational issues" were actually visibility problems, “socios” couldn't see their progress, understand their payments, or track their project status.
Output: 70+ HMW questions across four major themes:
Process
Phase 2: Solution Workshop (Day 2)
With 70+ opportunities identified, we needed to focus. I facilitated a prioritization session using dot voting.
The Method:
- Each participant received 3 votes
- Final decision rested with the Patrimonio Hoy General Manager (the "Decider" in Design Sprint methodology)
The 6 Prioritized Challenges:
- How might we facilitate payment methods?
- How might we facilitate requesting materials/advisory services?
- How might we give socios visibility of payment progress and promotions?
- How might we create transparency about what they've purchased?
- How might we remind them of the process step-by-step?
- How might we increase interaction with socios?
With priorities clear, we mapped the end-to-end user journey—from discovering Patrimonio Hoy through completing a construction project and potentially restarting.
PROGRESS TRACKING & ENGAGEMENT
Socios lost motivation mid-project and didn't prioritize home improvement.
PROJECT COMPLETION &
RE-ENGAGEMENT
After finishing one project, socios didn't return for additional home improvements.
MATERIAL REQUEST & DELIVERY TRACKING
Material ordering was manual, slow, and lacked transparency on pricing and delivery.
ADVISORY SERVICE REQUEST & TRACKING
Scheduling technical advisory (Asesoría de Vivienda) was slow and opaque.
PAYMENT TRACKING & TRANSPARENCY
Socios couldn't see their payment progress, causing confusion and disengagement.
DISCOVERY & ONBOARDING
Socios needed clarity on what Patrimonio Hoy offers before committing to weekly payments.
This collaborative mapping surfaced critical touchpoints where the app could add value.
Process
Phase 3: Decision Workshop (Day 3)
I translated the user flows into a medium-fidelity prototype, designing features that directly addressed each prioritized challenge.
Core Features Designed:
1. Self-Service Payments
- In-app payment via card/PayPal
- Digital receipt generation
- Payment history and upcoming due dates
- Auto-pay option for consistent payers
2. Material & Advisory Scheduling
- Request materials directly from app
- Schedule advisory services (Asesoría de Vivienda)
- Track delivery status in real-time
- Choose preferred suppliers and compare prices
"Mi Objetivo" Progress Dashboard
- Visual progress tracking with gamification
- Points system unlocking rewards
- Construction project breakdown
- Milestones tied to payment completion
"Mi Objetivo" Progress Dashboard
- Visual progress tracking with gamification
- Points system unlocking rewards
- Construction project breakdown
- Milestones tied to payment completion
Proactive Notification System
- Automated reminders for weekly payments
- Alerts when advisory services are available
- Delivery notifications with estimated arrival
- Promotional benefits and loyalty rewards
Proactive Notification System
- Automated reminders for weekly payments
- Alerts when advisory services are available
- Delivery notifications with estimated arrival
- Promotional benefits and loyalty rewards
Transparency Features
- Complete construction project details (post-advisory)
- Material catalog with transparent pricing
- Clear account statements
- Payment breakdown and remaining balance
Service Ratings & Feedback
- Rate advisors after service delivery
- Rate suppliers after material delivery
- Chat with advisors for follow-up questions
- Submit feedback without calling call center
Validation
User Testing with Real Socios
Before finalizing the prototype, I conducted testing sessions with 5 real Patrimonio Hoy socios—the actual users who would depend on this app.
Testing Method: Remote prototype walkthroughs with structured feedback sessions focused on usability and value perception.
What We Learned
What Resonated Most:
"Being able to see my loan status, what I owe, and this week's payment—that's what I need most."
The transparency features struck a chord. Socios valued visibility into their financial status above all else—confirming our insight from Day 1 that this was fundamentally a visibility problem.
All 5 participants said they would use the app, with one critical condition: it had to run on their low-end devices.
Critical Constraint Discovered:
The majority of socios were unbanked, meaning they didn't have credit or debit cards. The digital payment feature, while desired, wouldn't work for most users in the near term.
Impact &
Outcomes
Immediate Results
Stakeholder Alignment Achieved:
- Moved from 70+ scattered problems to 6 focused solutions in 3 days
- Created shared language and vision across departments
- Built internal buy-in through co-creation (team owned the solution)
Validated Prototype Delivered:
- Medium-fidelity prototype ready for development handoff
- User-tested with real socios before writing a single line of code
- Strategic clarity on MVP scope based on actual constraints
De-Risked Development:
- Discovered the "unbanked" constraint before building payment infrastructure
- Prioritized features by real user value, not assumptions
- Aligned technical investment with user readiness
Reflections
& Learnings
Why Design Sprint Over Training?
When the Innovation Department requested UX training, I saw an opportunity to deliver something more valuable: action over education.
The team possessed deep domain expertise about Patrimonio Hoy, their socios, and operational realities. They didn't lack knowledge—they lacked a framework to channel it into prioritized action.
By facilitating co-creation through a Design Sprint, we:
- Built the solution together while they learned UX principles through practice
- Leveraged their expertise instead of treating them as students
- Created buy-in because they owned the outcome
Business Value Created:
By facilitating co-creation instead of delivering training workshops, we:
- Solved real problems instead of theoretical ones
- Compressed months of alignment into 3 days
- Delivered a prototype ready for engineering immediately
- Validated assumptions with users before committing development resources
De-Risked Development:
- Discovered the "unbanked" constraint before building payment infrastructure
- Prioritized features by real user value, not assumptions
- Aligned technical investment with user readiness