Clarifying Complex Identity & Authentication Flows in Yandex Fintech
In this case study, I’ll show how I brought clarity and predictability to high-stakes identity and authentication flows in a large fintech ecosystem — where security is critical, systems are fragmented, and users vary widely in technical confidence.
To comply with my NDA, some details have been changed. The approaches described here reflect my own work and do not necessarily represent Yandex’s official position.
Overview
Yandex is a leading IT company in Russia with a large ecosystem of digital products and services, including e-commerce, banking, mobility, travel, entertainment, subscriptions, and loyalty programs.
In 2025, I worked in the Identity unit, which builds authentication and identification solutions used across this ecosystem.
Each product evolved independently — with its own logic, tone of voice, design system, and platform constraints. For users, however, everything appears under a single brand: Yandex.
By 2025, the Identity unit faced several strategic goals:
Increase the number of fully identified users ready for banking and credit scenarios (target: 20M+)
Reduce operational costs by replacing expensive or unreliable verification methods
Support new products — including the Yandex ID app and the Financial Platform — that depend on secure, user-friendly identification
Although the underlying systems differed by OS, device type, entry point, and verification source, identity needed to feel seamless and trustworthy everywhere.
My Role
As a UX Writer and Content Strategist, I designed a communication system that makes complex identity logic understandable without creating anxiety or overload.
I worked across key identity domains, including registration, login, account recovery, onboarding, verification, and personal and family profiles.
My responsibilities included:
Unifying tone and meaning across services
Removing risky, misleading, or panic-inducing language
Reducing cognitive load and emotional friction
Creating scalable language patterns for future identity features
Collaborating closely with designers, researchers, product managers, legal, and security teams
I was surprised by how complex and interconnected sign-in processes can be — and by how much impact small language decisions can have on the experience of millions of users.
The Challenge
Identity is one of the core elements of Yandex Fintech. Working on it means operating in a technically complex, deeply sensitive, multi-platform environment that is inseparable from security.
The audience is massive and highly diverse. Some users have a better understanding of technical issues than engineers, while others struggle to distinguish between an account and a phone number. The language had to work for both groups simultaneously.
The other challenge was that personal data — such as birthdays, addresses, and passport details — was often requested without a clear explanation of why. In sensitive contexts, that hesitation quickly turned into fear and drop-offs.
On top of this, I had to work with legacy interfaces dating back to the early 2000s. Many screens were closely linked to back-end logic and could not be modified without risk. My task was to improve clarity without breaking fragile systems.
5С Principles
To make consistent decisions across many products and processes, I relied on five guiding principles:
Clarity: users should understand what is happening and why.
Confidence: a calm, predictable tone, with no panic or pressure.
Control: real choices with visible consequences, without manipulation.
Context: each message fits the moment in a user’s life.
Conciseness: every word serves a purpose.
These principles helped me decide what to say and what to leave unsaid.
My Approach
I used a pragmatic, multi-layered workflow to ensure consistency and trust in identity flows.
Deep dives into system states, OS differences, partner rules and edge cases
Mixed-methods testing:
- AI-assisted cognitive load checks.
- Quick clarity tests with non-expert users.
- Unmoderated testing with over 100 users via Pathway
Close collaboration with UX researchers to validate hypotheses and identify blind spots.
Focus on pattern-building rather than fixing individual screens in isolation.
The goal was not to explain everything, but to explain just enough at the right moment.
Selected Work
Below are representative problem areas I worked on across Yandex Fintech. This case focuses on my individual contributions.
Simplifying Biometric Login in Yandex ID
Biometric login (Face ID / fingerprint) was available, but users didn’t clearly understand when or how it worked across multiple accounts and devices. This led to repeated logins and low adoption.
What I did:
Audited biometric and fast-login screens across platforms.
Rebuilt message hierarchy: benefit → action → reassurance.
Replaced technical labels with natural, user-centered language.
Created OS-specific microcopy and validated it in quick tests.
Impact
✅ +22% increase in users enabling biometric login.
✅ More consistent tone across ID and Pay flows.
Clarifying Identity Verification in Yandex ID
Identity verification via mobile operators and state services Gosuslugi was often perceived as opaque. The verification process may started in many different flows and we didn't have clear benefits for users. Users didn’t understand why personal data was requested or which which method would be used.
What I did:
Audited all verification entry points and states.
Reframed system steps into human explanations: purpose, visibility, next steps.
Simplified tone from formal and technical to calm and supportive.
Created a unified message system that adapts to the verification source.
Impact
✅ Reduced hesitation and drop-offs in verification step.
✅ Improved comprehension and trust.
✅ The verification flow now feels like a natural part of the Yandex experience.
Clarifying Device Limits in Yandex Plus
Yandex Plus is a subscription that offers shared benefits and includes a limit on the number of devices that can be connected. Users misunderstood the 10-device limit: they didn’t realize it was shared across the family or that they could see only their own devices.
What I did
Audited device-limit screens across ID, Plus, and Kinopoisk
Identified the core misunderstanding
Rebuilt message hierarchy:
Explain the rule
Explain why this user sees it
Show clear actions
Replaced technical language with cause-and-effect explanations
Designed two clear paths: add devices or remove one
Validated copy through Pathway testing (100 users)
Impact
✅ −31% support tickets related to device limits
✅ Users more often chose the correct action immediately
✅ Higher perceived fairness and trust
✅ Scalable pattern for future features
Clarifying Family Relationships in Yandex ID
In Yandex ID, family groups allow users to share benefits across services and devices. Without understanding the type of relationship in the family group, we couldn’t personalise the experience or tailor benefits for households. But in Russian, there are no universal, neutral words like “siblings” or “spouse.” Many terms sound bureaucratic or exclude modern non-formal families.
What I did
Researched real-world language patterns and sensitive edge cases
Tested multiple tones to find the most neutral and inclusive options
Introduced relationship labels grounded in real life (e.g., “my second part”)
Designed lightweight microflows to reduce pressure
Explained why we ask — without implying surveillance
Aligned tone across banners and in-profile prompts
I suggested “My other half” as a versatile label that works across different relationship types. More specific options (like spouse or partner) felt too formal or less emotionally accurate for this family context in Russian.
Impact
✅ Higher completion rates for relationship selection
✅ Users reported feeling less judged and more understood
✅ Clearer foundation for future family-based features
Reflection
This work reinforced a simple idea: language defines the emotional context of every interaction.
In identity and security flows, my role wasn’t just to explain systems — but to act as a calm, trustworthy human presence on the other side of the screen.
