Create an All-in-One app that provides a simpler, smarter, and more intuitive experience to use financial services.
About the Client
We were approached by a client from Australia, looking to simplify their finance services app that provides more control over users’ money, spending, and budgeting for the future.
The goal was to create a single app that provided a simpler, smarter, and more intuitive experience to use financial services.
Target Users
The user research conducted by sagaUX included surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
Surveys: We gathered quantitative data on the financial habits and challenges of the target users. The surveys were designed to be simple and easy to complete, and the responses provided valuable insights into the needs and desires of the target users.
Interviews: We conducted interviews with individuals representing the target users to gather qualitative data on their financial habits, challenges, and desires for a finance app. The interviews provided a more in-depth understanding of the target users and their needs and allowed for the exploration of more complex and nuanced topics.
Focus groups: We conducted focus groups to gather a broader range of perspectives and opinions on the financial habits, challenges, and desires of the target users. The focus groups provided a group dynamic that encouraged discussion and allowed for the sharing of experiences and insights among the participants.
The user research conducted by us provided valuable insights into the financial habits, challenges, and desires of the target users. These insights informed the design of the finance app and ensured that it met the needs of the target users.
The following are examples of the personas developed by sagaUX:
Name :John
Gender : Male
Age : 25 years
25 years old student. He has a part-time job but relies on student loans and financial aid to cover his expenses.
Role
John is responsible for managing his own finances and ensuring that he has enough money to cover his expenses.
Goals
To have a better understanding of his finances and to be able to budget and save more effectively.
Challenges
Struggles with keeping track of his spending and ensuring that he does not overspend.
Name : Sarah
Gender : Female
Age : 32 years
32 years old working professional, Married, One child.
Role
Sarah is responsible for managing the family’s finances and ensuring that their budget is balanced.
Goals
To have more control over her finances and to be able to manage her spending and budgeting more effectively.
Challenges
Managing her finances while also balancing work and family responsibilities.
Title : Employee
Gender : Female
Age : 25 years
Role
Responsible for managing a team of employees and overseeing HR processes.
Goals
Quick access to HR data and reports, such as employee headcount, benefits utilization, and turnover rate, to make informed business decisions.
Challenges
Limited time to review HR data, and difficulty navigating the current HR management system.
Problem Statements
Based on the user research conducted by us, several pain points were identified that needed to be addressed in the design of the app.
The following were the key pain points identified by our team:
Confusing Interfaces: Many of the target users found the interfaces of existing finance apps confusing and difficult to navigate. This made it difficult for them to understand their finances and manage their spending effectively.
Cluttered Information: The target users often struggled to find the information they needed within existing finance apps, as the information was presented in a cluttered and unorganized manner. This made it difficult for them to understand their financial situation and take control of their finances.
Lack of Control Over Spending: Many of the target users felt that they lacked control over their spending and were unable to effectively manage their finances. This was due to the inability to set and stick to a budget and keep track of their spending effectively.
These problem statements provided a clear direction for the design of the finance app, ensuring that the design was focused on addressing the key pain points of the target users
User Journey
Using the personas and problem statements, our team mapped out the user journey for the finance app, detailing the steps a user would take to complete tasks such as creating a budget or tracking expenses.
The following is an example of a user journey within the finance app:
Creating a Budget: Sarah, one of the personas, wants to create a budget to better manage her finances. She opens the finance app and navigates to the “Budget” section.
Inputting Expenses: Sarah inputs her monthly expenses, including rent, utilities, groceries, and other expenses.
Allocating Funds: Sarah allocates funds for each category of expenses, ensuring that she has enough money to cover all of her expenses each month.
Tracking Expenses: Sarah is able to track her expenses within the app, ensuring that she stays within her budget and does not overspend.
Adjusting Budget: Sarah can adjust her budget as needed, ensuring that she is able to effectively manage her finances and reach her financial goals.
This user journey provided a clear understanding of the user’s needs and the steps they would take within the app, ensuring that the design was focused on meeting the specific needs of the target users.
