Raksha Hungund (UX)
Anna Vento (UX)
Kathy Wang (UX)
Motivation
Despite the wide availability of digital budgeting tools, over 80% of Americans continue to overspend their monthly budgets (Marder, 2023). This consistent pattern of overspending can lead to a range of negative financial outcomes, from increased debt and financial stress to diminished savings and hindered long-term financial goals.
Problem
Millions of Americans still rely on spreadsheets to manually manage their budgets (Mehta, 2024). A gap in the market exists– there isn’t a solution that provides users with the same level of control over their budgeting as spreadsheets, while also offering the convenience and ease of a mobile app.
Goal
To create a budgeting solution that combines ease of use with maximum value, specifically designed to help lower income individuals not only stay within tight budgets but also build lasting financial habits.
UX Research
54 survey respondents and 16 interviewees revealing financial goals, problems with current solutions, and a need for easier budgeting methods
Phase 1: Survey
Phase 2: Interviews
Requirements → Features
From our research, we identified 3 key design requirements based on key themes, which informed four key features.
Design requirements
- Simplify and automate
- Personalize with flexibility
- Educate through insights
Feature highlights
- Linking bank accounts
- Creating, viewing, and adjusting budgets
- Learning about spending habits
- Adjusting transaction categories
Low fidelity designs
Based on key requirements and features outlined in the define phase, we created lo-fi wireframes that we ran quick concept testing on to identify usability issues early.
Redundant tabs
Con: Repetitive information
Confusing visuals
Pro:
Visual focus
Con:
Too complex
Information overload
Lack of explanation and freedom
Pro:
Quick and automated
Con:
No user freedom
Untrustworthy
