Learning and User Experience Designer
Supportive financial education for adults.
FinDragon is an app designed to tutor adults in financial literacy.
As part of my Google UX Design Professional Certificate coursework, I developed an app for social good.
This design allows users to learn about financial topics in a way that works for them.
First things first:
understand the user
User Persona
Name: Eliza
Age: 28
Occupation: Retail store manager
Eliza Martinez is a 28-year-old high school graduate from Chicago, Illinois, who works full-time as a retail store manager. She's struggling with a low credit score and a high debt-to-asset ratio. Eliza's primary goals include improving her financial stability, repairing her credit, and better managing her income and expenses.
Journey Map
Action | Task List | Feeling adjective | Improvement opportunities |
|---|---|---|---|
Collect paycheck | - Deposit paycheck | - Frustrated by taxes | - Highlight where some of those parts of her paycheck go or could go |
Pay for fixed expenses | - Pay for bills online or on phone | - Sad that her hard earned cash has to leave each month | - Get rewarded for paying bills fully and on time |
Pay for flexible expenses | - Buy groceries and necessities - Buy restaurant food - Pay for other social experiences (movies, concerts, etc.) - Pay for irregular needs (medical, auto, home, etc.) | - Proud when she can pay for what she wants - Guilty when she knows she needs to control her spending | - Reframe not spending money as a positive behavior instead of a "poor person" behavior. |
Work toward financial goal | - Figure out how to save for very long term things - Open accounts to help accomplish this | - Impatient about planning for the future - Tempted to spend to get instant gratification | - Remind user that their money is growing, but only when left alone |
Competitive Audit
Competitor | Competitor type | Location(s) | Product offering | Price
($ - $$$$) | Business size | Target audience | Unique value proposition | Desktop website experience | App or mobile website experience | Features | Accessibility | User flow | Navigation | Brand identity | Tone | Descriptiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bank of America | Direct | Online | Better Money Habits | Free | Large | Adults | Connected to a real bank so taking action is easy | GOOD + Easy to navigate - Not exciting | GOOD + Visual stories are quick resources - Nothing to hold you accountable or give you a reward | GOOD + Ability to create necessary accounts as you learn about them | GOOD + Colors are easy to read + Spanish option | GOOD + Easy to start and stop learning process | GOOD + Central navigation - Need to go back to switch to other topics | OUTSTANDING + Consistent | Professional | GOOD + Detailed - Not many different content delivery methods - articles, videos, quizzes |
Zogo | Indirect | Online | App | Free | Medium | Ages 12-24 | Gamification of financial literacy | GOOD + Fun and easy to navigate - Can’t use product on desktop | OUSTANDING + Gamification - Very busy - Difficult to navigate | OUTSTANDING + API integration for financial institutions + Rewards for continued use (accountability, engagement) | GOOD + Clear navigation and menus + Text to speech modules No tutorial | GOOD + Exciting, engaging - A little chaotic for adult users - Keeps going back to SF Firefighters. Not sure how I got there anyway | OKAY + Just like Duolingo - Can’t jump to topics that you’re interested in, need to stay on a track - No clear topic menu | GOOD + Consistent, vibrant - A little too child-like for adults | Fun, playful | GOOD + Writing is clear and non-intimidating - Can’t easily return to information that you want to refer back to |
Duolingo (informal) | Indirect | Online | App | Free | Large | Adults | Gamification for language learning |
Next, start ideating solutions
How Might We...
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Reward Eliza for doing well with her finances like how some auto insurance companies reward good drivers?
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Make Eliza feel bad about herself for being in the financial situation she’s in?
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Fully integrate financial literacy education with banking products so that users can take action on their goals right away?
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Provide a pathway for Eliza to improve their credit score?
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Provide Eliza with a way to manage her finances that works for her needs?
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Provide a platform for financially secure people to learn more about their finances and grow as individuals and cultivate lifelong learners?
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Give better credit to someone who shows a desire to learn and a willingness to grow?
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Remove barriers to education?
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Make the user experience more like playing a game or accomplishing fitness goals?
Crazy Eights
Storyboard
