Upturn Financial IOS End-to-end
Upturn Financial IOS End-to-end
Upturn Financial IOS End-to-end
Project Overview
Role
UI/UX Designer
Team
Individual project mentored by Carolina de Bartolo, peer consult from Ruth L., Sally L, and Talya G.
Timeline
8 weeks, January 2025-March 2025
Tools Used
Figma, Adobe InDesign, Google Meets, Zoom, Design Thinking, Agile Methodology, Figjam, Canva, Pinterest
Note
Upturn is an original design concept of mine for my final Designlab capstone
The Context
Problem
Many new savers want to save money but struggle to do so because they feel overwhelmed by budgeting or have difficulty setting aside savings manually. Some lack financial education, making it difficult to understand how small, consistent savings can lead to long-term financial stability.
Solution
Introduce a seamless roundup savings feature that automatically transfers spare change from purchases into a savings account, ensuring users save passively without needing to think about it.
What is Upturn?
Upturn is a financial app for new and old savers. In this app, users can set up "Rounding Rules" that determine how much they automatically save from each transaction. Ex: If a user sets their "Rounding Rule" to $1 per transaction, $1 will go into their savings each time they make a purchase. Users will also be able to set savings goals and visually track their savings progress.
Project Goal
Make saving money effortless and automatic so users can build good financial habits without stress.
Upturn Style Tile and UI Kit
Upturn Style Tile and UI Kit
Defining User Needs
User Interviews
I interviewed 5 people ranging from new to saving and interested in starting, and casual savers looking to get more serious.
User Interview Results
Participants save for long-term goals like homeownership, emergency funds, and retirement
Some save for short-term goals like vacations or making large purchases guilt-free
Most participants save to create a financial cushion and reduce financial stress
Many participants are visual learners and prefer charts, infographics, and graphs to track progress
Seeing savings progress in a visual format is highly motivating and reinforces saving behaviors
Upturn User Persona
Upturn User Persona
Upturn Lo-Fi Wireframes
Upturn Lo-Fi Wireframes
Upturn Mid-Fi Wireframes
Upturn Mid-Fi Wireframes
Upturn Site Map
Upturn Site Map
User Feedback
Usability Testing
Results of usability testing are based on 5 participants. Demographics ranging from 23 years old to 34 years old, located in the United States (4) and UK (1). Savings experience ranging from novice (3) to intermediate (2).
Revising and Iterating
Based off direct user feedback, this is what I changed:
Adding a progress bar to onboarding
Improving clarity in rounding rules and saving explanations (single page, clearer examples)
Allowing users the option to set goals later on instead of while onboarding
Revise terminology (ex: replace "wealth" with "savings", “award alerts” with “milestone achievements”)
Clarify Activity page by separating savings and transaction totals
Add Quick Add savings function with a clearer purpose
Iterations Based on User Feedback
Iterations Based on User Feedback
Upturn Usability Testing Results
Upturn Usability Testing Results
Upturn Hi-fi Wireframe Screenshots
Upturn Hi-fi Wireframe Screenshots
Key Takeaways
Reflection
Designing this financial app pushed me to think about clarity and trust in a way I hadn’t before. Money can be stressful, so creating an interface that feels approachable while still being informative was a balancing act. I spent a lot of time simplifying complex information, and it was really rewarding to see the final prototype feel clear and intuitive without losing function.
Future Notes
In future projects I want to explore more ways to build trust through design. I’d like to experiment with little touches that build trust, like friendlier onboarding or subtle animations to make the app feel more alive. Every project teaches me something new, and this one was a great reminder that less is (almost always) more.
Upturn Prototype
Upturn Prototype
Project Overview
Role
UI/UX Designer
Team
Individual project mentored by Carolina de Bartolo, peer consult from Ruth L., Sally L, and Talya G.
Timeline
8 weeks, January 2025-March 2025
Tools Used
Figma, Adobe InDesign, Google Meets, Zoom, Design Thinking, Agile Methodology, Figjam, Canva, Pinterest
Note
Upturn is an original design concept of mine for my final Designlab capstone
Defining User Needs
User Interviews
I interviewed 5 people ranging from new to saving and interested in starting, and casual savers looking to get more serious.
User Interview Results
Participants save for long-term goals like homeownership, emergency funds, and retirement
Some save for short-term goals like vacations or making large purchases guilt-free
Most participants save to create a financial cushion and reduce financial stress
Many participants are visual learners and prefer charts, infographics, and graphs to track progress
Seeing savings progress in a visual format is highly motivating and reinforces saving behaviors
The Context
Problem
Many new savers want to save money but struggle to do so because they feel overwhelmed by budgeting or have difficulty setting aside savings manually. Some lack financial education, making it difficult to understand how small, consistent savings can lead to long-term financial stability.
Solution
Introduce a seamless roundup savings feature that automatically transfers spare change from purchases into a savings account, ensuring users save passively without needing to think about it.
What is Upturn?
