Simplifi Spending Plan
Product design, User experience, User research, Branding
Project Overview
In the fall of 2019, Allovus Studio began collaborating with Simplifi's internal product and design team to streamline existing features, update their product branding, and introduce new functionality to help users reach financial goals with confidence. One of Simplifi’s differentiating features is Spending Plan, which helps users understand how much money they have available to spend each month. Users liked the ease of budgeting without having to figure out how much money to set aside for each category, but the initial implementation felt disjointed and took time to understand. Our team partnered with Simplifi, leading a total redesign of the entire feature area, after which Simplifi was awarded The New York Times Wirecutter: Best Budgeting App in 2020 and again in 2021.
Low fidelity exploration
Our team started with pen and paper sketches and low-fidelity wireframes, meeting regularly with Simplifi to gather feedback and explore approaches that strengthen the relationship between areas of their plan and the items that go into each subtotal. We also demonstrated how the responsive layouts should adapt for different web browser sizes before moving to high-fidelity mockups.
Data-informed mobile optimization
For the native mobile app for iOS and Android, we explored methods for navigating around the Spending Plan on small screens. We conducted user testing to see which method was easiest to understand and left people feeling empowered. This process of informed validation helped Simplifi feel confident in choosing which approach to build.
New features, more inclusive plan
In addition to capturing all the existing features, our team integrated several new capabilities in the redesign, including a way for users to set aside additional funds for planned spending that falls outside what's automatically set aside for their bills and subscriptions. The new plan accounts for contributions to savings, helping people make incremental progress toward larger goals.
More work
