SpendWise
SpendWise
Lead the design of the first privacy-centric personal expense data management service for Prifina.
My Role
My Role
UX designer lead
Lead the design of the expense data management desktop application for Prifina with a team of 5, from 0 to an MVP.
Lead the design of the expense data management desktop application for Prifina with a team of 5, from 0 to an MVP.
Timeline
Timeline
09/2023 - Current
09/2023 - Current
Scope
Scope
UX Design
UX Research
Desktop design
Data visualization
Personal financing
UX Design | UX Research | Desktop design | Data visualization | Information architecture
UX Design
UX Research
Desktop design
Data visualization
Personal financing
The Challenge.
The Challenge.
Prifina offers a secure platform enabling users to upload their personal data and access a suite of services for valuable insights. As part of Prifina's roadmap, integrating expense data analysis is underway, necessitating a expense tracking service to enrich the service ecosystem for existing users.
Prifina offers a secure platform enabling users to upload their personal data and access a suite of services for valuable insights. As part of Prifina's roadmap, integrating expense data analysis is underway, necessitating a expense tracking service to enrich the service ecosystem for existing users.
How might we design an expense data tracking service that:
1. aligns with Prifina's values of data security and privacy,
2. provides current Prifina users a service to analyze purchase data.
How might we design an expense data tracking service that:
1. aligns with Prifina's values of data security and privacy,
2. provides current Prifina users a service to analyze purchase data.
The Outcome. ✨
The Outcome. ✨
Our team developed an MVP for an expense management desktop app that enhances users' control over their data efficiently, accompanied by a landing page designed to promote it within the user community.
Our team developed an MVP for an expense management desktop app that enhances users' control over their data efficiently, accompanied by a landing page designed to promote it within the user community.
SpendWise service actively addresses a void of current services provided on Prifina's marketplace, attracting 100+ stakeholders actively testing the new MVP.
SpendWise service actively addresses a void of current services provided on Prifina's marketplace, attracting 100+ stakeholders actively testing the new MVP.
CONTEXT
Prifina is looking for more opportunities in expense data analyzing market.
Prifina is looking for more opportunities in expense data analyzing market.
Prifina offers a personal data platform to collect, combine and utilize data with full privacy on personal clouds, and open marketplace to utilize data with different apps. It now offers many health data analyzing services...but Prifina is looking for more opportunities in providing expense data analyzing services to users.
Prifina offers a personal data platform to collect, combine and utilize data with full privacy on personal clouds, and open marketplace to utilize data with different apps. It now offers many health data analyzing services...but Prifina is looking for more opportunities in providing expense data analyzing services to users.
BUSINESS GOALS
How might we design an expense data tracking service that:
aligns with Prifina's values of data security and privacy,
provides current Prifina users a service to analyze purchase data.
How might we design an expense data tracking service that:
aligns with Prifina's values of data security and privacy,
provides current Prifina users a service to analyze purchase data.
PROJECT KICKOFF
01
01
What constitutes a safe and private experience?
I conducted secondary research on academic papers to understand the psychological factors contributing to a sense of safety in an environment, noticing that creating a digital environment where：
1) users clearly understand their actions and
2) can anticipate the outcomes of each interaction fosters a sense of security and trust.
I conducted secondary research on academic papers to understand the psychological factors contributing to a sense of safety in an environment, noticing that creating a digital environment where：
1) users clearly understand their actions and
2) can anticipate the outcomes of each interaction fosters a sense of security and trust.
02
02
What are potential users' tracking habits?
67% of participants engage in only sporadic spending tracking.
Individuals with a stronger motivation to manage their finances are more willing to make extra effort for accuracy.
About half participants favor a "complete" product with a wide range of features listed on the survey, regardless of how often they'll use them.
67% of participants engage in only sporadic spending tracking.
Individuals with a stronger motivation to manage their finances are more willing to make extra effort for accuracy.
About half participants favor a "complete" product with a wide range of features listed on the survey, regardless of how often they'll use them.
RESEARCH - users
Diligent tracker vs. Casual tracker
Diligent tracker vs. Casual tracker
OPPORTUNITY
How might we design an expense tracking service that provides casual trackers a FAST and CONTROLLABLE way to upload, track, and manage data while leaves room for updates that satisfy diligent trackers?
How might we design an expense tracking service that provides casual trackers a FAST and CONTROLLABLE way to upload, track, and manage data while leaves room for updates that satisfy diligent trackers?
CONCEPTUALIZE
How will users upload, track, and manage?
How will users upload, track, and manage?
In the initial design sprint, we began by conducting competitive research and surveying potential users. This approach helped us profile personas, identify and prioritize features, enabling us to delineate the primary user flow for our casual trackers' needs into a three-step process: UPLOAD, TRACK, and MANAGE.
However, validating the user flow presented several new challenges for us.
In the initial design sprint, we began by conducting competitive research and surveying potential users. This approach helped us profile personas, identify and prioritize features, enabling us to delineate the primary user flow for our casual trackers' needs into a three-step process: UPLOAD, TRACK, and MANAGE.
However, validating the user flow presented several new challenges for us.
DESIGN - Key challenge 01
What if a top-priority feature is currently unfeasible?
What if a top-priority feature is currently unfeasible?
Something out of our expectation happened. When we were analyzing the data from the survey, we found that some high-priority features, such as real-time balance and income, require integration of bank accounts and cards data. However, legal and technical constraints may delay this integration.
To address this, I proposed designing modularized data cards with the flexibility to accommodate future features, so that we could validate the MVP's value proposition first.
