moneta
A mobile app that helps users save money and learn how to build smarter financial habits.
TIMELINE
16 weeks
ROLE
UX/UI Designer
TOOLS
Figma, Figjam, PHOTOSHOP
Project Overview
To understand the key challenges of the project, I first conducted a user interview to understand users' financial habits and challenges. This was complemented by secondary research, to explore best practices for financial app design and economic behaviour. I also ran a competitive audit to identify improvement opportunities.
research goals
The goal of the research was to gather detailed insights into how they save money, how they currently track their expenses, and how they prefer to learn about personal finance. To find that out, I conducted a short round of user interviews by posting a set of structured questions in the Coursera community. Five participants responded, aged between 28 and 53, with a wide range of income levels.
By analysing these responses and aligning them with the course’s user guidance, I identified the key characteristics and behaviours that define the app’s target audience.
The interview helped me get a clear picture of who would benefit most from the app:
01 Young Audience
Younger participants were more motivated to try a money-saving app, while older users felt less need for one and were more set in their habits. This suggests focusing on users who are early in their financial journey and actively looking for tools to build better saving habits.
02 Busy Individuals with Limited Time
Users often lead busy lives with lots of responsibilities like studying, working multiple jobs, or managing family life. They value tools that simplify financial management and help them save time.
03 Users Who Need Clear, Accessible Guidance
Some users found financial apps confusing or text-heavy. Challenges such as dyslexia or using English as a second language made long explanations and financial terminology difficult to follow. This highlights the importance of a simple accessible interface.
To refine the design direction, I reviewed key fintech UX patterns, behavioural-economics principles, and colour-psychology guidance. These sources helped me understand what users expect from financial apps, how to present information in a way that supports better decisions, and how visual branding can help users trust.
I conducted an audit by analysing four competing apps: Snoop, Emma, YNAB, and HyperJar. My gaol was to understand their core features, interface patterns, and overall functionality. I also reviewed users' feedbacks to identify what people valued and which issues appeared most often. This helped me map out each product’s strengths and weaknesses, giving me clear direction on where my design could offer improvements and address unfulfilled user needs.
In the Define stage, I used my research findings to identify the personas, outline their pain points, and create a storyboard to illustrate how the app can support them in real situations. These steps helped me clarify the main problems to address in the next steps of the design process.
The research highlighted three key user groups: younger users who struggle to manage their expenses and build healthy financial habits; users with busy schedules who have very limited time; and users with disabilities or limited English proficiency. I created personas to represent these groups.
pain points
Overwhelming Designs
Many finance apps look crowded and confusing. The layout makes it hard for users to find what they need and stay focused.
Confusing Financial Terminology
The apps use complicated financial terms that many users do not understand, making the experience harder than it should be.
Irrelevant and Lengthy Tips
Most tips feel too long or not relevant, so users struggle to read them or see any real value.
I created this storyboard to show an example of the user’s everyday struggle with tracking spending and how the solution can be useful in their daily life. It follows a user who often loses track of expenses and demonstrates one of the ways that Moneta can help him stay in control of his finances throughout the month.
By understanding the users’ main problems, I narrowed everything down to one key question the design should answer.
How Might We?
How might we help users to understand their spending patterns and make smarter financial decisions without overwhelming them?
For ideating on solutions, I first started by sketching wireframes on paper. This helped me map out the app’s structure, user flow, and key features before moving on to more detailed designs.
After defining the website’s user flow and sitemap and finalizing the initial design on paper, I moved my designs to Figma and created a lo-fi prototype. I kept it as simple as possible to focus on testing the core idea and features. This approach allowed me to run a usability test later to ensure the concept works.
To evaluate my design decisions, I ran a usability test to see how easily users could interact with the app and how do they feel about it. The insights helped me refine the experience and make the overall flow feel smoother and more natural.
usability testing
I ran an unmoderated usability test with 2 participants using the low-fidelity Figma prototype. As this was my first UX design project and I did not yet have the resources to run a larger test, the number of users was limited. Still, I gathered valuable insights that showed I was heading in the wrong direction with some of the screens, and I used this feedback to iterate on the designs and improve the app’s usability.
Task 1:
Go to the groceries section, check how much you’ve spent so far this month, and view your recent transactions in that category.
Task 2:
Open your savings goals and check how close you are to reaching your Holiday Vacation goal.
Task 3:
Find a tip that helps you manage your money better and read through it.
test insights
Insight 1:
Users found the spending tracker under categories stressful and unhelpful. They preferred setting flexible spending limits and having the option to borrow from one category to another without constant reminders of nearing their limit.
Insight 2:
Users found the goals page unengaging. They were more interested in seeing their progress so far and their overall performance rather than just setting goals.
Insight 3:
Users didn’t like the idea of “finished” tips, as many are useful over time. Instead, they wanted a dedicated section to view all tips within a specific category.
The final design focuses on creating a friendly experience that makes managing money feel less overwhelming. I used illustrations and a colourful interface to soften the seriousness often associated with finance apps. The tone of the writing is easy to follow, so that users can understand information quickly. For the brand colour, I chose purple as my brand colour as it is commonly used in fintech for its associations with trust and financial confidence.
high fidelity Prototypes
Mockups
Design guide
Although this was a practice project, it's important to acknowledge potential concerns as if it were a real product. As a financial app, ensuring account safety and building user trust are critical. Users need to feel secure when connecting their bank accounts, which requires robust data encryption, secure authentication methods, and compliance with financial regulations. Prioritizing these measures is essential to gaining user confidence and ensuring the app’s success.
Another concern is that the app currently lacks a monetization strategy. A future solution could be a Premium Subscription Plan, offering features like advanced insights and unlimited access to tailored tips across all categories, while the free version provides tips for a limited number of categories. Partnerships with financial tools or brands could also generate revenue through sponsored content or discounts.
Next Steps
Onboarding Screens
Design screens related to sign-in/register and connecting to bank account.
Account Screen
Design the account tab, and consider all the different important sections to include for most transparency.
To better manage the wallet, and alllocate money to saving goals.
Accessibility Improvements
Assure visual accessibility across different screens, and add audio/video tips.
User Encouragement
Include gamification Elements like personal challenges, badges & rewards.
Social Elements
Design features to add Friends, and compare progress with others.
Customization Options
Better customization details to make sure the app answers to neiche needs of differnet kind of users.
