PROJECT OVERVIEW
This rapid design project was based on a prompt given by the Scotiabank Digital Factory to design an accessible experience that provides timely and relevant information to help customers better manage their personal finances. Three person teams were created with different roles and responsibilities to simulate today’s work environment.
We conducted research, prototyped ideas, and pitched our solution to Scotiabank executives, winning the 1st place prize.
My Role
My Role
My Role
Project Scope
Project Scope
Platform
Platform
Tools
Tools
THE CHALLENGE
How might we provide timely and relevant information that helps customers make better day-to-day decisions with their money?
How might we provide timely and relevant information that helps customers make better day-to-day decisions with their money?
How might we provide timely and relevant information that helps customers make better day-to-day decisions with their money?
OUR SOLUTION
OUR SOLUTION
Leveraging the accessibility of wearable technology to help customers manage their financial health through personalized alerts and challenges.
Leveraging the accessibility of wearable technology to help customers manage their financial health through personalized alerts and challenges.
Leveraging the accessibility of wearable technology to help customers manage their financial health through personalized alerts and challenges.
PROBLEM SPACE
A generation living paycheck-to-paycheck
A generation living paycheck-to-paycheck
Millennials living in the modern world are facing unprecedented economic hurdles. With the rise of the gig economy coupled with skyrocketing costs of living and crippling student debt, almost 2 in 3 millennials are currently living paycheck-to-paycheck.
This means that the majority of millennials don’t save any money and are feeling financially overwhelmed and behind.
1 IN 2
millennials say that their biggest financial concern is managing their day-to-day expenses
millennials say that their biggest financial concern is managing their day-to-day expenses.
millennials say that their biggest financial concern is managing their day-to-day expenses.
53%
OUR SOLUTION
53%
of millennials invest exactly zero time in managing their personal finances
of millennials invest exactly zero time in managing their personal finances.
of millennials invest exactly zero time in managing their personal finances.
USER RESEARCH
Talking to struggling millennials
Talking to struggling millennials
In our research, we conducted 6 in-person interviews with students and part-time workers in their 20s to better understand their relationship with money. We wanted to uncover insights to questions such as:
The interviews were semi-structured and conducted casually to keep the participants feeling at ease when speaking about the personal topic.
RESEARCH INSIGHTS
Reframing the problem
Reframing the problem
We synthesized our first-hand interview data and created broad, high-level themes from the insights we gathered. Three major themes emerged from key quotes:
Money Anxiety
“I am always worried about money. I’m too scared to check my bank account sometimes, and I end up only looking at it when there’s bills I have to pay for.”
Overspending
“Whenever I get my paycheck, I would just go out and spend it on food, going out with friends, and I always end up with very little to save.”
Intimidating Goals
“Lofty money goals like buying a house can feel so impossible to achieve that it actually paralyzes me – I end up doing nothing about it instead.”
HYPOTHESIS
We believe that struggling millennials can build a more positive relationship with money if they keep on top of their day-to-day finances and build up momentum through accomplishing bite-sized achievements.
We believe that struggling millennials can build a more positive relationship with money if they keep on top of their day-to-day finances and build up momentum through accomplishing bite-sized achievements.
We believe that struggling millennials can build a more positive relationship with money if they keep on top of their day-to-day finances and build up momentum through accomplishing bite-sized achievements.
ACCESSIBILITY CHALLENGE
Designing for a crowded, distracting environment
Designing for a crowded, distracting environment
Designing for a crowded, distracting environment
On the second day of the sprint, each team was given a unique accessibility challenge that the user is faced with to prioritize in their design solutions. Our team’s prompt was to design a banking experience for a user in a crowded, distracting public space.
On the second day of the sprint, each team was given a unique accessibility challenge that the user is faced with to prioritize in their design solutions. Our team’s prompt was to design a banking experience for a user in a crowded, distracting public space.
STORYBOARDING
Identifying different scenarios
Identifying different scenarios
To put ourselves into the shoes of the user, we sketched out different scenarios where a user might check their personal finances in the context of a crowded, distracting environment. The goal of this exercise was to see how a user would feel, think, and act in the scenario in order to identify opportunities and potential use cases for design intervention.
