Think-Up Case Study
Product Overview
Think-Up is a financial app that aims to reshape how users plan for their goals. It's a savings system used when preparing for goals by tracking progress, providing timelines, and sharing resources based on specific goals the user is saving for.
My Role
UI/UX Designer & UX Researcher (Solo student project)
Delivered
February 2023
Problem Statement
Young adults are unprepared for life responsibilities
Young adults are willing to go into debt if it means accomplishing life milestones, but they don’t have a plan for how they will pay off their debt or prepare for the financial responsibilities that come with entering new stages of life, causing stress on their mental health.
Solution
Having a plan is the key to being prepared
Think-Up allows users a stress-free way to create savings plans and move their financial goals from the future to their present with confidence and ease while providing tips, resources, and connections to a familiar community.
Secondary Research
I began research by reading articles on why students struggle with paying off student debt and what effects debt has on their mental health. I found it interesting that most students feel that taking out loans to pay for schooling is a good investment for their future goals. However, they had a considerable concern for how they will pay off their debt. This lead me to challenge this assumption with the question, “Is student debt really the problem?”
Competitive Analysis
After concluding my secondary research, I realized that debt was not the problem for young adults. The problem is them not being prepared for the responsibility that comes after. Knowing this information, I analyzed the three most popular apps and websites around financial planning for young adults. I found that almost none of them included savings plans.
User Interviews
During the research stage of my project, I interviewed five people to better understand user demographics, pain points, and challenges. These participants were chosen through survey screening. Interviews were held in person and virtually. I then organized my data through affinity mapping.
Main Insights
Student debt is not the problem, the problem is the lack of preparation.
Young adults value responsibility.
Most participants did not have a set plan for paying loans or plans for financial preparation.
Interviewees stated that financial standing contributes to their stress.
Bio
Madison (26 years old) just started working her first role as a School Teacher is focused on building her life. Primarily paying for student loans, other daily expenses, and is saving to move. She uses a checking account, savings account, has small invests and has looked into how to qualify for loan forgiveness
Goals
Become a home owner
Pay off debt
Take a vacation
Become financially confident
Pain Points
Has goals but doesn't have solid plans in action yet
Feels guilty when spending money on social activities
Fiances are largest stressor
Design Improvements
Based on feedback from 5 additional participants as well as my mentor, I continuously iterated my design for Think-up over the span of 6 weeks. Through these 6 weeks, I made 3 major improvements.
Removal of Navigation Tab
Originally I designed a side tab that would slide out with menu options when selected.
Based on feedback, allowing the user to see a summary of their options without having to click additional buttons gave a more seamless experience.
Spread Out Action Items
Originally destination, date, and budget were all on one page
Based on feedback, providing more space and decreasing amount of clicks for users was a better fit
Added Summary for Expenses
Originally designed to show current balance and total expense
Upon mentor feedback, allowing users to review their information allows them to confirm their information
Final Designs
Conclusion
I’m very excited to have completed my very first UX project! Actually going through the design process and experiencing what design thinking is like, I am very grateful and excited to progress through my career.
A few things I’ve learned & Key Takeaways:
When designing, look at the full picture! Then look at the picture upside down, sideways, and inverted. By saying this I mean, to explore options from all angles when designing. Make sure you’re thinking about what users will click on, see, and think when they are navigating through your designs and put everything you see in your head, on paper.
Finding new solutions does not mean you failed, it means you’re one step closer to success. Be comfortable with adjusting designs to fit the needs of users and not just what you like. During this project, I have had to iterate and adjust over 3-4 times and by doing this I've learned that each time I make a shift, I get one step better at great user experience.
Remember the bigger question. It's easy to get wrapped up in the small details and start to create more tasks to solve more problems, but it's important to keep in mind the bigger picture to keep you on track. I found that referring back to my how might we questions became my anchor.