Apr 19, 2021
Fintech | De Olho no Bolso
A platform that helps people manage their budget, predict expenses and set financial goals.
My Role
I worked remotely in a team of four UX Designers based in the UK and Brazil. I did Project Management, UX Research, Usability Tests, Wireframes, UI Design, Medium and High-Fidelity Prototypes, and UX Writing.
Tools used:
Figma: Wireframe, prototypes and graphic design
Slack and Google Meet: Team communication and UX Research interviews
Trello: Project Management
Useberry: Remote Usability Tests
Google Survey: UX Research
Miro: Online Whiteboard and Brainstorming
The project was completed in 10 weeks.
Shout-out to my team Alana Gazola, Monique Barboza and Millôr Silveira.
The Problem
Brazil’s economy was heavily affected by the pandemic in 2020. The numbers of families in debt and young people in default hit a record high.
Goal
Based on this data, it was identified that the user’s biggest problems could be solved with starting a budget, which would include goals such as:
• Paying off debts
• Not running out of money before the end of the month
• Having an emergency fund
• Achieving financial goals for personal projects
• Planing expenses for the next 6 months
• Organising a budget so it’s possible to afford leisure activities
The goal was to develop a platform for simple and practical budget management, and for setting at least one savings target.
Users
To empathise and better understand the target audiences of this product, two personas were created: Aline and Paulo. They cover the main characteristics observed during the UX Research (qualitative and quantitative).
Ideation
After completing the research stage, several problems that users face were identified. The How Might We method was used to generate opportunities and creative solutions for the two problems prioritised:
How might we make budget management more simple and practical?
How might we help users to set and track the progress of their financial goals?
The Effort x Impact matrix was used to prioritise the opportunities that would be addressed in the Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
My team started the ideation stage using the 4-Step Sketch method. This process was important for us to get our ideas down on paper and understand the approach each member of the team took to suggest a solution.
We got together, presented what each one had came up with and chose the solutions that would go into the low-fidelity prototype.
Low-Fidelity Prototype
The first prototype was focused on a specific and recurring task for users: registering an expense.
The prototype was tested with eight users. The analysis of the results generated insights that helped us understand what were the next steps to expand our prototype, for example:
Some buttons’ placements generated confusion
Some expressions raised questions for users
Most users did not understand that the add button in the footer menu directed them to register a new expense
Medium-Fidelity Prototype and Usability Testing
This prototype was tested remotely with 18 users using the platform Useberry.
The biggest insights from the second usability test were:
• Quantitative results — such as heat maps and time on task — helped us to identify which screens and visual elements needed modifications.
• The screen recording of the tests allowed us to see patterns of behaviour that were repeated among users, and directed us to improve parts of the flow and the interface.
• The usability of the prototype using the SUS scale (ranging from 0 to 100) was assessed as very good. It reached 88 points and the classification A.
• The analysis of qualitative comments helped us to identify the points of success and improvement, as well as business opportunities that could be implemented in the future.
High-Fidelity Prototype
Design System
The Design System focused on offering the user an interface that wasn’t busy. The UX Writing stage used accessible and jargon-free language based on user reports during the surveys.
After the second usability test, the accessibility of the app was improved following the WCAG 2.1 (W3C) standards and Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines. After this stage, the level of compliance AA was reached on all screens of the high-fidelity prototype.
Next Steps
With more resources and time, the priorities would have been to:
• Create the desktop version, as research identified that some users preferred to use the computer to manage their personal finances.
• Form partnerships with brands to offer perks such as discounts to users.
• Include a financial education section with curated short videos, which research indicated that this is how users consume content on the subject.
What I Learnt
This project was full of learning opportunities. Some of the main ones were:
• There is no formula to solve all types of problems. I realised the importance of choosing the most appropriate method and / or tool according to each situation.
• The most important data for validating (or not validating) our ideas was raised when interviewing and testing with real people. The UX Research stage should be prioritised in projects whenever possible.
• A business model is essential to aligning metrics, objectives and stakeholder goals with the product. Because the product wasn’t monetised yet, it has not been possible to validate it with users in a real-life context and for a longer period.
