Money Moves - A Gamified Financial Literacy App
Project Motivation & Purpose
As a UX/UI designer with a background in government work, much of the design work I’ve contributed to is restricted due to security clearances, making it difficult to showcase my skills. This gamified financial literacy app is a personal passion project that allows me to demonstrate my expertise in user research, design systems, and Figma. The project reflects my ability to design engaging, user-centered experiences, combining the insights I’ve gained through research with practical, scalable design solutions. It also highlights my proficiency in creating seamless, accessible interfaces while solving real-world problems—skills that I’ve honed in my professional work but am unable to present due to confidentiality.
Challenge:
Many young adults struggle with financial literacy. Traditional budgeting apps are overwhelming, causing disengagement. And the current schooling system in the United States does not educate students on Financial Literacy.
Research Question:
Why do young adults struggle with financial literacy?
What prevents them from using existing budgeting tools?
How can gamification make learning finance engaging and sustainable?
Duration
Current
Type
Case Study
Tools
Figma
Skills
Research, Design Systems, Design Thinking, AI
1. Research - Understanding the users
Surveys (Quantitative)
User Intervews (qualitative)
Key Questions in the Survey:
What are your biggest financial challenges?
Have you tried budgeting apps? Why or why not?
What motivates you to learn about finance?
Do rewards/gamification elements motivate you to complete tasks?
This phase focuses on gathering insights from real users to inform design decisions. Through user surveys, interviews, and competitor analysis, I identify key challenges and needs that will guide the design of the app
Surveys (quantitative) – 100+ Participants
To identify broad trends, I distributed a survey to 100+ young adults (ages 18-30) via Reddit, LinkedIn, and online finance communities.
Key Findings:
Lack of financial confidence – Many felt they didn’t know where to start.
Existing apps are too overwhelming – Users found Mint and YNAB confusing.
Finance needs to be fun – Gamification would help keep them engaged.
Small wins feel achievable – Users preferred micro-learning vs. large commitments.
Survey Findings:
70% of respondents find finance "stressful" or "boring."
65% have tried a budgeting app but stopped using it due to complexity.
80% said they would engage more if finance was taught in a fun, gamified way.
50% are motivated by small daily challenges rather than long-term financial planning.
User Interviews (Qualitative) – 7 Participants
To dive deeper into pain points and behaviors, I conducted 7 in-depth user interviews with young adults.
Personas & User Journey Map (Figma Visuals)
I created two key personas based on my research:
3. Competitive Analysis – What's Missing?
To identify gaps in the market, I analyzed three major finance apps and one gamified app:
By evaluating existing financial apps, I identify what works well and what doesn’t, revealing opportunities for differentiation. This step allows me to pinpoint what features are missing in the current market and how I can improve upon them.
Mint
Strengths:
Automatic transaction tracking
Spending insights
Bill reminders
Weaknesses
Overwhelming UI
Lacks gamification
No real engagement beyond budgeting
YNAB (You Need A Budget)
Strengths
Focuses on proactive budgeting
Great for long-term planning
Weaknesses
Steep learning curve,
Subscription fee
Not engaging for casual users
Key Findings & Market Gaps
What Works Well in Existing Apps
Automated transaction tracking (Mint) – Helps users visualize their spending.
Proactive money management (YNAB) – Encourages planning instead of reactionary spending.
Micro-saving features (Acorns) – Makes saving effortless by rounding up spare change.
Gamification & Habit Formation (Duolingo) – Streaks, rewards, and bite-sized lessons make learning fun.
Acorns
Strengths
Passive investing
Round-up savings feature
Weaknesses
Less control over finances
Not educational
Not for active money management
Duolingo (gamification)
Strengths
Engaging streaks
Badges
Bite-sized lessons
Weaknesses
Can feel repetitive
Gamification may lose appeal over time
Common User Complaints & Frustrations
"Too complex, I don’t have time for this." – Many users abandon apps like YNAB because they require too much effort.
"It’s just numbers, I don’t feel motivated." – Traditional budgeting apps lack engaging, goal-driven experiences.
"I don’t know where to start." – Financial apps often assume users already have basic knowledge.
"I don’t see progress." – Users lose motivation when they don’t get small, visible wins.
Market Opportunity: Where Our App Stands Out
Gamified Learning + Budgeting – Combining the habit-forming engagement of Duolingo with the financial tracking power of Mint.
Micro-Actions for Big Impact – Instead of rigid budgeting, the app will encourage small, daily actions that improve financial habits.
Motivation-Driven Design – Progress tracking, rewards, and social features to keep users engaged.
Financial Literacy for Beginners – A no-pressure, approachable way to learn about money without being overwhelmed.
How This Informs the App’s Features
Feature 1: Personalized Learning Paths
Inspired by Duolingo, users unlock new financial skills by completing bite-sized challenges.
Tracks progress like a game to keep users engaged.
Feature 2: Habit-Based Money Management
Instead of full-scale budgeting, users build small habits (e.g., “skip a coffee today = save $5”).
Encourages real-world financial behavior change without spreadsheets.
Feature 3: Social & Gamification Elements
Daily streaks, achievements, and challenges to keep users engaged.
Leaderboards or friend accountability features to encourage saving together.
Feature 4: Smart Spending Insights
Provides easy-to-digest spending breakdowns without overwhelming the user with data.
"Nudges" users toward better choices (e.g., “You’ve spent $50 on takeout this week, try cooking one meal at home!”).
Design Phase – Creating a Gamified Financial Literacy Experience
Information Architecture
Wireframing
User Flows
Design System
In this phase, I transform research insights into tangible design solutions. I create wireframes, develop a design system, and structure the user experience to ensure it's engaging and user-friendly. The goal is to make financial literacy fun and accessible.
Information Architecture & Wireframing
Based on research insights, I structured the app to focus on:
Daily Financial Challenges – Small, achievable tasks (e.g., "Save $5 today").
Visual Budgeting – A simple, interactive UI with card-based spending categories.
Gamification – Streaks, rewards, and leaderboards to encourage engagement.
AI Money Coach – A chatbot that gives personalized financial tips.