Something out of our expectation happened. When we were analyzing the data from the survey, we found that some high-priority features, such as real-time balance and income, require integration of bank accounts and cards data. However, legal and technical constraints may delay this integration.
To address this, I proposed designing modularized data cards with the flexibility to accommodate future features, so that we could validate the MVP's value proposition first.
DESIGN - Key challenge 02
How do users upload their first data file?
How do users upload their first data file?
1st iteration: Sticky cards displaying the process can be useful but are not essential. During testing with stakeholders, I discovered that the guidance provided by the cards was hindering users from quickly uploading their first data file and was overly detailed for such a simple and intuitive interface.
2nd iteration: I created a welcoming page that users will encounter when they have no data or accounts linked to the service. This page offers a clear and efficient way for them to explore options.
1st iteration: Sticky cards displaying the process can be useful but are not essential. During testing with stakeholders, I discovered that the guidance provided by the cards was hindering users from quickly uploading their first data file and was overly detailed for such a simple and intuitive interface.
2nd iteration: I created a welcoming page that users will encounter when they have no data or accounts linked to the service. This page offers a clear and efficient way for them to explore options.
DESIGN - Key challenge 03
How do users manage data sources after onboarding?
How do users manage data sources after onboarding?
Controllable:
1st iteration: Data uploading button only on the home dashboard was not easily discoverable.
2nd iteration: Make data uploading a Global Design. With this global design, users consistently completed uploading tasks promptly and with minimal hesitation whenever prompted.
Clean and organized:
1st iteration: As users frequently upload a bunch of data to the platform at once, the data control panel may become cumbersome to navigate due to its length.
2nd iteration: Clean up data sources into expandable cards. Users can now swiftly locate their desired data, eliminating the need for scrolling a long list.
Controllable:
1st iteration: Data uploading button only on the home dashboard was not easily discoverable.
2nd iteration: Make data uploading a Global Design. With this global design, users consistently completed uploading tasks promptly and with minimal hesitation whenever prompted.
Clean and organized:
1st iteration: As users frequently upload a bunch of data to the platform at once, the data control panel may become cumbersome to navigate due to its length.
2nd iteration: Clean up data sources into expandable cards. Users can now swiftly locate their desired data, eliminating the need for scrolling a long list.
FINAL DESIGN - Landing page
Landing page design
Landing page design
FINAL DESIGN - Onboarding
Onboarding design: upload and manage
Onboarding design: upload and manage
FINAL DESIGN - Onboarding
Budget design: plan and track
Budget design: plan and track
FINAL DESIGN - Others
Something more…
Something more…
To meet our goals of being FAST and CONTROLLABLE, we implemented interactive data visualization reports for clear results, customizable budgeting methods for quick entry, an error prevention system for accurate budgeting, and a data management section for efficient data source management through batch processing.
To meet our goals of being FAST and CONTROLLABLE, we implemented interactive data visualization reports for clear results, customizable budgeting methods for quick entry, an error prevention system for accurate budgeting, and a data management section for efficient data source management through batch processing.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Director recommendation
The director of Prifina praised SpendWise as exceptionally promising, highlighting its innovative features and potential for further development. He emphasized its strategic importance and remarked on its ability to revolutionize the services of Prifina.
The director of Prifina praised SpendWise as exceptionally promising, highlighting its innovative features and potential for further development. He emphasized its strategic importance and remarked on its ability to revolutionize the services of Prifina.
Users quickly get what they need
In our testing, we received very positive feedback from users who appreciated the ease and speed of uploading their data sources and receiving analysis reports within seconds. They also valued the ability to selectively check and uncheck specific sources to track changes in the expense report.
In our testing, we received very positive feedback from users who appreciated the ease and speed of uploading their data sources and receiving analysis reports within seconds. They also valued the ability to selectively check and uncheck specific sources to track changes in the expense report.
More testing and iterations
Through rigorous testing and iterations, we're continually refining SpendWise, ensuring each update meets our high standards. The growing interest from the Prifina community, with over 100 current users actively testing SpendWise, underscores the validity and impact of our efforts.
Through rigorous testing and iterations, we're continually refining SpendWise, ensuring each update meets our high standards. The growing interest from the Prifina community, with over 100 current users actively testing SpendWise, underscores the validity and impact of our efforts.
REFLECTIONS
Users' feedback is important, but be careful!
User feedback and testing are invaluable for guiding design decisions, yet it's important to recognize that users may not always know what they need. Careful examination and analysis of research findings are essential, often requiring a deeper exploration to uncover the patterns and reasons behind user behaviors.
User feedback and testing are invaluable for guiding design decisions, yet it's important to recognize that users may not always know what they need. Careful examination and analysis of research findings are essential, often requiring a deeper exploration to uncover the patterns and reasons behind user behaviors.
Work with ambiguity: be ready to make adjustments at anytime.
This project began with vague goals and undefined target user groups, necessitating significant time to refine objectives and adjust based on fresh insights from research and testing. Maintaining an open mind and embracing efficient iteration are crucial for steering the project in the right direction.
This project began with vague goals and undefined target user groups, necessitating significant time to refine objectives and adjust based on fresh insights from research and testing. Maintaining an open mind and embracing efficient iteration are crucial for steering the project in the right direction.
Let’s connect
Let’s connect
Get in touch for opportunities or just say hi!
Get in touch for opportunities or just say hi!
yanlinli2022@gmail.com
yanlinli2022@gmail.com