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Fini

Fini, an AI-powered financial assistant designed to help newcomers to Canada navigate the complexities of the financial system. It offers personalized guidance to simplify financial concepts, making financial literacy accessible. With interactive features and an intuitive design, Fini empowers users to make informed decisions and achieve financial stability.

View Prototype

At a glance…

Process

Applying Design Thinking and Systems-Based Approaches to User-Centered Design.

By applying the design thinking methodology alongside a holistic, systems-based approach, I began by defining the problem and refining the project scope through research. I then moved through the stages of ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration, using user feedback, Jakob Nielsen’s usability heuristics, and human interface design principles to guide and inform my process.

Problem

Financial Vulnerability and Literacy Among Newcomers to Canada.

Newcomers to Canada often face significant financial challenges as they navigate the unfamiliar financial system, dealing with complex terms and processes they may not be familiar with.

Solution

An AI-powered financial assistant to help newcomers navigate Canada’s financial system.

Fini empowers users to make informed decisions and achieve financial stability by providing personalized guidance that simplifies financial concepts and makes financial literacy accessible.

Process

Applying Design Thinking and Systems-Based Approaches to User-Centered Design.

Empathize

Define

Ideate

Prototype

Test

Refine

Research

Hypothesis

Interviews

How Might We?

Persona

Experience Map

User Stories

Task Flow

Sketches

Mid-Fi

User Test

Brand

Hi-Fidelity

Research

Hypothesis

Interviews

How Might We?

Persona

Experience Map

User Stories

Task Flow

Sketches

Mid-Fi

User Test

Brand

Hi-Fidelity

Case Study

Role
UX Researcher, UX/UI Designer

Tools
Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator, Firefly

Platform
iOS

At a glance…

Problem

Financial Vulnerability and Literacy Among Newcomers to Canada.

Newcomers to Canada often face significant financial challenges as they navigate the unfamiliar financial system, dealing with complex terms and processes they may not be familiar with.

Process

Solution

An AI-powered financial assistant to help newcomers navigate Canada’s financial system.

Fini empowers users to make informed decisions and achieve financial stability by providing personalized guidance that simplifies financial concepts and makes financial literacy accessible.

Applying Design Thinking and Systems-Based Approaches to User-Centered Design.

Research

Experience Map

Hypothesis

User Stories

Interviews

How Might We?

Persona

User Stories

Task Flow

Sketches

Mid-Fi

User Test

Brand

Hi-Fidelity

Research Hypothesis Statement

Building on insights from secondary research, I transitioned into primary research to validate my hypothesis that newcomers to Canada often encounter financial difficulties and exploitation, largely driven by prevalent financial illiteracy and a lack of accessible resources. The problem is further exacerbated by the ineffectiveness of existing tools and limited access to support. To confirm this hypothesis, I conducted user interviews.

Empathize

Research

In order to investigate these financial difficulties, identifying key barriers and opportunities to enhance financial literacy and protection for immigrants I conducted research. To better understand and empathize with my users I used secondary and primary research methods.

Research Goals:

Identify the key financial challenges newcomers face in managing their finances and understanding the Canadian financial system.

Examine how financial literacy affects newcomers' vulnerability to scams and their overall financial security.

Evaluate current financial education tools effectiveness & identify ways to enhance their integration into the Canadian financial system.

Identify the key financial challenges newcomers face in managing their finances and understanding the Canadian financial system.

Examine how financial literacy affects newcomers' vulnerability to scams and their overall financial security.

Evaluate current financial education tools effectiveness and identify ways to enhance their integration into the Canadian financial system.

Evaluate current financial education tools effectiveness & identify ways to enhance their integration into the Canadian financial system.

Research Hypothesis Statement

Interviews

To validate my research and gain deeper user insights, I conducted interviews with three participants based on the following criteria:

Recent Immigrants

Participants should have moved to Canada within the past 5 years to ensure their experiences are relevant to current financial challenges.

Diverse Background

Including participants from various countries of origin will help in capturing a wide range of perspectives on financial integration.

