Rein In
A subscription dashboard app to help users make informed financial decisions
Timeline
3 weeks
The Problem
The Solution
The Process
Project Type
Independent UX/UI Project
Role
UX Research, competitive analysis, wireframing, high-fidelity mockups, prototyping, user testing
Millions of people across the country subscribe to monthly and yearly subscriptions. With automatic payments, it’s easy become complacent or forget about the monthly fees, regardless of whether the services are being utilized. This leads to wasted money each month that could be saved or put towards a more useful subscription.
Rein In is a subscription dashboard app that aims to make users more aware of their monthly subscription usage. Through an interactive usage questionnaire, users are prompted to check in periodically to report how much they have utilized their paid subscriptions. Through this process, users gain better insight into their monthly spending and are better equipped to work towards their financial goals.
Due to the aggressive timeline for the project, I used a traditional design thinking framework broken into 6 phases. This started with discovery and was followed up with a series of design and validate cycles.
Phase 1: Discover
Phase 1 of the project included research and discovery with competitive analysis, user interviews, affinity mapping, and user personas.
Competitive Analysis
Using competitive analysis, I analyzed 3 competitors in the subscription dashboard space, including Trim, TrackMySubs, and Rocket Money.
User Interviews and Affinity Mapping
After synthesizing my findings, I came up with 3 main findings that led the direction of the project:
When it comes to subscriptions, perceived value is more important than price
Most people are not fully aware of what subscriptions they pay for and how much they utilize them
Most people do not know that subscription dashboard apps exist, or they believe that the apps are difficult or cumbersome to set up
For primary research, I conducted 5 moderated user interviews to ask people about their monthly spending and how they utilize their subscriptions. I then organized my findings using affinity mapping.
User Personas
Phase 2: Design
Phase 2 consisted of brainstorming and designing potential solutions using user flows and wireframes.
User Flows
Since potential users were concerned about ease of use and a quick setup, I started with flows that streamlined the set-up process. This included linking a card so that subscriptions could be added automatically, canceling an unused subscription, and switching subscription levels f a user found that their usage was lower than expected.
Wireframes
When it came time for wireframing, I focused on making features simple, streamlined, and useful.
Priorities
a simple, efficient ‘add account/subscriptions’ feature, automating where possible
usage information and a usage reporting function
clear CTA buttons that feel familiar
avoid unnecessary text
Phase 3: Validate
Usability Testing
For round 1 of usability testing, I conducted 5 moderated tests. Users were asked to complete 5 essential tasks covering all sectiolns of the app in order to uncover pain points and areas of confusion. In the end 4 issues were uncovered that were brought into the following design phase.
Phase 4: Design
Style Guide
High-Fidelity Prototype
Using Figma, I iterated on my wireframes to create a working prototype for testing. Based on feedback from the user testing, I introduced critical changes to the usage section, with additional minor changes to navigation and layout. The end result was a high-fidelity prototype that allows users to add accounts and subscriptions, track their monthly spending and usage, and explore additional subscription offerings.
Phases 4 & 5: Validate and Design
Prototype
Using Figma, I created a working prototype for user testing.
Usability Testing & Iteration
Using the high-fidelity prototype, I conducted an additional 5 moderated usability tests. Users were tasked with adding an account, reporting their monthly usage, updating their settings, and viewing alternative subscription options. Testing showed that while most usability issues were corrected from the previous round, some issues remained and new ones were brought to light. Following testing, I iterated on my prototype to implement solutions.
Issues
usage report is boring, uninspiring
users cannot remove individual subscriptions from report
Issues
users cannot see what account or card a subscription is linked to
subscriptions are not tagged with a spending category
Solutions
an interactive, swipe-style check-in
a trash button to allow users to remove irrelevant subscriptions from reporting (ie food subscriptions)
Solutions
a widget to show linked card or account
a tag to show spending category
Lessons Learned and Next Steps
This project was a great example of the user-centered design process at work. While the initial task was to create a subscription dashboard to help users save money, through user interviews it became clear that assessing usage was far more important to users than reducing their spending. This shifted the focus of the project and led to a product that is unique and stands its own against competitors. Next steps include:
integration with individual subscription services to automatically track usage
features to assess whether a user could be better served by a different subscription level or service
hand-off to a developer to bring the product to life