Save Money
Black Friday
$10 due today
$150/300
Black Friday
$150/300
$10 Tomorrow
Save Money
Total Spending
$101 under
out of $1,000 budgeted
Monthly
1,000
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Turning saving into a playful, gradual habit
Introduction
Saving is often interrupted by unexpected expenses, lacks real-time rewards, and feels overwhelming when goals are unclear or too many. I’ve faced these struggles myself—and I’m not alone. Nutra is designed to tackle these challenges, helping us take control of our money with ease and motivation.
TIMELINE
10 weeks
TEAM
Xiaoyang Wang
TOOL
Figma
Midjourney
kEYWORD
0 to 1
Fintech
RESEARCH
Market Analysis
We reviewed feedback on popular financial management apps to understand the characteristics of different user groups. Our goal was to identify which demographics are not adequately addressed by the current budget management apps available in the market.
Wait…
If they already have low motivation and low self-control, do they really have any real need to save money?
User Interview
By conducting interview, we want to find our their
Interview goal 1: actual needs for financial management
Interview goal 2: and if they do have needs, the challenges they have encountering self-displinary for financial management
Yes, they do have the need to save
Despite their "low motivation," all eight interviewees expressed a clear need for financial management.
But they struggle to achieve it
They all hesitate to start or end up giving up on managing their finances for various reasons.
We found three mental models blocking them
Mapping shared mindsets to reveal challenge points
DESIGN GOAL
HMW
Motivate people with low self-discipline to start saving and stay committed by making goal-setting and habit-building more engaging and sustainable?
DESIGN ITERATION
One Mascot to Solve Them All
After exploring multiple HMWs, we identified that a single solution—a mascot—has the potential to address them all. The mascot serves as a unifying element that motivates, guides, and rewards users throughout their saving journey.
In What Way?
Journey Map Incorporating the Mascot
By incorporating the mascot into the journey map, each previous pain point is addressed with improved engagement, motivation, and support.
Design is never perfect on the first try
continuous user testing and refinement ensure solutions evolve to truly meet users’ needs.
[Snippets from the user tests & iterations we conducted as examples]
STYLE GUIDE
Balancing Seriousness and Fun in UI Design
As a financial app, the UI must avoid being overly playful to ensure users perceive saving as a meaningful, money-related activity. At the same time, it should steer clear of being too dull, as the app’s core goal is to make saving an engaging and motivating experience.
Gentle Reminders for Goals Needing Attention
To avoid causing anxiety while drawing attention to goals that need saving, traditional red is replaced with an accent color like orange. Orange is less alarming, visually distinct from green (completed goals), and as an accent color, it naturally captures the user’s focus without overwhelming them.
Style Guide
FINAL DESIGN
Step-by-Step Personalized Guidance
Nutra guides you step-by-step, offering personalized suggestions based on your input and spending habits to create practical, achievable plans effortlessly.
Unlock Unique Nut Personalities
Unlock unique Nut personalities through different outfits, making saving fun and tailored to your style.
Progress Rewards
Each time you save, earn a new Nut outfit.
Rarity Boost
Higher on-time saving rates increase your chances of unlocking rare items.
Goal Completion
Achieve your goal to unlock a brand-new Nut!
Edit Goal
If you're falling behind, your Nut assistant will analyze your spending habits to create a tailored adjustment plan, helping you get back on track.
Daily Challenges
The system suggests money-saving tasks based on your spending categories, helping you save through small daily actions. Saved amounts can be directly added to a selected goal, chosen by the system based on your progress, minimizing effort and decision-making.
Data
If you're falling behind, your Nut assistant will analyze your spending habits to create a tailored adjustment plan, helping you get back on track.