Gender

Having participants from all the genders will provide a comprehensive understanding of how financial experiences and challenges may differ across genders.

Education Levels

Varying levels of formal education to see how education influences financial literacy and decision-making.

Age Range

Including participants from various age groups to understand how financial challenges and strategies may differ across generations.

Core Themes and The Final Selection

I chose the theme ‘Financial Education and Goals’ as the most suitable for a digital solution because it offers a comprehensive approach, addressing both financial education and goal-setting. This theme provided foundational knowledge while helping users work towards their financial objectives. It has a long-term impact by enabling informed decision-making and future planning. Additionally, it supports personalization, allowing for tailored tools and resources that enhance user engagement and effectiveness.

Interviews

To validate my research and gain deeper user insights, I conducted interviews with three participants based on the following criteria:

Recent Immigrants

Participants should have moved to Canada within the past 5 years to ensure their experiences are relevant to current financial challenges.

Education Levels

Varying levels of formal education to see how education influences financial literacy and decision-making.

Diverse Background

Including participants from various countries of origin will help in capturing a wide range of perspectives on financial integration.

Age Range

Including participants from various age groups to understand how financial challenges and strategies may differ across generations.

Gender

Having participants from all the genders will provide a comprehensive understanding of how financial experiences and challenges may differ across genders.

Core Themes and The Final Selection

Define

How Might We…

provide personalized financial education to empower newcomers and help them confidently plan for their future?

Persona

Using what I learned from both my secondary and primary research, I created a user persona that represents who I am designing for. This persona helped guide my decisions along the design process where I specifically incorporated the users challenges faced in navigating the financial landscape of their new home.

Experience Map

To better understand Maria's challenges, I created a 'day in the life' map of her journey. This exercise helped me step into her shoes and pinpoint key opportunities where a solution could be designed to address her needs more effectively.

The experience map revealed recurring moments throughout her day, and my focus is on designing a solution that becomes her go-to resource for tackling these challenges. It will also support her emotionally, filling the gap of the guidance she used to rely on back home.

Persona

Experience Map

User Stories

Following the agile design process, and after gaining insights into the user's experience journey, I developed user stories to define the app's functionality from the user's perspective and how it can deliver value.

“As a [user role], I want [goal or need] so that [reason or benefit].”
“As a [user role], I want [goal or need] so that [reason or benefit].”
“As a [user role], I want [goal or need] so that [reason or benefit].”

Participant 1
"As a newcomer to Canada, I’d love to hear how others navigated the financial system so I can learn from their experiences and make it easier for myself."
Participant 2
"As a person struggling with financial terms, I want simplified explanations of financial jargon so that I can understand what I’m reading."
Participant 1
"As a user with limited financial knowledge, I want a glossary of financial terms so that I can quickly look up unfamiliar concepts."
Participant 3
"As a Individual managing finances independently for the first time, I want budgeting tools so that I can keep track of my spending and savings.
Participant 1
"As a professional focused on career growth, I want guidance to achieve financial stability so that I can concentrate on advancing my career."
Participant 2
"As a Newcomer with limited local contacts, I want a trusted directory of financial advisors so that I can get personalized guidance."

Participant 1
"As a newcomer to Canada, I’d love to hear how others navigated the financial system so I can learn from their experiences and make it easier for myself."
Participant 2
"As a person struggling with financial terms, I want simplified explanations of financial jargon so that I can understand what I’m reading."
Participant 1
"As a user with limited financial knowledge, I want a glossary of financial terms so that I can quickly look up unfamiliar concepts."
Participant 3
"As a Individual managing finances independently for the first time, I want budgeting tools so that I can keep track of my spending and savings.
Participant 1
"As a professional focused on career growth, I want guidance to achieve financial stability so that I can concentrate on advancing my career."
Participant 2
"As a Newcomer with limited local contacts, I want a trusted directory of financial advisors so that I can get personalized guidance."

