EASY FUND
Type: Mobile App
Timeline: 2 Weeks (Oct.2018)
Methods: User Research, Analysis, Persona, Journey Map, Prototype, Usability Testing
Team: Individual Project
01 Overview
Easy Fund is a financial app for newcomers. It provides financial management courses which make it easier to choose the suitable funds.
This is an individual assignment of an online UX course.
02 Solution
2.1 Task flow 1: courses
I constructed the courses into 6 steps to make it easier for users to apply. I have also applied some game mechanisms such as feedback and reward and included illustrations and videos to make it more attractive. Besides, a forum where people can ask and discuss was included.
2.2 Task flow 2: add a fund to favourite
On the “fund” page, there are some explanations and links to relevant professional terms to make it easier to understand.
Instead of providing scores of the funds, there are some general indicators for users to judge for themselves whether the fund is suitable for them.
2.3 Task flow 3: compare funds and choose one to buy
Users can choose no more than 4 funds for comparison. I tried to visualize the data and make it stand out.
In addition to cash purchase and automatic investment plan, it also supports simulated investment with coins.
You will receive evaluation and suggestions for your investment on my position page.
03 Process
3.1 Background
There are six groups of financial users, among which the largest group “Newcomers” accounts for 24%. (Cdc.tencent.com, 2020)
3.2 Competitive analysis
1)Opportunity
· There is no specific app for newcomers, and only very little information about financial management on these apps above.
· Some of them show ratings of each fund based on their own metrics, however, the credibility is questionable.
2) Challenge
· We can design some courses to teach them how to choose a fund, but how can we make them attractive and easy to understand?
3.3 User Research
In order to understand users’ needs, behaviours and pain points, I have interviewed 6 users who were aged 20–27 and had financing experience less than 3 years.
User Journey Map
I have discovered many opportunities through journey map, but I chose the most important one to focus on, which is to help them make the right decision. Afterwards, I found that my solutions might also help them do better adjustments.
3.4 Definition
However, the insight behind their need as choosing a suitable product confidently is to have reasonable yield within risk tolerance.
So how might we help them achieve this?
Through brainstorming I have got lots of ideas, after evaluation using NUF (new, useful, feasible) method(Gray, Brown and Macanufo, 2010), I chose two ideas to further develop.
3.5 Information Architecture
I have analysed the information architectures of some competitive apps and read some articles on the Morningstar and Zhihu. The course structure was based on the articles on Morningstar (I changed the structure in the final design).
3.6 Usability Test & Iteration
1)Purpose
·Understand how users think about the courses and whether they are useful；
·Whether the fund selection process conforms to users’ habits；
·Whether the comparison between 2 funds is helpful；
·Whether the app is clear and easy to use
2) Tasks
· Finish the first session of “Correct Financial Concept”
· Choose one fund on “Fund Market” page and add it to selected funds
· Compare two selected funds and choose one to buy
04 Reflection
Prototype
Instead of making a medium-fidelity prototype, I should choose a low fidelity prototype which can save much time.
User Testing
This was the first time I did a remote test, although it saved the time to commute, it demanded highly of equipment. What’s more, I could not see their behaviours or facial expressions.
While one user left very few comments and focused too much on details, the other user, an interaction designer, gave me a lot of useful suggestions. This led me to rethink about when it’s appropriate to engage the real users. I used to assume that we should test on real users as early as possible. However, when we tested the key tasks on real users in the lo-fi or medium-fidelity stage, they are often confused about other not testing functions, and paying too much attention to aesthetics. Therefore, I think it would be better to test them in the hi-fi prototype stage.
05 Reference
Cdc.tencent.com. (2020). 腾讯CDC发布2017银行用户体验大调研报告：银行体验的现在与未来 — 腾讯CDC. [online] Available at: https://cdc.tencent.com/2017/12/29/腾讯cdc发布2017银行用户体验大调研报告：银行体验的/ [Accessed 15 Oct. 2018].
Gray, D., Brown, S. & Macanufo, J., 2010. Gamestorming: a playbook for innovators, rulebreakers, and changemakers, Bejing: O’Reilly, pp.244–245.
