MoneyTree: Designing Consistency in Financial Habits
Explored how adaptive AI coaching and gamification can support long-term budgeting habits, translating research insights into a focused onboarding and goal-tracking experience.
Client:
Category:
Fintech, Financial Goals, Behavioral Design
My Role:
UX/UI Designer
Designing an intuitive onboarding experience that helps users set and achieve their financial goals
MoneyTree is a personal finance application designed to help users achieve their financial goals through AI-powered guidance and intuitive goal tracking.
Designing consistency in financial habits
MoneyTree explores how young professionals and students can stay consistent with financial goals. The solution combines adaptive AI coaching with gamified motivation to make budgeting feel more guided, achievable, and rewarding.
From broad coaching to focused financial goals
The design process moved through research, definition, design, and testing. User interviews and competitive analysis helped narrow the product from a broad life-coaching idea into a focused goal-tracking experience.
01
Research
User interviews and competitive analysis.
02
Define
Problem identification and user personas.
03
Design
Wireframing and high-fidelity mockups.
04
Test
Usability testing and iteration planning.
What people struggle with
A user survey surfaced three consistent pain points: people lack structure, struggle with motivation, and often feel overwhelmed at the start of financial planning.
54%
Don’t use a structured tracking system.
71%
Struggle with motivation and consistency.
65%
Feel overwhelmed or don’t know where to start.
How might we make financial progress feel sustainable?
Primary Challenge
How might we help people stay consistent with their financial goals through personalized coaching & motivation?
Simplifying complexity
Make budgeting less overwhelming with AI-guided steps and clearer next actions.
Building habits
Encourage long-term habits through gamification, rewards, and social support.
How the Design Addresses Each Challenge
Providing personalized, adaptive coaching
Breaking down goals into manageable steps
Making progress engaging through gamification
Onboarding
A guided system for goals, progress, and coaching
The product centers on a streamlined onboarding process that personalizes the experience based on user goals and preferred guidance frequency.
Low-fi Wireframes
A friendly visual system for financial momentum
The style guide established a playful but practical identity: friendly colors, accessible UI components, and a mobile interface that makes goal progress feel visible.
Reflection and next steps
Through this case study, the product shifted from a broad life-coaching idea into a focused financial goal tracker. Research insights shaped the feature set and clarified the next steps: usability testing with the prototype, then iterating on dashboard and social motivation features.
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