SmartSave: Innovating the Way You Save for What Matters Most.
A mobile app meticulously crafted to connect users with their financial aspirations, transforming every savings goal from concept to achievable plan.
Role
UX/UI Designer
Industry
FinTech
Duration
2 months
Discovery
The Spark Behind SmartSave
Imagine planning a dream vacation, but every time you try to save, life throws unexpected expenses. This is the challenge millions face—and the story that inspired SmartSave.
During my research, I uncovered a staggering truth: over 60% of people struggle to save effectively due to unexpected expenses and a lack of structured planning. Recognizing this widespread issue, we created a tool to empower users to build better saving habits effortlessly.
The Challenge: Empowering Users to Save Smarter
The Problem: Many savings tools available in the market are either too complicated or fail to address the emotional and practical challenges of saving. Users need a solution that balances automation, flexibility, and control.
The Goal: To design a savings app that is:
Adaptive to different savings goals and lifestyles.
Intuitive and user-friendly.
Encouraging, without being overwhelming.
Research and Insights: Discovering What Users Need
The SmartSave project launched with focused research to understand the financial behaviors, challenges, and goals of potential users. By engaging with thirty-one individuals through surveys and interviews, we gathered insights into their savings habits and the financial difficulties they encounter.
Automation is key: Users want to set savings on autopilot.
Visibility matters: Users need clear visuals to track progress.
Personalization drives engagement: Savings tools should feel tailored to individual needs.
One participant shared, “I need a savings app that acts like a supportive friend, not just a calculator. ” This sentiment became our guiding principle.
Design-Focused Competitive Analysis for SmartSave
Overview:
SmartSave excels with a vibrant, user-friendly design that makes managing finances appealing and straightforward, especially for newcomers.
YNAB offers robust tools but may overwhelm new users with its detailed interface, better suited for those familiar with budgeting apps.
Mint is streamlined for ease of use, though it lacks the interactive visuals that make financial tracking engaging.
Acorns focuses on simplicity, ideal for its target investment audience but less comprehensive for broader financial management.
SmartSave stands out by combining ease of use with dynamic visuals, making it an attractive choice for users looking for both simplicity and depth in their financial app. Maintaining this balance will be key to attracting and retaining users who may be intimidated by more complex systems.
Defining the Personas
Based on our research, we developed personas to guide the design:
Emily the Planner: Wants detailed savings goals and progress tracking.
Mark the Spontaneous Saver: Prefers simplicity and automation.
Information Architecture
We decided to:
Structured the app's information architecture to prioritize the most critical features for users.
Implemented a clear navigation hierarchy for accessing medication lists, symptom tracking, and appointment scheduling.
Ideate
Paper Sketching
With the personas in mind, we brainstormed features and sketched low-fidelity wireframes.
Key features included:
Automated savings deductions.
Customizable goal-setting dashboards.
A "Motivational Nudge" system for encouragement.
Wireframing
We used Figma to create wireframes that visualized user flows:
Dashboard: A clean, simple layout with a progress bar for each goal.
Goal Setup: Users can name goals, set deadlines, and customize savings rules.
Notifications: A friendly tone for nudges, avoiding stress or guilt.
Lo-Fidelity
Mid Fidelity
Design
High-Fidelity Prototyping
Utilized Figma to develop detailed prototypes that effectively brought the new design concepts of SmartSave to life. These prototypes showcased a refined aesthetic tailored to the financial management needs of our users, highlighting the app’s improved functionality and interactive features.
Prototyping
Completely overhauled SmartSave’s visual identity within Figma, incorporating sleek, intuitive design elements that encourage user engagement with their financial goals. We selected typography and iconography resonating with our diverse user base, ensuring the interface is appealing and highly functional.
Usability Testing
Iterating Through User Feedback
To validate our designs, we conducted five rounds of usability testing with a mix of participants and made informed refinements with each round of testing.
Findings
Create Wallet Screen:
Visual Appeal: Clean, organized, and easy to navigate.
Solutions:
Simplifies setup with clear labels for input fields.
Reduces user confusion, enhancing accessibility.
Metrics:
Decrease in setup time by users.
Increase in successful wallet creations on the first attempt.
Wallet Dashboard Screen:
Visual Appeal: Bright, engaging charts provide quick insights.
Solutions:
Offers visual feedback on progress towards financial goals.
It helps users quickly assess their savings status, boosting engagement.
Metrics:
Track user engagement rate (time spent on the dashboard).
Measure click-through rates on actionable insights.
Good Morning Brenda Screen:
Visual Appeal: Warm, personal greeting with a calming background.
Solutions:
Personalizes user experience, encouraging daily app interaction.
It makes financial tracking feel more tailored and inviting.
Metrics:
Track user engagement rate (time spent on the dashboard).
Measure click-through rates on actionable insights.
The Resolution: The Final SmartSave Experience
The final SmartSave app is an intuitive and engaging savings companion. Key features include:
Personalized Dashboards: Users can view all goals at a glance with progress indicators.
Automated Savings: Daily, weekly, or monthly deductions based on user preferences.
Motivational Nudges: Encouraging notifications based on user behavior.
Insights and Reports: Visual graphs and trends to help users understand their savings habits.
High-Fidelity Designs:
The final design features a modern, minimalist aesthetic with bold typography and a friendly color palette to instill trust and ease.
Results and Reflections
Outcomes
After testing the MVP:
85% of users felt more confident about their financial habits.
Users described the app as “easy to use,” “supportive,” and “a life-saver.”
What I Learned:
This project taught me the value of iterative design.
Listening to users and adapting designs based on feedback was crucial to creating an impactful product.
Conclusion
The SmartSave project has successfully demonstrated how targeted, user-centric design can revolutionize financial management. As we transition from MVP to full-scale implementation, we are optimistic about SmartSave’s ability to enhance financial literacy and empower users. This journey affirms our commitment to innovation and sets a promising path for future developments in fintech.
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