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AI-Powered Financial Companion
PROBLEM
Many financially stressed adults struggle to manage bills, absorb unexpected expenses, and make confident day-to-day financial decisions because they lack timely, actionable guidance and clear visibility into their financial reality. As a result, stress, uncertainty, and reactive behaviors can worsen instability rather than improve it. Users need a trustworthy and supportive way to understand what is happening, what is coming next, and what actions they can take to stay on track.
DESIGN TEAM
Sole UX Researcher & Designer, Responsible for all aspects from discovery to testing.
TOOLS USED
Figma, Asana, Google Forms, Zoom, Excel, Powerpoint
DISCOVERY
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Desk Research
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Competitive Analysis
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User Interviews
ANALYSIS & DESIGN
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Affinity Maps
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Personas
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Journey Maps
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User Flows
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Wireframes
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Prototyping
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Usability Testing
FINAL OUTCOME
Partner will be an institutional controlled, white-label guidance layer that functions as a trusted, explainable financial assistant that helps users avoid preventable setback, manage behaviors in the moment, and make steady progress toward financial stability.
DISCOVERY
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Financial stress is common, impacts behaviors & mental health
60% of adults report feeling anxious about their personal finances.
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Acceptance of AI financial guidance on the rise
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Difficulty paying bills
49% of are living paycheck-to-paycheck.
16% say they trust AI more than humans for financial advice.
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Many adults lack sufficient emergency saving
34% can't cover $400 unexpected emergency without selling or borrowing it.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Exploring the top budgeting apps to understand their approach to helping users with their personal finances.
YNAB
PocketGuard
Simplifi by Quicken
Strength
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Zero-based budgeting
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Strong education resources
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Effective for debt payoff
Weakness
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Steep learning curve
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High cost
Strength
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Simple, intuitive design
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Helpful debt payoff tool
Offers a free version
Strength
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Clean interface, great for simplicity and tracking
Weakness
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Limited functionality with free version
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Lacks robust reporting & data analysis tools
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No rollover budget feature
Weakness
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Specific feature and details are less documented
USER INTERVIEWS
I interviewed 6 people between the ages of 24 - 44. The interviews were conducted over Zoom & in-person, running between 40 - 45 minutes.
I did this to gain insight into how they currently manage their finance; what emotional or other challenges they face, and how they perceive AI-based financial tools.
GOALS
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Identify user pain points & motivations
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Understand trust barriers & triggers related to financial data sharing
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Capture emotional language around financial confidence.
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Gather expectations for tone, features, and support from a financial tool
Participant 1
I get really stressed out, sometimes depressed and at times I lash out.
Participant 5
So, if my bank had an AI that helped me budget, then I will feel like, okay, this is not a scam.
Participant 3
I want to see the breakdown of how the suggestion was reached, such as where it's pulling information from
Participant 2
Cut me off and say, You ordered pens 3x last week. You don't need anymore.
AFFINITY MAPS
I focused on opportunities in the areas of participants behaviors and pain points.
KEY FINDINGS
Proactive AI Budgeting Guidance
User desire a tools that acts as a "personal assistant" to perform budgeting & separate funds for them. They want alerts that suggest positive actions, e.g., paying a bill early or to contribute more to savings.
Insight:
Users want a financial tool that does more than inform them; they want one that actively helps them make better decisions and take positive action.
User Recognize Bank-Level Security
User desire a tools that acts as a "personal assistant" to perform budgeting & separate funds for them. They want alerts that suggest positive actions, e.g., paying a bill early or to contribute more to savings.
Insight:
Perceived security and trust increase when financial guidance is connected to an established financial institution
Goal Achievement
Users require an app that helps build a savings fund, plan for unexpected expenses, and give confidence to achieve their goals.
Insight:
Users require an app that helps build a savings fund, plan for unexpected expenses, and give confidence to achieve their goals.
AI Must Be Transparent
Participants need confidence in the AI's suggestions & want to see how insights were calculated. They want a breakdown of where the information is being pulled from.
Insight:
Users are more likely to trust AI-driven financial guidance when the system clearly explains how recommendations are generated.
Struggle with Impulse Spending
Users need help to manage behavior spending, specifically requesting to "cut me off" from unnecessary purchases or remind them to limits shopping to specific needs.
Insight:
Many users need help managing spending behaviors in real time, especially during moments of temptation or weak self control.
Major Source of Stress & Anxiety
Users described managing personal finance as "survival mode", stressful, overwhelming, and anxiety inducing.
Insight:
Financial management is experienced as an emotional burden, so users ned tools that reduce anxiety and cognitive overload.
HOW MIGHT WE
1. How might we turn financial information into clear next steps users can actually act on??
2. How might we help users avoid preventable financial setbacks before they happen?
3. How might we make emergency preparedness feel achievable, even for users with limited income?
4. How might we reduce the impact of stress on financial decision-making?
5. How might we design AI guidance feels helpful, safe, and easy to act on?
PERSONAS
I used the insight from my research to build 2 personas, to keep focus on the real users I am designing for. The Self-Reliant Systematizer and Alex are at different stage of their financial lifecycle and different behaviors preventing them from reaching their goals.
JOURNEY MAPS
Next, I added the 2 personas into current and future state Journey Maps. This was vital to help visualize pain-points and areas of focus when developing the prototype. The areas to look at are the cues that trigger their negative behaviors.
USER FLOWS
By mapping user flows to persona goals, I shifted my design strategy. Instead of adding friction to alter behavior, I focused on clearing the obstacles to their goals while seamlessly integrating healthier alternatives.
WIREFRAMES
Maria's flow to create a savings goal.
WIREFRAMES (HiFi)
Partner decision engine will analyze user income schedule and savings to provide options for purchasing if money is not available to spend.
Saving Loan
Which must be paid back to savings. Keeping users on track for goals and freeing up cash to purchase now.
Save For It Later
Which automatically creates a goal with user approval to save up the funds and purchase later.
PROTOTYPE
I produce 4 flows and scenarios for usability testing and validation.
WORKING PROTOTYPE
NEXT STEPS
Usability testing
Make iterations
Propose pilot to small financial institutions
REFLECTIONS
I realized that I was inadvertently designing for behaviors that prevent users from achieving their financial goals. Emotions can lead users to make choices that are not in their best interest, creating a painful cycle that they struggle to break free from. Impulse spending, overeating, and other similar behaviors often stem from negative self-perceptions. Coming to this realization has significantly enhanced my design skills, I am a better designer for it.
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