Cactus Financial
Cactus is a financial budgeting application designed to help users feel confident about their finances. It provides a overview of your spending, how you are tracking within your budgets, and helps you keep track of recurring payments.
MY ROLE
UX Researcher, Product Designer, Brand/Visual Designer
TIMELINE
August 2022 - March 2023
TOOLS
Figma
DEVICE
Mobile App
DESIGN PROCESS
DEFINE
Problems
Users keep track of subscriptions made through Apple and Google and can be managed through their system. This does not account for payments made directly to the brand, company, or provider.
There are multiple locations to track changes. The users have to go to several different places to track where the payments are made. Email receipts, specific websites, bank statements, etc.
Financial tools aren't specific enough. Financial trackers use financial data from credit cards, debit cards, and bank statements. Does not formulate the type of charge- monthly, yearly, etc.
Feedback: Users must manually track their expenses. If the user is not using a financial tracker, then the user must review the bank statements to keep track of charges.
Goals
Satisfy users' needs and help them achieve a strong understanding of their financial well-being.
To create a user-friendly and effective tool that provides users with all the features and capabilities they need to improve their financial health, maintain awareness of spending, and simplify keeping track of recurring charges.
RESEARCH
Persona
The user research stage of Cactus' development process involved conducting interviews, surveys, and usability tests with individuals who manage the finances for themselves and their families. During the interviews, I asked questions about their end-to-end journey when managing their spending with a specific interest in subscription or repeating payments. I asked about their preferred methods of financial tracking, as well as their pain points when it comes to managing money.
😎
Jesse
PAIN POINT: Jesse finds it difficult to track his spending with his wife, wants to see overall where they stand so they can save for a house.
😎
Ava
PAIN POINT: Ava is not confident in her financial management. She needs more information on her spending habits.
😎
Persona Name 3
Pain Point:
Jesse finds it difficult to track his spending with his wife, wants to see overall where they stand so they can save for a house.
PROTOTYPE
Sketch
I started by sketching my ideas on paper, allowing me to quickly express my thoughts and map out a rough idea of the design. This initial step helped me to visualize the layout of the design, consider the placement of elements and features, and make modifications to the design as needed.
Wireframe
After creating a basic outline on paper, I moved on to create low-fidelity wireframes using Figma. The wireframes allowed me to refine the design further, providing a more concrete representation of the overall layout, structure, and functionality of the app. By creating wireframes, I was able to experiment with different design elements and test the usability of the interface before investing time and resources into a more high-fidelity design.
TEST
Usability Testing
The user research stage of Cactus' development process involved conducting interviews, surveys, and usability tests with individuals who manage the finances for themselves and their families.
Findings 1
Without a reminder, the user still doesn't know about upcoming charges unless they are looking at the app.
Findings 2
Add a page to demonstrate to the user how they are able to customize a recurring transaction when adding it to cactus.
Findings 3
Solution 1
Add a page to demonstrate to the user how they are able to customize a recurring transaction when adding it to cactus.
Solution 2
Add a page to demonstrate to the user how they are able to customize a recurring transaction when adding it to cactus.
Solution 3
DESIGN
Style Guide
I developed a style guide that would provide guidelines for all visual design decisions. The style guide included a color palette, typography, and iconography that would convey the app's trustful and informative identity. I also established guidelines for how these design elements should be used across different screens and layouts, ensuring a cohesive look and feel throughout the app.
DELIVER
Final Design
The main screen displays all the necessary information at once. The home screen displays all linked accounts from different bank establishments and a hub for all user flows. Displays current spending, account balances, current subscriptions, budgets, and the digital wallet.
Previous Iterations
Velo Bicycles
Vélo is an e-commerce bike platform. They need to redesign their website to improve their product’s usability and increase sales.
MY ROLE
Web Designer, Copywriter, Visual Designer
TIMELINE
June - August 2023
TOOLS
Figma
DEVICE
E-Commcerce
DESIGN PROCESS
DEFINE
Problems
Data that shows 50% of users open on average 7 item pages and then abandon the site without moving any items into the cart.
The team hypothesizes that users are unable to determine which bike is best based on relative features.
Additionally, 70% of users who place an item in the cart do not purchase it.
Data shows that users abandon the cart at the registration page. Right now, users must make an account to purchase.
Goals
Improve the conversion rate from browse to checkout.
Increase revenue on the product's mobile-web experience.
Simplify the checkout experience, especially for guests.
RESEARCH
Persona
😎
The Expert
Knows what he's shopping for and has done the research for specific bike parts, frames, etc. Has a specific ride, race or trail he is shopping for.
🤓
The Scholar
The ScholarAge: 48 In the research phase and browsing parts and models before committing to purchase. Needs reliable information, spec grid, and reviews in one place.
😎
Persona Name 3
Pain Point:
Jesse finds it difficult to track his spending with his wife, wants to see overall where they stand so they can save for a house.
PROTOTYPE
Sketch
Wireframe
TEST
Usability Testing
The user research stage of Cactus' development process involved conducting interviews, surveys, and usability tests with individuals who manage the finances for themselves and their families.
Findings 1
Findings 2
Findings 3
Solution 1
Solution 2
Solution 3
DESIGN
Style Guide
DELIVER
Final Design
Previous Iterations
MyBalto
MY ROLE
TIMELINE
TOOLS
DEVICE
DESIGN PROCESS
DEFINE
Problems
Goals
RESEARCH
Persona
😎
Persona Name 3
Pain Point:
Jesse finds it difficult to track his spending with his wife, wants to see overall where they stand so they can save for a house.