Dibbs - The future of banking apps

UX Project

Project Overview

Dibbs is a financial application offering banking services to its users, such as P2P payments, categorized expenses for better tracking and tools to help them save money.

The Goal

The mobile finance sector is currently experiencing its most significant expansion ever. In light of this apparent saturation, I have made the decision to explore this industry for potential opportunities. My aim is to develop a financial application called Dibbs that caters to the specific needs, concerns, and behaviors of a younger customer demographic.

Step 1: Empathize

To understand Dibbs’ competition, I conducted a competitive analysis and audited apps from competitors like Revolut, Paypal, and Deutsche Bank to learn what they were doing right, wrong, or not doing.
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These apps are well-established on the market and focused on different groups. Revolut and Paypal are the ones with a fresher and more modern design, with the best user-center approach to their apps.

Step 2: Define

To simulate a real-world, design thinking activity, I created an experience map. This map is similar to an affinity diagram, but highlights the order of actions and pain points experienced along the way.
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First, I pulled the salient details from the competitive analyses and surveys. Then, I added that data to the experience map as sticky notes to split the concerns, goals, and quotes into three different categories inside the app. I end up defining 3 categories that were the areas of which the users concern the most: expenses, saving and security.

User Personas

I ran some in-person interviews and online surveys to understand better what possible users expect from these apps and what are their frustrations, needs, and goals.
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I then created three main user personas, which help me understand better the user and have their needs, frustrations and goal in mind. I created these 3 personas according to the main categories from the information above.
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So our main users want to better control their expenses (that includes completely transparency and quick updates), tools to help them save money and ways to secure their money from scams.

Step 3: Ideate

User Flows

At an early stage, I have created three central user flows based on the initial user interviews, survey results, and user journeys.
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My main goal was to make these user flows intuitive and straightforward for the users. These user journeys are based on the main goal of the persona while using the app. From these goals, I will design the main features of the app.

Papaer Wireframes

I sketched task flows for tasks that the primary persona needs to accomplish. These sketches helped me think through all of the tasks and find opportunities to reduce clicks to complete each task more efficiently.These user journeys are based on the main goal of the persona while using the app. From these goals, I will design the main features of the app.

Low-fidelity Wireframes

I have wireframed dozens of different screens for the dashboard and payments section, as well as experimenting with the pay and setting up an expending limit.
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Three flows for Usability Testing:
-Paying SomeoneSet up an expending limit
-Set up a monthly saving amount
-These user journeys are based on the main goal of the persona while using the app.
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From these goals, I will design the main features of the app.

Test Goals and Objectives

Methodology

The primary goal of this study was to find errors in the app’s current design, fix these and augment usability by learning from and designing with users. In addition, while observing the users’ completion of tasks, it was crucial to listen and watch their emotional state regarding their handling of financial services and zoom in on their emotional condition.

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I conducted these usability tests as moderated in-person and moderated remote tests. It was held by mirroring the users’ handling of the prototype on an iPhone 13 mini and using Skype’s screen-sharing and camera features. Each session took around 20-25 minutes and included a short briefing and initial interview.
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Participants

Results

In total, 6 participants took part in the usability study to receive a satisfactory amount of insights. Since the primary target group are Millenials, the participants age ranged from the early 20s to the early 30s. All participants were either professionals or students and have prior experience, at times even daily usage, of digital payment services.These user journeys are based on the main goal of the persona while using the app. From these goals, I will design the main features of the app.

While the completion success rate was 70%—all participants accomplished most tasks—participants found errors in the design and functionality, and emotional and behavioral observations were eyeopening. In general, satisfaction with the difficulty and amount of time to completion was high. However, at times a lack of financial knowledge hampered feelings of security and execution.These user journeys are based on the main goal of the persona while using the app. From these goals, I will design the main features of the app.

Final Thoughts

During this project, I discovered the importance of running multiple rounds of interviews and testing. I’ve got insightful feedback from the users on each round that helped me to improve the architecture of the app to make it more intuitive and create features that will adapt to their frustrations, needs and goals.
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This is the thing that surprised me the most on the production of this project. I had some ideas of what the user could need, but after running interviews, surveys and tests, I’ve collect data that drove the project in different directions of what I expected.
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I’ve learn the importance of not letting myself get bias by what I expect it will happen when I start a new project, just learn through the user and the data. And for sure, I will apply this in future projects.