User Research Pain Points
During the user research for the finance app, several pain points were identified that needed to be addressed in the design of the app.
Some of the key pain points identified through user research include:
Lack of transparency in financial data: Users wanted an app that would provide them with a clear and transparent view of their finances.
Inability to easily understand expenses: Users sought an app that would provide them with a clear and concise view of their expenses, broken down into categories and easily understood.
Confusing interfaces: Users reported that the financial apps they had used in the past had confusing and cluttered interfaces, making it difficult for them to effectively manage their finances.
These pain points were taken into consideration during the design of the finance app, and solutions were developed to address these challenges.
Paper Wireframes
Our paper wireframes covered the following key aspects of the solution:
- User interface and navigation
- Information Architecture
- Interactions and animations
By creating paper wireframes, our team was able to validate and refine the design concepts for the finance app, ensuring that it met the needs and desires of the target users and addressed their pain points.
Digital Wireframes
We worked closely with the client to review and refine the digital wireframes, ensuring that they met the target user’s needs and reflected the goals of the project.
This collaboration helped to identify and resolve any potential technical challenges early in the design process, ensuring that the finance app was built in a way that was scalable, maintainable, and provided an intuitive and efficient user experience.
The digital wireframes served as a crucial step in the design process, providing a more accurate representation of the finance app and helping to ensure the best possible user experience for the target users.
Low-Fidelity Prototype
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- Test the flow of the user journey and identify any areas that required improvement
- Validate the usability and overall user experience of the software
- Obtain early feedback from the target users to refine the design
Usability Studies
The usability studies involved real users performing tasks on the low-fidelity prototype, and the results were analyzed to understand their experience with the app. The study was conducted in a controlled environment, and the participants were asked to perform specific tasks and provide feedback on their experience.
The results of the usability studies provided valuable insights into how well the design was meeting the needs of the target users. These insights allowed our team to make improvements to the design, ensuring that the final product was as user-friendly as possible.
Usability Study Findings
- Users appreciated the simplicity of the finance app’s interface
- The clarity of financial data was a key strength of the app
- The app provided users with more control over their finances
- The ability to easily understand expenses was highly valued by users
Mockups
After analyzing the results of the usability studies, our team created detailed mockups of the finance app to showcase the final design and user interface.
The mockups were a critical component in visualizing the user experience and helped to validate the design concepts and ensure that the app would meet the needs and expectations of the target users.
These mockups were created with the goal of bringing the finance app to life and providing a clear picture of how the app would look and function in real-world scenarios.
It was also used to refine the user flow, refine the interaction design, and ensure that the final product was accessible and usable for all target users.
High-Fidelity Prototype
The high-fidelity prototype was created based on feedback from previous usability studies and mockups. It incorporated the latest design updates, including the visual design and interactions. The prototype was designed to simulate the real app as closely as possible, allowing users to test the app in a realistic setting. This helped us to identify any remaining issues and make any necessary changes to improve the software.
Accessibility
Our team followed accessibility best practices and guidelines, ensuring that the app would be usable by all users, regardless of abilities.
This involved designing the app with features such as clear, high-contrast text, easy-to-use navigation, and compatibility with assistive technologies.
By doing so, we ensured that the finance app would be inclusive and accessible to all, making it easier for users to manage their finances and budget for the future.
Takeaways
- The finance app provided a simplified and more intuitive experience for users
- The design process was user-centered and focused on meeting the needs of the target users
- Iterative testing and refinements resulted in a product that was well-received by users
- The finance app consolidated financial services into a single app, making it easier for users to manage their finances.
Next Steps
To build upon our solution, we plan to take the following steps:
Continued iteration: We will continue to evaluate the performance of our design and make changes as needed to improve its efficiency and user-friendliness.
Accessibility: We will keep accessibility in mind as we make improvements to the software and make sure that it is usable by everyone, regardless of their abilities.
User feedback: We will gather feedback from users and incorporate their suggestions and ideas into our design process.
Upgrades and improvements: We will keep up with the latest technologies and incorporate new features that enhance the software’s performance.