ROLE
User Research
Wire framing
Interaction design
Visual Design
UI Design
Deliverables
Mobile Application
Website
Pitch Deck
Product designer - Doris Ngaju
Illustrator - Somtochukwu Mbamalu
Team
Discovering a problem
Discovering a problem
I was having a conversation a while back with my friend and in the middle of the conversation she mentioned how she has a hard time placing her hands on how she spends her money, she just knows her money is finished but don't know how or what she spends it on. I personally have this problem too so i knew others could also have this problem, so i decided to see if there could be a solution to this problem.
I was having a conversation a while back with my friend and in the middle of the conversation she mentioned how she has a hard time placing her hands on how she spends her money, she just knows her money is finished but don't know how or what she spends it on. I personally have this problem too so i knew others could also have this problem, so i decided to see if there could be a solution to this problem.
Product Overview
Product Overview
Silicon is an expense management and budgeting app aimed at helping people to manage their money better and track their expenses so as to help them save.
Silicon is an expense management and budgeting app aimed at helping people to manage their money better and track their expenses so as to help them save.
Gathering Insights
Gathering Insights
As someone who has experienced this issue firsthand, I knew what the pain points could be, but I needed to test my theories with others to see whether I was correct. I conducted an online survey for this. This exercise's objective was to:
Determine the demographic of people faced with this problem
Find out if tracking expenses was a problem they faced
Find out If they have ever used an expense tracking application
The problems they faced or Features they wish were present in that application
Find out if an expense tracking application would be beneficial to them
Find out if they would also want to make budget in app thats primarily meant for tracking expenses
As someone who has experienced this issue firsthand, I knew what the pain points could be, but I needed to test my theories with others to see whether I was correct. I conducted an online survey for this. This exercise's objective was to:
Determine the demographic of people faced with this problem
Find out if tracking expenses was a problem they faced
Find out If they have ever used an expense tracking application
The problems they faced or Features they wish were present in that application
Find out if an expense tracking application would be beneficial to them
Find out if they would also want to make budget in app thats primarily meant for tracking expenses
While going through a particular article from thebalancearticle.com i stumbled upon One of the methods listed to track expenses and a mobile or web based app was mentioned with this reason
While going through a particular article from thebalancearticle.com i stumbled upon One of the methods listed to track expenses and a mobile or web based app was mentioned with this reason
''Online apps may offer colorful graphs and charts to illustrate your spending habits, and both options allow you to quickly and easily enter your purchases in a spending category on the same day that you incur them''.
''Online apps may offer colorful graphs and charts to illustrate your spending habits, and both options allow you to quickly and easily enter your purchases in a spending category on the same day that you incur them''.
To further validate this problem, I also carried out a desk research to find out how and why tracking expenses could be beneficial to individuals and if it was a problem worth solving. So I began to draw insights from articles concerning topics related to expense tracking, and budgeting. From this research i was able to get this 4 main point which are
Tracking expenses keeps one from overspending
It helps one to stick to a budget
It helps one meet financial objectives and financial security
Also helps to avoid debts
To further validate this problem, I also carried out a desk research to find out how and why tracking expenses could be beneficial to individuals and if it was a problem worth solving. So I began to draw insights from articles concerning topics related to expense tracking, and budgeting. From this research I was able to get this 4 main point which are
Tracking expenses keeps one from overspending
It helps one to stick to a budget
It helps one meet financial objectives and financial security
Also helps to avoid debts
Survey Findings
Survey Findings
From the survey carried out above with 14 respondents, I was able to deduce the following; or you can check the survey results on maze.co
From the survey carried out above with 14 respondents, I was able to deduce the following; or you can check the survey results on maze.co
Now that I know who I am designing for and what their pain points are, I still needed to look at things from a holistic point of view. To do this I created a Persona referencing my research
Now that I know who I am designing for and what their pain points are, I still needed to look at things from a holistic point of view. To do this I created a Persona referencing my research
Now that I had all these, then came the big problem statement
Now that I had all these, then came the big problem statement
How can I design a mobile application that would facilitate easy expense tracking and budgeting?
How can I design a mobile application that would facilitate easy expense tracking and budgeting?