USER MINDSET
Empathizing with the user context
Empathizing with the user context
After exploring different scenarios, we decided to tap into the user’s mindset in order to understand their needs within a contextual environment. To do this, we mapped out branches of experiences that we uncovered through storyboarding to specific user pain points. The three main points that surfaced were:
Privacy Concerns
Privacy Concerns
Privacy Concerns
Lots of prying eyes around sensitive banking information
Lots of prying eyes around sensitive banking information
Lots of prying eyes around sensitive banking information
Limited Attention Span
Limited Attention Span
Limited Attention Span
Lack of focus in a distracting environment
Lack of focus in a distracting environment
Lack of focus in a distracting environment
Lack of focus in a distracting environment
Social Cues
Social Cues
Social Cues
Looking down at a phone can seem disrespectful in a social context
Looking down at a phone can seem disrespectful in a social context
Looking down at a phone can seem disrespectful in a social context
BRAINSTORMING
Exploring ideas and opportunities with wearable technology
Exploring ideas and opportunities with wearable technology
We took the major themes uncovered from our interviews as well as the accessibility challenges of being in a crowded, distracting environment to do some blue sky thinking around what a potential solution might look like. We decided to focus our exploration on a watch-centered experience to optimize for accessibility. This constrains our design ideation to a smaller screen and narrows the scope of the project to a companion app.
To ideate rapidly, we conducted a Crazy 8’s session to quickly generate concepts and visualizations:
FEATURE SELECTION
Prioritizing personalized actionable insights
Prioritizing personalized actionable insights
After the storyboarding and brainstorming sessions, we decided to narrow down the core functionality of the solution to prioritize delivering meaningful actionable insights to the user. This means that users would receive personalized insights on a regular basis that are predictive and prescriptive, making it easy for them to make better day-to-day decisions about their finances.
WIREFRAMING
Low fidelity prototyping
Low fidelity prototyping
Based on the core functionality of the app, we created initial sketches and digital wireframes to prototype and test. The goal was to test out different design components quickly and receive ongoing user feedback early.
USABILITY TESTING
Testing assumptions by recruiting at the margins
Testing assumptions by recruiting at the margins
Since wearable technology is not yet a staple in every household, we decided that it would be insightful to recruit participants who have never interacted with an Apple Watch in addition to long-time users. We conducted usability testing with 6 participants–3 who are Apple Watch users and 3 who have never interacted with one. We asked each participant to imagine a scenario where they’re checking their finances in a crowded, distracting environment to gauge their expectations around the app’s design and features.
By testing with non-users, we were able to gather valuable insights around accessibility and mental models that are overlooked by more experienced users.
Iterating on user feedback
Iterating on user feedback
From the qualitative feedback we received, we pinpointed key usability problems with both groups and came up with design solutions to test and validate. Here’s how we incorporated user feedback to arrive at the final design:
FINAL SOLUTION PROTOTYPE
Introducing MyFinsight
Introducing MyFinsight
Introducing MyFinsight
MyFinsight is a companion financial health tracker app on the Apple Watch that helps young busy millennials stay up to date with their finances from anywhere, anytime.
Why Smart Watch?
Why Smart Watch?
Why Smart Watch?
Always In Sight. Always Insightful.
Always In Sight. Always Insightful.
Always In Sight. Always Insightful.
Always In Sight. Always Insightful.
A smartwatch is always within a user’s field of view, keeping important financial health insights top-of-mind and accessible in any situation.
A smartwatch is always within a user’s field of view, keeping important financial health insights top-of-mind and accessible in any situation.
A smartwatch is always within a user’s field of view, keeping important financial health insights top-of-mind and accessible in any situation.
A smartwatch is always within a user’s field of view, keeping important financial health insights top-of-mind and accessible in any situation.
Less is More.
Less is More.
Less is More.
Less is More.
With a smaller screen, only the most critical information is displayed. This means that users are able to quickly see where they stand at a glance, even with a limited attention span.
