Aaron Salter Portfolio

Moneymath - Reimaging Money Saving

Personal work completed reimaging the money saving framework to reflect new realities.

Client

Personal Project

Year

2024

Discliplines

Design Research

Service design

Service Design

Information architecture

UI UX

Visual design

I-A

Interaction design

Motion design

Visual design

UI UX

The concept for the 'Moneymath' app emerged from observing generational shifts in financial behaviors, particularly the tension between aspirational saving habits and the desire for guilt-free spending among millennials and Gen Z. Named after the viral trend of Girl and 'Boy 'math', it leverages principles of behavioral economics and gamification, aiming to reframe personal finance by prioritizing positive reinforcement over punitive budgeting and addressing the cognitive dissonance many users experience when balancing fiscal responsibility with lifestyle preferences.

In this end to end design process, I led intial research, competitor auditing, user interviews, empathy, journey mapping, followed by ideation from early wireframing to high fidelity prototypes with comprehensive design systems and flows. This was done alongside continuous user testing to validate design decisions.

Problem space

Young people struggle to save because soaring living costs and a culture of instant gratification leave little room for long-term planning. Despite innovative apps, many find these tools don’t address real-world financial pressures and behavioral habits.

Less Spending Power

86%

less purchasing power than baby boomers had in their 20s, leading to less room for saving

Overspending

52%

of GenZ (and 43% of millennials) report that social media drives them to make purchases they can’t really afford

Experiences first

20%

dedicate up to half of their disposable income to travel, underscoring a strong preference for experiential spending.

No Emergency Fund

over 1/2

don’t have enough savings to cover three months’ worth of expenses

I’ve tried so many finance apps, but they all make me feel like I need to be a financial expert, I don’t have time to categorize every expense or move money around—I just want something that works in the background without stressing me out 😵‍💫

Quotes extracted from Primary Interviews

Budgeting feels like a punishment at times 😂. Every time I try to take control, I just feel guilty for spending anything at all. It’s like I have to choose between enjoying my life now or being financially responsible… why can’t I do both? 🤷‍♂️

I know I should save more, but my money disappears so fast. Between bills, social plans, and impulse buys, by the time I think about saving, there’s literally nothing left. And then I feel stuck in the same cycle again next month 😤

Budgeting feels like a punishment tbh 😂. Every time I try to take control, I just feel guilty for spending anything at all. It’s like I have to choose between enjoying my life now or being financially responsible… why can’t I do both? 🤷‍♂️”

Quotes extracted from Primary Interviews

Research

I began by analyzing studies and reports on the financial struggles of young adults, focusing on societal pressures, economic challenges, psychological behaviors, and the limitations of current budgeting solutions.

Prevalence & Impact

Rising costs, stagnant wages, and debt make financial stability harder, leading to anxiety and decision fatigue. Many young adults struggle with planning for the future.

Contributing Factors

Social media, peer pressure, and lifestyle inflation encourage unsustainable spending. Short-term gratification often outweighs long-term financial goals, making traditional budgeting unappealing.

Addressing the Issue

Operations Transparency

Solutions must be flexible, psychology-driven, and offer real-time guidance. Dynamic budgeting and engaging financial education can build better money habits without restricting lifestyle.

Whilst I am a young person who understands some of the challenges faced by our target audience, it was important I didnt make assumptions that my own lived experiences mirror those of the rest of my target users, or that my target users will come from one demographic. I made sure to exhust online research resources and interviewed 8 people from a wide range of demographics and backgrounds.

User Interviews

I conducted Zoom interviews with eight potential users to understand the financial challenges they face, their approach to managing money, and the strategies they use to save and budget effectively.

Interview Goals

Understand how users manage their finances and savings.

Identify key financial challenges and barriers they face.

Assess the effectiveness of current budgeting tools.

Explore financial habits and decision-making processes.

Discover features that would improve financial management solutions.

Can you describe your current approach to saving money?

How do unexpected expenses impact your saving habits?

Can you walk me through a typical month of managing your finances?

Can you describe your current approach to saving money?

How do unexpected expenses impact your saving habits?

Can you walk me through a typical month of managing your finances?

What challenges or obstacles do you face when trying to save money?

How do unexpected expenses impact your saving habits?

Can you describe your current approach to saving money?

How do unexpected expenses impact your saving habits?

Can you walk me through a typical month of managing your finances?

Can you describe your current approach to saving money?

Interview Analysis in Figma

Conducting interviews let me identify/cross-reference common issues and define solution approaches. I documented insights in Figma/FigJam, highlighting key content, categorizing themes, and sorted findings into post-its for clarity.

Why I used this method

Pattern Identification - Revealed recurring pain points

Bias Mitigation - Counteracted assumptions with data

Prioritization - Affinity mapping in FigJam aligned stakeholders on high-impact issues

Solution Validation - Insights directly informed features like and guilt-free spending nudges

Persona Creation

Persona creation, journey mapping, and user stories transformed insights into actionable steps. I built empathy-driven personas, mapped financial/emotional journeys to highlight friction points, and crafted user stories—aligning features with real-world needs and economic pressures.

Why I used this method

Drew insights from research, user interviews, and demographic data analysis to accurately represent the diverse user base.

Exposed critical friction points and aligned solutions with emotional/economic decision cycles.

Prioritized features by linking them to specific scenarios

By analyzing and comparing findings, I identified key recurring challenges that I could address with a strategic approach. These include...

