Case Study: Project Name
This sentence serves as a brief description. Like "Simplifying expense tracking for freelancers and small business owners."
SKILLS USED
ROLE
UX/UI Designer
TIMELINE
#weeks (month - month 202#)
TEAM
Solo project; First Lastname (role); First Lastname (role); First Lastname (role); First Lastname (role);
OVERVIEW
Freelancers and small business owners struggle with managing expenses across multiple platforms, leading to poor financial visibility and missed tax deductions. FinanceFlow consolidates expense tracking, receipt scanning, and budget insights into a single, intuitive mobile app—resulting in a 45% reduction in time spent on bookkeeping.
SOFTWARE
The Challenge
Uncovering the real pain points in financial management
THE PROBLEM
Freelancers and small business owners waste 3-5 hours per week manually tracking expenses across spreadsheets, bank apps, and paper receipts. This fragmented approach leads to:
• Lost receipts and missed tax deductions (avg. $1,200/year)
• Poor budget visibility and overspending
• Stressful tax season preparation
• Difficulty separating personal and business finances
Project Goals
Primary Goal
Reduce time spent on expense tracking by 40%
Business Goal
Increase user retention to 70% after 3 months
User Goal
Make financial tracking effortless and automatic
Constraints and Consderations
Timeline: 12-week deadline to launch MVP before tax season
Budget: Bootstrap funding—must prioritize core features only
Security: Must comply with financial data protection regulations
Technical: Mobile-first with iOS priority, Android to follow
Research
Understanding behavior, not just collecting data
I conducted mixed-method research to understand not just what users do, but why they do it. The goal was to uncover the emotional and practical barriers to effective expense management.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
User Interviews
Why this method:
To understand current workflows and emotional pain sfd f sfdfsfdfdsdfds
Participants:
12 freelancers and small business owners
Duration:
45-60 min sessions
Key Findings:
45-60 min sessions
45-60 min sessions
45-60 min sessions
User Interviews
Why this method:
To understand current workflows and emotional pain sfd f sfdfsfdfdsdfds
Participants:
12 freelancers and small business owners
Duration:
45-60 min sessions
Key Findings:
45-60 min sessions
45-60 min sessions
45-60 min sessions
KEY INSIGHTS
Receipt Capture is Crucial
Users lose 60% of paper receipts within a week. Digital capture at point-of-purchase is essential.
"I always think I'll organize them later, but later never comes."
Receipt Capture is Crucial
Users lose 60% of paper receipts within a week. Digital capture at point-of-purchase is essential.
"I always think I'll organize them later, but later never comes."
Receipt Capture is Crucial
Users lose 60% of paper receipts within a week. Digital capture at point-of-purchase is essential.
"I always think I'll organize them later, but later never comes."
Why this method:
"I know I should track my expenses daily, but by the end of the day, I'm exhausted.
I need something that works with my life, not against it."
Name Z.
Freelance Graphic Designer, Interview Participant
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Learning from what exists to create something better
I analyzed both direct competitors (expense tracking apps) and adjacent solutions (banking apps, accounting software) to identify market gaps and opportunities for differentiation.
Competitor #1
45-60 min sessions
• point 1 Robust receipt scanning with OCR
• point 2 Excellent corporate expense reports
• point 3 Strong integrations with accounting software
45-60 min sessions
• point 1 Robust receipt scanning with OCR
• point 2 Excellent corporate expense reports
• point 3 Strong integrations with accounting software
Competitor #1
45-60 min sessions
• point 1 Robust receipt scanning with OCR
• point 2 Excellent corporate expense reports
• point 3 Strong integrations with accounting software
45-60 min sessions
• point 1 Robust receipt scanning with OCR
• point 2 Excellent corporate expense reports
• point 3 Strong integrations with accounting software
Competitor #1
45-60 min sessions
• point 1 Robust receipt scanning with OCR
• point 2 Excellent corporate expense reports
• point 3 Strong integrations with accounting software
45-60 min sessions
• point 1 Robust receipt scanning with OCR
• point 2 Excellent corporate expense reports
• point 3 Strong integrations with accounting software
Competitor #1
45-60 min sessions
• point 1 Robust receipt scanning with OCR
• point 2 Excellent corporate expense reports
• point 3 Strong integrations with accounting software
45-60 min sessions
• point 1 Robust receipt scanning with OCR
• point 2 Excellent corporate expense reports
• point 3 Strong integrations with accounting software
Differentiation Opportunities
To understand current workflows and emotional pain sfd f sfdfsfdfdsdfds
Ideation
Understanding behavior, not just collecting data
Armed with research insights and competitive analysis, I began exploring solutions through sketching, user flows, and low-fidelity wireframes. The focus was on rapid iteration to test different approaches before committing to high-fidelity designs.
1
2
3
4
Why this method:
KEY DESIGN DECISIONS
1
Reusable Sleeve System
Why: It slides over existing MDI inhalers, reducing waste and increasing accessibility.
