Overview
Timeline
6 weeks
Role
Designer, Researcher
Tools
Figma
Many people struggle to manage their spending and often use tools to help. Most of these tools are automated - just link your bank account, and the tool tracks everything for you. The downside? It's easy to forget about your spending.
Timeline 6 weeks
Role Designer, Researcher
Tools Figma
The Problem
I conducted one-on-one interviews with 5 users to uncover the problem.
Money spent is money forgotten
Some users have no idea how much money they’ve spent in the past week or month, others have some, but they’re uncertain what and where they’ve spent money. Some don’t track expenses at all, as it takes time and effort, others use automated tools to track, but often forget about it.
Getting started is the hardest part
Users are intimidated by the learning curve of finance tools and often don't know where to start when it comes to their finances.
The Opportunity
How might we design an easy and simple to use tool to help users be more mindful of their daily spending?
Meet Splend
A mobile app that uses speech-to-text technology to help users mindfully track their spending.
Lastly, users can review their expenses to stay on top of your spending.
To start, users set up the expenses they want to track.
Lastly, users can review their expenses to stay on top of your spending.
Next, users use speech-to-text AI to enter and track their expenses.
To start, users set up the expenses they want to track.
To start, users set up the expenses they want to track.
Lastly, users can review their expenses to stay on top of your spending.
Next, users use speech-to-text to enter and track their expenses.
Next, users use speech-to-text to enter and track their expenses.
The Process
How might we design a simple, seamless tool?
Most finance tools have a steep learning curve, making it harder for users to get started on their finances. I wanted to design a simpler solution, but after testing with 3 users, my first design was far from simple. It was overwhelming and unclear. Swipe to see user feedback.
Reducing cognitive load
To reduce users cognitive load, I added predefined categories, definitions, examples, and visuals, allowing users to choose the categories rather than define them themselves. This makes the process a lot more simple and intuitive for users.
To reduce errors, I added a review page with a bar graph. This allows users to visually view their budget by category and by week, month, and year.
A Final Review
Lastly, users can review their expenses using filter and sort and can also edit or delete entries. The process of reviewing expenses encourages users to develop a deeper understanding of their spending.
How might we help users be more mindful of their daily spending?
Many tools help users track their spending, but most are automated. I asked myself, "What if users manually tracked their spending?" If users truly want to understand where their money is going, wouldn't it be best to track it themselves?
That's when I got creative with ideas!
I took inspiration from input features in mobile devices, from the camera to the microphone. Then, I tested my ideas with 3 users, swipe to see their feedback.
The power of your voice
Splend uses speech-to-text technology, allowing users to track expenses with their voice. Voice inputs process users' actions and thoughts, helping them become more mindful of their expenses. Voice inputs also allow users to track expenses hands-free, taking away the all too common challenges and inconveniences that come with typing on small screens.
Making speech-to-text more accessible
One of my concerns with speech-to-text technology was accessibility. To address this, I researched design systems and W3C's WCAG and implemented 2 best practices I learned. In the future, I would love to design an alternative to speech inputs.
Error Handling
I added error messages and a cancel button to help users recover from errors.
I added error messages and a cancel button to help users recover from errors.
Visual Cues
I added icons to prompt users to take action, and labeled buttons for accessibility.
A Final Review
Lastly, users can review their expenses using filter and sort and can also edit or delete entries. The process of reviewing expenses encourages users to develop a deeper understanding of their spending.
A Final Review
Lastly, users can review their expenses using filter and sort and can also edit or delete entries. The process of reviewing expenses encourages users to develop a deeper understanding of their spending.
The Final Solution
Splend is a mobile app that reimagines the state of automated expense tracking tools. I designed a simple, seamless experience that users can integrate into their day-to-day, empowering them to actively track and take control of their spending.
Reflection
This was my first UX design project and I had lots of fun! Personally, I loved designing for different input features in mobile and learning more about accessible design, as I practiced designing error handling, feedback, and labels. Reflecting on my experience, I learned two important lessons.
Enhance the user, not the product
I didn't need to design the "best" app to track expenses - I needed to design the app to help users become the best at tracking their expenses. Therefore, I focused on designing features to help users build the skills, habits, and mindsets to truly become better at personal finance.
Extension to daily life
To ensure users would use it on their day to day, I needed to design an app that would extend already existing parts of their life. Therefore, I focused on designing features to make it as easy and convenient as possible. This meant leveraging the strengths of mobile design.
Splend is a mobile app that reimagines the state of automated expense tracking tools. I designed a simple, seamless experience that users can integrate into their day-to-day, empowering them to actively track and take control of their spending.
Final Solution
Overview
Many people struggle to manage their spending and often use tools to help. Most of these tools are automated - just link your bank account, and the tool tracks everything for you. The downside? It's easy to forget about your spending.
Timeline
6 weeks
Role
Designer, Researcher
Tools
Figma
Meet Splend
A mobile app that uses speech-to-text technology to help users actively track and take control of their spending.
The Process
01 How might we design a simple, seamless tool?
Most finance tools have a steep learning curve, making it harder for users to get started on their finances. I wanted to design a simpler solution, but after testing with 3 users, my first design was far from simple. It was overwhelming and unclear. Swipe to see user feedback.
Simplify the Set Up
To reduce errors, I added a review page with a bar graph. This allows users to visually view their budget by category and by week, month, and year.
A Final Review
Lastly, users can review their expenses using filter and sort and can also edit or delete entries. The process of reviewing expenses encourages users to develop a deeper understanding of their spending.
02 How might we help users be more mindful of their daily spending?
Many tools help users track their spending, but most are automated. I asked myself, "What if users manually tracked their spending?" If users truly want to understand where their money is going, wouldn't it be best to track it themselves?
That's when I got creative with ideas!
I took inspiration from input features in mobile devices, from the camera to the microphone. Then, I tested my ideas with 3 users, swipe to see their feedback.
The power of your voice
Splend uses speech-to-text technology, allowing users to track expenses with their voice. Voice inputs process users' actions and thoughts, helping them become more mindful of their expenses. Voice inputs also allow users to track expenses hands-free, taking away the all too common challenges and inconveniences that come with typing on small screens.
Making speech-to-text more accessible
One of my concerns with speech-to-text technology was accessibility. To address this, I researched design systems and W3C's WCAG and implemented 2 best practices I learned. In the future, I would love to design an alternative to speech inputs.
Error Handling
I added error messages and a cancel button to help users recover from errors.
Visual Cues
I added icons to prompt users to take action, and labeled buttons for accessibility.
A Final Review
Lastly, users can review their expenses using filter and sort and can also edit or delete entries. The process of reviewing expenses encourages users to develop a deeper understanding of their spending.
