# Meet Digital First
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/blog/edge-mdev-blog-installments/index.md

Authors: Jane Rosenberger, Russell de Lacy. Welcome to our series of blogs for Experience Design Guides in Action. In this installment, we're talking to Russell de Lacy, Vice President Product Development, Product \& Engineering (PAE) about Digital First. What are Experience Design Guides? Experience Design Guides are a collection of guidelines and tools for driving quality and speed in partner implementations of the end-customer experience that now sit alongside API documentation on Mastercard Developers. Guides maximize the potential for end-user adoption, repeat use and mutual profitability for Mastercard and our customers by providing the end-to-end user experience, developed in Figma, that can be duplicated and "lifted and shifted" into the customer environment. Experience Design Guides provide best practice user experience (UX) recommendations for primary use case end-to-end flows as seen above. The guides also include black "call-out" boxes with suggestions for designers. Introducing Digital First Tell us about your product: Who is it for and what does it do? For the digitally connected consumer who seeks immediacy and convenience in their banking services, Digital First delivers an innovative and secure digital card experience that makes it easier to pay and enjoy the value of the card in ways that personally matter. Mastercard's pioneering Digital First product framework brings to life the wide range of digital product solutions and added-value capabilities spanning the consumer experience, from acquisition to ongoing spend, controls and engagement. Digital First helps issuers and partners to deliver intuitive, secure and engaging user experiences across all payment needs and types. Through a blend of products, services, qualified partners, and recommended APIs, such as MDES Customer Service, Click to Pay, Ethoca Consumer Clarity, Carbon Calculator, and more, we offer a flexible way to deliver a differentiated consumer experience, wherever issuers and partners are in their digital journeys. In this image as well, you can see how Experience Design Guides provide best practice user experience (UX) recommendations for primary use case end-to-end flows. The black "call-out" boxes provide suggestions for designers. Why Digital First matters Share the story of why Digital First is helpful and important to our customers. The shift from physical to digital continues at pace, with customers desiring more convenient, faster and flexible ways to shop and manage their money. According to Salesforce, 88% of consumers say that the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services. There are four stages of the consumer journey that come together to provide an entirely Digital First experience where a physical card is optional. Acquire a card -- Apply and enroll for a card digitally. Receive your card digitally, in near real-time, ready for immediate payment transactions. Use your card -- Add card to digital wallets with the ability to transact digitally across all. Manage your card -- Provide peace of mind for cardholders through the ability to digitally view card credentials, set card controls and contact customer service. Engage with your card -- Enhance your customer Digital First proposition through personalized offers and loyalty benefits. The big picture Explain the end result of utilizing Digital First. By enabling issuers and partners to deliver a convenient and secure digital banking solution, it is easier for consumers to pay and enjoy the value of the card in ways that matter to them while having full control over their money and spending. Implementing a Digital First experience drives higher customer acquisition, usage and loyalty, in addition to delivering operational savings, efficiencies and a reduction in fraud through a best-in-class experience. The buzz about Digital First Tell us what you're hearing. As of May 2024, there are over 400 customer programs that have launched a Digital First experience in 70+ countries. Over the past four months, over 1,000 unique visitors globally have viewed the Digital First Experience Design Guide, which includes our best user experience recommendations, user journey flows, and cutting-edge resources to improve the speed, quality and cost of implementing and scaling Digital First in unique issuer environments. Let's keep the conversation going! For more information about Experience Design Guides, contact Jane Rosenberger For developers: Learn more about Digital First by visiting our solution on Mastercard Developers For designers: Visit the Digital First Experience Design Guide \| Mastercard Developers For everyone: 1. Watch and share our Experience Design Guides video 2. Repost this blog with your network via Mastercard on LinkedIn or share on your own. 3. Check out the full list of Experience Design Guides live on Mastercard Developers: Carbon Calculator Mastercard Installments UC1 Digital Debit Mastercard (DDMC) Mastercard QR (Scan to Pay) Digital First Crypto Credential U.S. Open Finance V2 Mastercard Send Automatic Billing Updater (ABU) -- EDGE Lite Cloud Commerce Identity Check