Upturn is a financial app for new and old savers. In this app, users can set up "Rounding Rules" that determine how much they automatically save from each transaction. Ex: If a user sets their "Rounding Rule" to $1 per transaction, $1 will go into their savings each time they make a purchase. Users will also be able to set savings goals and visually track their savings progress.
Project Goal
Make saving money effortless and automatic so users can build good financial habits without stress.
User Feedback
Usability Testing
Results of usability testing are based on 5 participants. Demographics ranging from 23 years old to 34 years old, located in the United States (4) and UK (1). Savings experience ranging from novice (3) to intermediate (2).
Revising and iterating
Based off direct user feedback, this is what I changed:
Adding a progress bar to onboarding
Improving clarity in rounding rules and saving explanations (single page, clearer examples)
Allowing users the option to set goals later on instead of while onboarding
Revise terminology (ex: replace "wealth" with "savings", “award alerts” with “milestone achievements”)
Clarify Activity page by separating savings and transaction totals
Add Quick Add savings function with a clearer purpose
Key Takeaways
Reflection
Designing this financial app pushed me to think about clarity and trust in a way I hadn’t before. Money can be stressful, so creating an interface that feels approachable while still being informative was a balancing act. I spent a lot of time simplifying complex information, and it was really rewarding to see the final prototype feel clear and intuitive without losing function.
Future Notes
In future projects I want to explore more ways to build trust through design. I’d like to experiment with little touches that build trust, like friendlier onboarding or subtle animations to make the app feel more alive. Every project teaches me something new, and this one was a great reminder that less is (almost always) more.
Project Overview
Role
UI/UX Designer
Team
Individual project mentored by Carolina de Bartolo, peer consult from Ruth L., Sally L, and Talya G.
Timeline
8 weeks, January 2025-March 2025
Tools Used
Figma, Adobe InDesign, Google Meets, Zoom, Design Thinking, Agile Methodology, Figjam, Canva, Pinterest
Note
Upturn is an original design concept of mine for my final Designlab capstone
The Context
Problem
Many new savers want to save money but struggle to do so because they feel overwhelmed by budgeting or have difficulty setting aside savings manually. Some lack financial education, making it difficult to understand how small, consistent savings can lead to long-term financial stability.
Solution
Introduce a seamless roundup savings feature that automatically transfers spare change from purchases into a savings account, ensuring users save passively without needing to think about it.
What is Upturn?
Upturn is a financial app for new and old savers. In this app, users can set up "Rounding Rules" that determine how much they automatically save from each transaction. Ex: If a user sets their "Rounding Rule" to $1 per transaction, $1 will go into their savings each time they make a purchase. Users will also be able to set savings goals and visually track their savings progress.
Project Goal
Make saving money effortless and automatic so users can build good financial habits without stress.
The User
User Interviews
I interviewed 6 people who expressed interest in expanding their social life. We gathered their priorities and found areas where we could address common needs.
User Interview Results
Interest in hobbies
Challenges in forming new relationships
Desire for more social time
Openness to meeting new people
Use of technology for social connections
Potential for a platform to facilitate connections
Group vs one-on-one settings
User Feedback
Usability Testing
Results of usability testing are based on 5 participants. Demographics ranging from 23 years old to 34 years old, located in the United States (4) and UK (1). Savings experience ranging from novice (3) to intermediate (2).
Revising and Iterating
Based off direct user feedback, this is what I changed:
Adding a progress bar to onboarding
Improving clarity in rounding rules and saving explanations (single page, clearer examples)
Allowing users the option to set goals later on instead of while onboarding
Revise terminology (ex: replace "wealth" with "savings", “award alerts” with “milestone achievements”)
Clarify Activity page by separating savings and transaction totals
Add Quick Add savings function with a clearer purpose
Key Takeaways
Reflection
Designing this financial app pushed me to think about clarity and trust in a way I hadn’t before. Money can be stressful, so creating an interface that feels approachable while still being informative was a balancing act. I spent a lot of time simplifying complex information, and it was really rewarding to see the final prototype feel clear and intuitive without losing function.
Future Notes
In future projects I want to explore more ways to build trust through design. I’d like to experiment with little touches that build trust, like friendlier onboarding or subtle animations to make the app feel more alive. Every project teaches me something new, and this one was a great reminder that less is (almost always) more.
Defining User Needs
User Interviews
I interviewed 5 people ranging from new to saving and interested in starting, and casual savers looking to get more serious.
User Interview Results
Some save for short-term goals like vacations or making large purchases guilt-free
Participants save for long-term goals like homeownership, emergency funds, and retirement
Most participants save to create a financial cushion and reduce financial stress
Many participants are visual learners and prefer charts, infographics, and graphs to track progress
Seeing savings progress in a visual format is highly motivating and reinforces saving behaviors
The User
User Interviews
I interviewed 6 people who expressed interest in expanding their social life. We gathered their priorities and found areas where we could address common needs.
User Interview Results
Interest in hobbies
Challenges in forming new relationships
Desire for more social time
Openness to meeting new people
Use of technology for social connections
Potential for a platform to facilitate connections
Group vs one-on-one settings