Brainstorming
Brainstorming
After analyzing the problems and user's pain points, I was able to come up with different possible solutions using the crazy 8 method. Take a full look at the ideated solutions here
After analyzing the problems and user's pain points, I was able to come up with different possible solutions using the crazy 8 method. Take a full look at the ideated solutions here
After Brainstorming, I defined the structure of the experience by drawing flows of how each action or interface was going to feel like. Then I proceeded to draw an Information Architecture and some wireframes… You can find them all here
After Brainstorming, I defined the structure of the experience by drawing flows of how each action or interface was going to feel like. Then I proceeded to draw an Information Architecture and some wireframes… You can find them all here
Product Showcase
Product Showcase
Onboarding
Onboarding
Like every other App, Silicon has 3 Onboarding screens which gives a brief description of what they are to expect while using the app
Like every other App, Silicon has 3 Onboarding screens which gives a brief description of what they are to expect while using the app
Signup and verification
Signup and verification
Takes only a few minutes to signup on silicon and of course an email address verification to provide extra account security, and option to sign in with face ID
Takes only a few minutes to signup on silicon and of course an email address verification to provide extra account security, and option to sign in with face ID
Adding an expense or Income
Adding an expense or Income
Adding an expenses or Income is easily accessible because the homepage shows the two major buttons upfront thereby making it easy for users to see.
Adding an expenses or Income is easily accessible because the homepage shows the two major buttons upfront thereby making it easy for users to see.
Adding a Budget
Adding a Budget
Adding an a budget is also super easy to do. Once a user clicks on the budget tab, they see a ''create budget'' button and goes ahead to add a budget of which they get to see how much they have spent and how much they have left and it can also be expanded to see more details of the budget.
Adding an a budget is also super easy to do. Once a user clicks on the budget tab, they see a ''create budget'' button and goes ahead to add a budget of which they get to see how much they have spent and how much they have left and it can also be expanded to see more details of the budget.
Other Screens
Other Screens
Other Screens showing the transactions page, categories page, account page where they can do a couple of things like editing their profile, adding a custom category, adding their debit cards to track transactions made with the card etc. Then there is also the resources screen where users can get videos, books or resources to learn how better manage their finance.
Other Screens showing the transactions page, categories page, account page where they can do a couple of things like editing their profile, adding a custom category, adding their debit cards to track transactions made with the card etc. Then there is also the resources screen where users can get videos, books or resources to learn how better manage their finance.
Testing and Improvements
Testing and Improvements
I continued to Iterate my design based on input from some of my peers, with the following improvements:
I continued to Iterate my design based on input from some of my peers, with the following improvements:
Home Page
Home Page
I initially designed the homepage such that users can add Income or expenses by clicking on a Floating Action Button, but based on the feedback I got, letting the user see the buttons upfront would be a much better experience since we want them to be able to add expenses easily.
I initially designed the homepage such that users can add Income or expenses by clicking on a Floating Action Button, but based on the feedback I got, letting the user see the buttons upfront would be a much better experience since we want them to be able to add expenses easily.
Categories
Categories
I initially designed the categories selection in a bottom sheet format. But after the feedback gotten I realized it is better to make it a full screen so users can get the option to select multiple categories.
I initially designed the categories selection in a bottom sheet format. But after the feedback gotten I realized it is better to make it a full screen so users can get the option to select multiple categories.
The Style Guide
The Style Guide
Retrospective
Retrospective
It's acceptable that not everything you planned would be in the final product
It's acceptable that not everything you planned would be in the final product
At First, I had a lot of brilliant features and Ideas on how to make this app exceptional. But I realized the more feature i wanted to add, the more ambiguous the app would become and also considering the limited technical skills it might take a very long time before anything is achieved. As a result i had to narrow down my expectation ''Big starts small''. I decided to start with the main features would would solve the immediate problem (tracking expenses and budgeting). This does not mean I would stop here though. Other features such as connecting a bank account to send and receive money, connecting debit cards to track expenses made with cards and much more.
At First, I had a lot of brilliant features and Ideas on how to make this app exceptional. But I realized the more feature i wanted to add, the more ambiguous the app would become and also considering the limited technical skills it might take a very long time before anything is achieved. As a result i had to narrow down my expectation ''Big starts small''. I decided to start with the main features would would solve the immediate problem (tracking expenses and budgeting). This does not mean I would stop here though. Other features such as connecting a bank account to send and receive money, connecting debit cards to track expenses made with cards and much more.
Never make assumptions for users
Never make assumptions for users
This project taught me to be incredibly attentive to users views and Ideas, what they want and what they would like to see. Because it is one of my goals to design with as much empathy as possible, I make it a top priority that users can easily navigate the app and have a good experience while doing so
This project taught me to be incredibly attentive to users views and Ideas, what they want and what they would like to see. Because it is one of my goals to design with as much empathy as possible, I make it a top priority that users can easily navigate the app and have a good experience while doing so
Always on Repeat
Instsgram
Always on Repeat
Instsgram