My mission at Plum

“Our goal is to make it easy for users to move their money seamlessly.”

Plum is a financial technology app that helps users manage their money and make smart investments. The app uses artificial intelligence to analyze users’ spending habits and provide personalized insights and recommendations to help them save money. With Plum, users can set savings goals, create investment portfolios, and automate their savings through features like round-ups and recurring deposits. The app also offers budgeting tools, spending tracking, and bill management, making it a comprehensive financial management tool. Plum is available on both iOS and Android platforms and is free to download and use.

I joined Plum as a Senior Product Designer and joined the Core Experience Pillar. I worked alongside a Product Manager to define how the product works and what it looks like in future iterations.

To improve the overall Instant Deposit user experience, we addressed the following challenges:

1. Amount and Payment Method: We redesigned the payment flow to have the amount and payment method on the same screen. This streamlined the user flow and made it easier to select the appropriate payment method with the correct amount limits. We also added the option to switch payment methods without losing the payment amount, allowing users to make quick and informed decisions.
2. Confirmation and Success Screen: We updated the confirmation and success screens to include all necessary information, such as payment details, amount, transaction ID, and settlement time. We also managed user expectations by notifying them of any potential delays in settling transactions and sending a push notification once the transaction is settled. To ensure consistency, we made the confirmation and success screens uniform across all payment methods and redirect scenarios.
3. Pocket Feed Clarity: We improved the pocket feed clarity by showing the correct dates, transaction amounts, and payment methods. We also added filtering options to help users search for specific transactions quickly and easily.

Overall, these changes improved the Instant Deposit user experience by simplifying the payment flow, managing user expectations, and ensuring clarity in the transaction history. The changes made it easier for users to manage their finances and make smart investments, ultimately enhancing their overall financial well-being.

1. Evaluate the results of user testing: After testing all four versions of the MVP with users and collecting their feedback, I have evaluated the results. This involves analyzing the feedback and identifying common themes, issues, and areas for improvement.
2. Make iterations based on user feedback: Based on the results of the user testing, I made few iterations to the MVP design. And I decided to take 2 of the preferred solution.
3. Test the latest iteration with users: After making the necessary iterations, I test the latest version with users to ensure that the changes have addressed their concerns and improved the overall experience. I have used a similar script and set of questions to the previous user testing to ensure consistency.
4. Share the latest iteration with the team: Once the latest iteration has been tested with users and any final changes have been made, I did share the design with the team. I presented the design changes, discussing the feedback received from users, and getting approval to move forward with implementation.
5. Prepare for implementation: With the final iteration approved, I prepared the design for implementation. I created detailed design specifications, worked with the development team to ensure that the design is technically feasible, and coordinating with other teams to ensure that the implementation process runs smoothly.
6. Monitor and optimize: Once the design changes have been implemented, I monitored and optimize the user experience in analyzing user data, collecting feedback from users, and making further iterations to the design based on this feedback.

During the user testing process, four different solutions were tested to improve the user experience of the app. The first solution involved moving the payment method screen after the deposit screen. The second solution was designed without the “choose an amount” feature, allowing users to tap the amount they wanted. The third solution placed the payment method and amount input on the same screen, while the last solution had everything on the same screen, including the “choose an amount” picker.

Out of the ten participants who were asked to go through all the solutions and answer questions about their journey, seven didn’t like the idea of removing the “choose an amount” feature. They preferred to select an amount quickly. However, nine participants preferred the last solution, where everything was on the same screen, including the “choose an amount” picker. This user feedback was used to make iterations and improvements to the design of the app.