Problem space

Less Spending Power

86%

less purchasing power than baby boomers had in their 20s, leading to less room for saving

Overspending

52%

of GenZ (and 43% of millennials) report that social media drives them to make purchases they can’t really afford

Experiences first

20%

dedicate up to half of their disposable income to travel, underscoring a strong preference for experiential spending.

No Emergency Fund

over 1/2

don’t have enough savings to cover three months’ worth of expenses

Quotes extracted from Primary Interviews

Research

Prevalence & Impact

Rising costs, stagnant wages, and debt make financial stability harder, leading to anxiety and decision fatigue. Many young adults struggle with planning for the future.

Contributing Factors

Social media, peer pressure, and lifestyle inflation encourage unsustainable spending. Short-term gratification often outweighs long-term financial goals, making traditional budgeting unappealing.

Addressing the Issue

Solutions must be flexible, psychology-driven, and offer real-time guidance. Dynamic budgeting and engaging financial education can build better money habits without restricting lifestyle.

User Interviews

I conducted Zoom interviews with eight potential users to understand the financial challenges they face, their approach to managing money, and the strategies they use to save and budget effectively.

Interview Goals

Understand how users manage their finances and savings.

Identify key financial challenges and barriers they face.

Assess the effectiveness of current budgeting tools.

Explore financial habits and decision-making processes.

Discover features that would improve financial management solutions.

Can you describe your current approach to saving money?

How do unexpected expenses impact your saving habits?

Can you walk me through a typical month of managing your finances?

Can you describe your current approach to saving money?

How do unexpected expenses impact your saving habits?

Can you walk me through a typical month of managing your finances?

What challenges or obstacles do you face when trying to save money?

How do unexpected expenses impact your saving habits?

Can you describe your current approach to saving money?

How do unexpected expenses impact your saving habits?

Can you walk me through a typical month of managing your finances?

Can you describe your current approach to saving money?

Interview Analysis in Figma

Why I used this method

Pattern Identification - Revealed recurring pain points

Bias Mitigation - Counteracted assumptions with data

Prioritization - Affinity mapping in FigJam aligned stakeholders on high-impact issues

Solution Validation - Insights directly informed features like and guilt-free spending nudges

Persona Creation

Why I used this method

Drew insights from research, user interviews, and demographic data analysis to accurately represent the diverse user base.

Exposed critical friction points and aligned solutions with emotional/economic decision cycles.

Prioritized features by linking them to specific scenarios

By analyzing and comparing findings, I identified key recurring challenges that I could address with a strategic approach. These include...

Crazy Eights

Using Crazy Eights helped rapidly generate and explore diverse ideas, pushing beyond obvious solutions. This fast-paced exercise encouraged creative problem-solving and uncovered unique approaches to user challenges. It provided a strong foundation for refining and iterating on the best concepts, which i followed into a digital crazy eights exercise to rapidly explore solutions.

User Flows

Mapping out user flows was crucial in shaping the design of moneymath, ensuring a seamless and intuitive experience. By visualizing each step users take, I identified friction points and optimized navigation, focusing on making complex financial saving concepts more accessible. This process helped streamline interactions, improve usability, and align the design with user needs.

Intuitive navigation

Navigation efficiency

Usability optimization

Information Architecture

Crafting the information architecture for moneymath was essential in streamlining the budgeting experience, ensuring users quickly access the most relevant financial insights, rather than overloading them with pages. By implementing a clear hierarchical structure and prioritizing content discoverability, I minimized cognitive overload and enhanced wayfinding. Insights from user testing informed iterative refinements, optimizing the flow of information to support intuitive decision-making.

Content hierarchy

Cognitive load reduction

Iterative Prototyping

Wireframing solutions

Wireframing allowed me to prototype, test, and iterate on key interactions before final development. By visualizing layouts and user flows early, then testing them with users quickly I identified friction points—such as feature overload and complexity of data communication in financial apps —leading to a more efficient and accessible experience. This process also informed UI refinements, like optimizing the saving pots for quick glances by adjusting font hierarchy and spacing.

Early problem detection

Iterative refinement

User-driven improvements

Applying Learned Insights

Structured feedback sessions in Figma allowed for a systematic breakdown of usability pain points. Key issues were mapped using annotations and post-it insights, then distilled into high-impact takeaways. This process ensured that only the most critical UX improvements were implemented strategically.

Refined Navigation – Simplified flows based on friction points.

Clearer Financial Insights – Improved data hierarchy for faster decisions.

Streamlined Onboarding – Reduced steps for a smoother start.

Atomic design system

Adopting an atomic design approach ensured consistency, efficiency, and scalability across Moneymath. By structuring components from atoms to templates, the system streamlined iteration and maintained a cohesive user experience.

Adopting an atomic design approach ensured consistency, efficiency, and scalability across Moneymath. By structuring components from molecules to organisms, the system streamlined iteration and maintained a cohesive user experience.

Consistency – Standardized UI for visual cohesion.

Efficiency – Reusable components for faster iteration.

Scalability – A flexible foundation for future growth.

Visual Identity

To resonate with our Gen Z audience, Moneymath's visual identity embodies youthfulness and energy. This approach aligns with effective youth marketing strategies, which emphasize vibrant and engaging designs to capture attention and build brand loyalty among younger consumers.

With the luxury bus market projected to reach $115.8 billion by 2032, there’s a major opportunity to transform coach travel into a business-class experience for the UAE—offering real-time tracking.

Recognition – Distinctive visuals make brands memorable.

Trust – Consistency builds user confidence.

Cohesion – Unified design ensures seamless interactions.

Preview

Scroll to Top