What Went Wrong...
Examining the missteps of various software products across industries reveals common pitfalls that can derail even the most promising innovations. From inadequate market research and poor user experience design to insufficient testing and failure to adapt to technological advancements, these challenges underscore the importance of thorough planning and execution. The following section outlines specific cases, offering insights into how these factors contributed to their downfall and the lessons that can be gleaned to inform future endeavors.
Available Lessons:
200
Stripe Atlas for Startups (Early Stage)
FinTech
Stripe
Stripe Atlas, aimed at helping startups incorporate businesses and access banking tools globally, struggled to scale due to jurisdictional complexity.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Legal and tax compliance issues across countries
Limited automation for managing complex global regulations
SIGNALS MISSED
Users abandoning onboarding due to lengthy manual processes
Complaints about lack of support for international tax setups
HOW COULD THEY HAVE AVOIDED THIS
Building jurisdiction-specific automation tools
Partnering with tax and legal experts to streamline global setup
TEAMS INVOLVED
Product, Legal, Compliance, Engineering, Marketing
LendingClub Loan Approval Software
FinTech
LendingClub
Improper algorithm oversight allowed unapproved loans to pass through the platform, prompting an SEC investigation.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Flawed approval logic in loan software
Poor data integrity monitoring
SIGNALS MISSED
Early reports of anomalies in approval patterns
Internal analytics flagged loan mismatches
HOW COULD THEY HAVE AVOIDED THIS
Regular audits of loan approval algorithms
Building real-time reporting for internal stakeholders
TEAMS INVOLVED
Product, Engineering, Compliance, Operations, Legal
Visa Checkout Software
FinTech
Visa
Visa’s digital wallet faced poor adoption due to technical onboarding challenges and a weak integration experience for merchants.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Poor developer tools for API integration
Complex onboarding for merchants and users
SIGNALS MISSED
Low developer adoption of APIs
Reports of integration errors during setup
HOW COULD THEY HAVE AVOIDED THIS
Simplifying developer SDKs and API documentation
Conducting UX testing with merchants before release
TEAMS INVOLVED
Product, Engineering, Sales, Design
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Credit Dashboard
FinTech
Klarna
Technical flaws in user dashboards led to inaccurate payment information, frustrating users and damaging trust.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Synchronization issues between databases and user dashboards
Poor QA testing for critical user-facing features
SIGNALS MISSED
User feedback reporting mismatched payment schedules
Internal bug reports during earlier feature testing
HOW COULD THEY HAVE AVOIDED THIS
Enhancing real-time sync capabilities for user accounts
Expanding test coverage for financial accuracy
TEAMS INVOLVED
Product, Engineering, Customer Success, Operations
Wirecard Payment Processing Platform
FinTech
Wirecard
The software platform’s underlying fraud and missing financial controls led to a total collapse and regulatory shutdown.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Fraudulent software transactions masked poor reporting
Weak backend monitoring tools for suspicious activities
SIGNALS MISSED
Analytics showing inconsistencies in reporting
External audit concerns ignored
HOW COULD THEY HAVE AVOIDED THIS
Building fraud-detection tools into core infrastructure
Adopting strict third-party audits
TEAMS INVOLVED
Product, Engineering, Compliance, Operations, CEO
Xinja Mobile Banking Platform
FinTech
Xinja
The neobank’s core banking software failed to provide advanced features or reliable performance, leading to customer churn.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Limited product features at launch
Backend instability during scaling
SIGNALS MISSED
High support queries about app crashes
Low user activity on key product features
HOW COULD THEY HAVE AVOIDED THIS
Iterative MVP testing with early adopters
Building a stable core infrastructure before scaling
TEAMS INVOLVED
Product, Engineering, Marketing, Customer Success