Frances Dela Cruz | Portfolio

Problem

Financial management requires both discipline and consistency, yet most financial tools assume users follow a rigid budgeting structure. In reality, people manage their finances in different ways—some prefer structured budgeting systems, while others rely on flexible routines.

Additionally, unpredictable factors such as emergencies or unstable income can disrupt even carefully planned financial goals.

This led to the central design question:

How might we design a financial management solution that supports different types of financial discipline while remaining convenient and resilient to unexpected financial situations?

Research

To better understand how individuals approach financial management, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 participants. The interviews explored how people set financial goals, track their transactions, and adapt their financial habits in everyday life.

Through thematic analysis, three key themes emerged:

Discipline
Convenience
Uncontrollable Variables

These themes revealed that successful financial management is influenced not only by planning, but also by how easily financial behaviors fit into daily routines.

Key Insights

Discipline Exists on a Spectrum

Participants demonstrated different levels of financial discipline. Some relied on structured budgeting methods, while others preferred a more flexible approach.

Goal setting played a significant role in creating structure. Many participants reported that financial goals helped guide their spending decisions and provided a sense of direction for managing their money.

Transaction tracking was also widely considered essential. Most participants believed that consistent tracking was necessary for maintaining financial control and achieving their goals.

However, not all users preferred strict systems. Several participants emphasized that convenience and lifestyle flexibility influenced how closely they followed their financial plans.

These findings suggest that financial tools should adapt to different budgeting styles rather than enforce a single rigid system.

Convenience Determines Whether Users Stay Consistent

Participants frequently mentioned that financial tracking can become difficult to maintain when it requires too much effort.

Many users preferred tools that reduce cognitive load, such as visual progress indicators and simplified financial summaries. Automation, reminders, and intelligent systems were also seen as helpful in reducing the time required to manage finances.

At the same time, accessibility and ease of use were key concerns. Participants expressed interest in financial tools that allow multiple ways to log transactions, enabling them to track expenses in the way that best fits their routine.

Financial Planning Is Affected by Uncontrollable Variables

Even disciplined users face challenges when unexpected situations occur.

Participants frequently mentioned unexpected expenses and income instability as major disruptions to their financial plans. These external factors often forced them to adjust their goals or temporarily abandon financial tracking.

This highlights the importance of designing systems that help users adapt their financial plans when circumstances change.

Design Decisions

Based on the research insights, we identified several design principles that guided the development of the solution.

Support Different Transaction Logging Methods

Users manage transactions in different contexts—online purchases, cash payments, recurring bills, and bulk logging.

To support these differences, the solution includes multiple transaction logging methods, allowing users to record transactions in ways that best match their routine and transaction types.

Use Structured Goal Setting

To provide financial direction while remaining flexible, the system allows users to set and track financial goals using the SMART Goal Framework.

This framework encourages users to create goals that are:

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound

Encourage Continuous Goal Reflection

Financial goals are rarely static. Users often need to adjust their goals when their financial circumstances change.

To support this, the system provides progress feedback and goal re-evaluation prompts, helping users reflect on their financial behavior and stay aligned with their long-term goals.

Key Findings from Evaluation

Routine, Not Automation, Defines Convenience

One of the most important discoveries was that convenience is not always determined by automation.

While semi-automated logging features were designed to reduce effort, some users found them restrictive. In contrast, the manual input feature allowed users to adapt the system to their own habits, particularly for bulk transaction logging.

This revealed that convenience comes from how well a tool integrates into a user's existing routine, rather than how automated it is.

A Motivational Mismatch Can Cause Disengagement

The evaluation also showed that financial features are most effective when they match a user's personal motivation style.

Some users are intrinsically motivated by their financial goals, while others benefit more from external prompts such as reminders.

However, when external controls were introduced to users who were already intrinsically motivated, these features sometimes made the experience feel like a chore.

This finding suggests that a one-size-fits-all motivational design approach is insufficient.

Consistent Logging Is the Foundation for Goal Achievement

Across users, one behavior consistently emerged as the foundation of effective financial management: consistent transaction logging.

Consistent logging provides the reliable data needed to generate insights and support higher-level features such as goal tracking and goal re-evaluation.

When users log transactions regularly, the system can create a feedback loop that connects daily financial habits with long-term goal achievement.

PisoCAKE