With a smaller screen, only the most critical information is displayed. This means that users are able to quickly see where they stand at a glance, even with a limited attention span.
With a smaller screen, only the most critical information is displayed. This means that users are able to quickly see where they stand at a glance, even with a limited attention span.
With a smaller screen, only the most critical information is displayed. This means that users are able to quickly see where they stand at a glance, even with a limited attention span.
Haptic Alerts.
Haptic Alerts.
Haptic Alerts.
Haptic Alerts.
Users feel a light tap on the top of their wrist when their weekly insights are ready, improving accessibility even in loud, busy environments
Users feel a light tap on the top of their wrist when their weekly insights are ready, improving accessibility even in loud, busy environments
Users feel a light tap on the top of their wrist when their weekly insights are ready, improving accessibility even in loud, busy environments
Users feel a light tap on the top of their wrist when their weekly insights are ready, improving accessibility even in loud, busy environments
Designed for Privacy
Users can get a quick glance at their finances without revealing sensitive information like dollar values and numbers
Designed for Privacy
Users can get a quick glance at their finances without revealing sensitive information like dollar values and numbers
Designed for Privacy
Users can get a quick glance at their finances without revealing sensitive information like dollar values and numbers
Designed for Privacy
Users can get a quick glance at their finances without revealing sensitive information like dollar values and numbers
Designed for Privacy
Users can get a quick glance at their finances without revealing sensitive information like dollar values and numbers
Smart Actionable Insights
Making it easy to take the first step towards a brighter financial future by delivering bite-sized actionable insights that are simple and achievable.
Smart Actionable Insights
Making it easy to take the first step towards a brighter financial future by delivering bite-sized actionable insights that are simple and achievable.
Smart Actionable Insights
Making it easy to take the first step towards a brighter financial future by delivering bite-sized actionable insights that are simple and achievable.
Motivating Challenges
Personalized data-driven monthly challenges designed to make budgeting easy and rewarding, using positive, encouraging language to keep users on track.
Motivating Challenges
Personalized data-driven monthly challenges designed to make budgeting easy and rewarding, using positive, encouraging language to keep users on track.
Motivating Challenges
Personalized data-driven monthly challenges designed to make budgeting easy and rewarding, using positive, encouraging language to keep users on track.
Meaningful Goals
Achievable short/mid term goals that build up positive momentum by encouraging users to save and watch the progress bar fill up towards a purpose that they care about.
Meaningful Goals
Achievable short/mid term goals that build up positive momentum by encouraging users to save and watch the progress bar fill up towards a purpose that they care about.
Meaningful Goals
Achievable short/mid term goals that build up positive momentum by encouraging users to save and watch the progress bar fill up towards a purpose that they care about.
MYFINSIGHT PROTOTYPE
MYFINSIGHT PROTOTYPE
MYFINSIGHT PROTOTYPE
MYFINSIGHT PROTOTYPE
Try it yourself!
Try it yourself!
Try it yourself!
Try it out yourself!
Try it out yourself!
PRODUCT PITCH
View the final presentation
View the final presentation
CONCLUSION
Reflections and key learnings
Reflections and further exploration
As someone who has never even touched an Apple Watch or any kind of wearable technology, this project really challenged me to look beyond my own experiences and start from a clean slate–from a purely user-centric perspective. By asking lots of questions and observing how Apple Watch users interact with their device, I was able to put my assumptions to the test and gain lots of new insights quickly. I learned that people use their smartwatch in fundamentally different ways than their smartphone. Smartwatch users only look at their watch for a few seconds, so designing for ‘glanceability’ is absolutely critical. If a user is unable to complete an action in 1 or 2 screens under 5 seconds, they will most likely be disengaged by the experience. From these learnings, we were able to prioritize accessibility in all areas of our final design to optimize for a 'glance-centered' experience.
Selected Work
Plural.AIEncouraging empathy through news transparency
Living On The MarginsBridging the gap between communities through an interactive digital poverty simulation
HackmiHelping technical students to unlock opportunities through coding challenges
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