Impact: More practical, scalable solution
2
5-LED Dose Indicator
3
Real-Time Data Collection
Why: It combines sensor data and environmental APIs, while translating complex inputs into simple, relevant insights.
Impact: More informed, proactive decisions
Design
Bringing clarity and delight to financial management
The visual design needed to feel trustworthy yet approachable—professional without being corporate, clean without being sterile. I developed a design system focused on clarity, quick scanability, and subtle moments of delight.
Core design system: typography, color palette, and component library
Color Palette
Trust blue as primary, balanced with warm accent colors for positive financial actions…
Typography
Trust blue as primary, balanced with warm accent colors for positive financial actions…
Icons
Trust blue as primary, balanced with warm accent colors for positive financial actions…
Patterns
Trust blue as primary, balanced with warm accent colors for positive financial actions…
KEY SCREENS
Core design system: typography, color palette, and component library
Core design system: typography, color palette, and component library
Core design system: typography, color palette, and component library
Micro-interactions & Delightful Additions
Why: Research
Why: Research
Why: Research
Why: Research
Why: Research
Testing & Iteration
Design is never finished, only improved
I conducted three rounds of usability testing—first with low-fidelity prototypes, then with interactive prototypes, and finally with a functional beta. Each round revealed critical insights that shaped the final product.
TESTING METHODS
Round 1: Paper Prototype
8 participants • Focus: Core task flows
Round 2: Figma Prototype
12 participants • Focus: Navigation & visual hierarchy
Round 3: Beta App
25 participants • 2 weeks • Focus: Real-world usage
Success Metrics:
Time to capture expense: <30 seconds
Task completion rate: >90%
System Usability Scale: >80
Weekly active usage: >4 times/week
Core design system: typography, color palette, and component library
ITERATION EXAMPLES
Before
Core design system: typography, color palette, and component library
After
Core design system: typography, color palette, and component library
Critical Feedback & Changes Made
"I don't know where to start."
Problem: Dashboard has too many options at once.
Solution: Added progressive disclosure—primary action (scan receipt) is prominent, secondary features revealed contextually.
"I don't know where to start."
Problem: Dashboard has too many options at once.
Solution: Added progressive disclosure—primary action (scan receipt) is prominent, secondary features revealed contextually.
"I don't know where to start."
Problem: Dashboard has too many options at once.
Solution: Added progressive disclosure—primary action (scan receipt) is prominent, secondary features revealed contextually.
Results
Measuring success through data and user feedback
After a successful 3-month beta period with 250 users, FinanceFlow launched publicly. The results exceeded our initial goals and validated the research-driven design approach.
MEASURABLE RESULTS
45%
Reduction in Tracking Time
From 5 hours to 2.75 hours per week
45%
Reduction in Tracking Time
From 5 hours to 2.75 hours per week
45%
Reduction in Tracking Time
From 5 hours to 2.75 hours per week
BUSINESS IMPACT
$1.2M saved annually by users in recovered deductions
12,000+ active users in first 6 months
System Usability Scale: >80
Weekly active usage: >4 times/week
USER FEEDBACK
"Finally, an expense app that doesn't feel like homework. I actually look forward to seeing my budget insights each week."
— Person Z., Freelance Writer
"Finally, an expense app that doesn't feel like homework. I actually look forward to seeing my budget insights each week."
— Person Z., Freelance Writer
Core design system: typography, color palette, and component library
Reflection
What this project taught me about design and myself
I conducted mixed-method research to understand not just what users do, but why they do it. The goal was to uncover the emotional and practical barriers to effective expense management.
Lessons Learned
1
Research is never wasted.
The time spent understanding user behavior upfront saved weeks of redesign later.
2
Research is never wasted.
The time spent understanding user behavior upfront saved weeks of redesign later.
3
Research is never wasted.
The time spent understanding user behavior upfront saved weeks of redesign later.
4
Research is never wasted.
The time spent understanding user behavior upfront saved weeks of redesign later.
5
Research is never wasted.
The time spent understanding user behavior upfront saved weeks of redesign later.
WHAT WORKED WELL
Mixed research methods annually by users in recovered
Mixed research methods annually by users in recovered
Mixed research methods annually by users in recovered
Mixed research methods annually by users in recovered
WHAT I'D DO DIFFERENTLY
Mixed research methods annually by users in recovered
Mixed research methods annually by users in recovered
Mixed research methods annually by users in recovered
Mixed research methods annually by users in recovered
Critical Feedback & Changes Made
If I had more time and resources, I would explore:
Predictive Budgeting
Use historical data to forecast spending and warn users proactively
Team Collaboration
Use historical data to forecast spending and warn users proactively
Team Collaboration
Use historical data to forecast spending and warn users proactively
Let's work together!
Interested in collaborating or learning more about my process? I'd love to hear from you.
