Introduction

Value Proposition:

Budget Buddies enables you to spend with confidence.

Description:

Budget Buddies is an app enabling you to spend with confidence. People have a vision of their ideal financial future, but have trouble mapping their way there. Budget Buddies helps you feel great about your financial decisions and enables you to achieve what matters most.

Team members

  • Gaby G.

    Investor at Bessemer Venture Partners and Symbolic Systems student

  • Glynnis M.

    Stanford MBA and Computer Science M.S. candidate

  • Pierce L.

    Computer Science B.S. candidate, Iranian Studies minor

Needfinding

Our first step was to interview as many potential users
as possible, spanning occupations, age groups and other factors. This helped
uncover their wants, needs, and perceptions surrounding finances.

POVs and Experience Prototypes

Subsequently, we built a prototype of our application's flow to further understand
the financial requirements and points-of-view of our user base.

Concept Video

We developed this prototype into a concept video, pitching the basic idea
behind our proposed application. The concept is comprised of three tasks, which carry over to our final design: setting a long-term budgeting plan; comparing spending with others; and planning to achieve your desired future.
"Plans" are centered around categories, like Dining and Clothing, while "Goals" are centered
around major milestones like building a college fund and buying a car.

Low-Fidelity Prototype and Test

We then created an initial prototype using the drawing tool Excalidraw. Subsequently, users tested the prototype and provided feedback on our low-fidelity design.

Medium-Fidelity Prototype and Test

We then created a medium-fidelity prototype using Figma, utilizing a virtual phone screen
to better and more realistically plan and replicate the user experience. This prototype was
evaluated by classmates for usability and other metrics.

Group Heuristic Evaluation

We obtained feedback on our prototype from classmates, who utilized Nielsen's
heuristic evaluation techniques to evaluate our project for errors. Findings were incorporated
into the High-Fidelity Prototype.

High-Fidelity Prototype

We then created a High-Fidelity Prototype which brought our prior designs to fruition as
a fully-functional React Native app. The app allows users to execute all three tasks,
enabling them to set goals, manage spending and plan their financial future.

Prototype Images

Poster and Pitch Slide Deck

Finally, we presented our project and pitched it at the CS 147 Project Fair on Friday, March 19th.
We were happy to help people take control of their spending and accordingly, their financial future.