Participant 1
"As a newcomer to Canada, I’d love to hear how others navigated the financial system so I can learn from their experiences and make it easier for myself."
Participant 2
"As a person struggling with financial terms, I want simplified explanations of financial jargon so that I can understand what I’m reading."
Participant 1
"As a user with limited financial knowledge, I want a glossary of financial terms so that I can quickly look up unfamiliar concepts."
Participant 3
"As a Individual managing finances independently for the first time, I want budgeting tools so that I can keep track of my spending and savings.
Participant 1
"As a professional focused on career growth, I want guidance to achieve financial stability so that I can concentrate on advancing my career."
Participant 2
"As a Newcomer with limited local contacts, I want a trusted directory of financial advisors so that I can get personalized guidance."

Ideate

Task Flow

After developing multiple user stories, I created a task flow to further outline the steps and key actions required for users to complete the task of using the app to improve their financial literacy.

From Sketch to Hi-Fidelity: The Journey

After gathering inspiration from the competitive analysis, I created initial sketches to quickly visualize ideas, explore various concepts, and effectively communicate my thought process. I turned my sketches into mid-fidelity wireframes and a prototype, eager for feedback from usability test participants to refine it.

Ideate

Task Flow

From Sketch to Hi-Fidelity: The Journey

Mid-fi Screens

View Prototype

For my mid-fi screens and overall flow, I applied Hick's Law, aiming to break complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps to reduce cognitive load. I designed the AI Assistant interface as a simplified screen to prevent overwhelming users. My goal was to keep the app's interface minimal, eliminating any unnecessary content that might lead to additional decision-making.

Mid-fi Screens

View Prototype

User Testing

To evaluate the usability of the mid-fi screens and prototype, I conducted tests with five participants. While each user successfully completed the tasks, several noticeable design issues emerged during the process.

Brand Development

For the hi-fi visual design of my application, I treated this as another opportunity for iteration. I refined several screens and introduced new elements as I progressed through the hi-fi design phase. I will break this all down as I go through the below visual design goals:

Mood board
Brand Colors.
Word mark & App icon
User Interface Library
Final Hi-Fi App Design

User Testing

Brand Development

Mood board
Brand Colors.
Word mark & App icon
User Interface Library
Final Hi-Fi App Design

Brand Development

Mood board
Brand Colors.
Word mark & App icon
User Interface Library
Final Hi-Fi App Design

Moodboard

The inspiration for the 'Fini' brand and moldboard can be defined by the words: • Sincere • Modern • Friendly

I aimed to build a brand that feels trustworthy, approachable, and dependable, allowing users to confidently engage with it and trust it to support their financial literacy journey in an unfamiliar place.

The inspiration for the 'Fini' brand and moldboard can be defined by the words: • Sincere • Modern• Friendly

Word Mark & App Icon

I chose the name ‘Finny’ because it is gender-neutral and carries a sense of compassion and approachability. It reflects the qualities of an app that feels like a trusted companion, someone you can turn to with all your problems. The name evokes a sense of comfort, like a best friend.
As the name ‘Finny’ captured the essence well, but as I considered the next phase of brand development, I felt it needed to be more concise. That’s why I decided to move forward with ‘Fini’ as the final choice, to be developed as a wordmark.

To align with the essence of the name ‘fini,’ which embodies compassion and approachability, the wordmark needed to convey the qualities of a trusted companion—someone users can rely on with their problems. I designed a wordmark that appears soft, bold, and friendly, reflecting these attributes. The rounded curves of the font are designed to give it a soft and approachable feel. The off-centered dots on the letter ‘I’ are intended to give the wordmark a sense of compassion, connection and bonding. I utilized shapes to visually represent written text in vector form. A speech bubble symbolizing the app's conversational feature. A simplified representation of the letter ‘F’ symbolizing the initial of ‘Fini’.

AI Avatar

App Icon

Word Mark

Logo

App Icon

Word Mark

Logo

AI Avatar

Design Language

To help users become more familiar with the app’s functionality, I designed a set of supporting elements and messaging that can be used consistently throughout the app. These elements not only guide users through various features but also enhance the overall visual interaction by making the app more intuitive and user-friendly. By providing clear visual cues and maintaining consistency across different sections, these elements improve usability and ensure that users can easily navigate the app, making their experience more seamless and engaging.