Integrate Splitwise with Zelle
As the Lead UX Designer, I spearheaded this project from ideation to final implementation. My responsibilities included conducting user research, designing the user flow, creating wireframes and prototypes, and leading usability testing.
My Role
Duration
4 weeks
Team
Project Manager
Scrum master
Business Analyst
UX Designer / Researcher
Final Design
-Conducted User Interviews
-Usability Testing
-Design Iteration
-Redesigned the solution
Accounts
Pay & Transfer
Plan & Track
Investments
Choose a bank account
Pay
Good Morning
December 13, 2024
Send | Zelle
Pay Bills
+
Deposit Checks
CHASE COLLEGE (..2185) >
CHASE COLLEGE (..9822) >
$800.88
$1800.10
Bank accounts
Choose a contact to send
S
A
J
G
P
Sharan
Alvina
John
Gavin
Paul
Enter amount
$66.20
What is Splitwise ?
User-friendly app specifically designed to streamline the task of splitting expenses among friends, roommates, or colleagues.
Users can effortlessly create groups, record expenses, and automatically calculate each person's fair share.
This app ensures complete transparency and convenience in dividing bills, enabling everyone involved to stay updated on their financial obligations.
What is Zelle?
Zelle is a digital payment network widely used in the United States.
It enables users to send and receive money quickly and securely through participating banks and financial institutions.
Currently Splitwise offers users to pay using
Pay
Why is it important to intergrate Zelle with Splitwise?
Security and Trust
Zelle is a secure payment platform backed by major banks, providing users with confidence in the safety of their financial transactions. Integrating it with Splitwise can enhance the overall trustworthiness of the expense-sharing process.
Convenience
Zelle is commonly used for peer-to-peer payments, allowing users to send money quickly and easily. If integrated with Splitwise, users might find it more convenient to settle their debts directly through Zelle without having to switch between different apps.
1
2
User Experience
A seamless integration between Zelle and Splitwise could enhance the overall user experience by providing a cohesive platform for both expense tracking and payment settlement.
3
Improved Accuracy
Direct integration could reduce the chances of discrepancies between recorded expenses in Splitwise and the actual payments made through Zelle, ensuring accuracy in financial records.
4
User Pain Points: Through initial research, we identified several pain points:
Inconvenience: Users had to switch between apps to make payments after splitting expenses, leading to friction and a fragmented experience.
Confusion: Tracking which payments had been made and which were still outstanding was difficult, leading to possible misunderstandings or missed payments.
Delay in Settlement: Current options for payment within Splitwise, such as PayPal or Venmo, didn’t always offer instant transfers, causing delays.
Problem Statement
My friends and I are always frustrated by how inconvenient it is to switch between Zelle and Splitwise when we need to settle up. It’s a hassle having to use two different apps just to pay what’s owed. Our target audience would much rather have both functionalities combined into one seamless experience.
To validate our problem statement we conducted survey through Google Forms with 150 regular Splitwise users and received a 100 responses revealed that 67% of users preferred a payment method that could be initiated directly from within the app.
Additionally, 45% mentioned experiencing delays in payment settlement, which affected their overall satisfaction with the app. Interviews highlighted that users valued the security and speed of Zelle but found it cumbersome to use outside of the app for Splitwise transactions.
Google survey form we sent out to 150 people
Let’s start with conducting research to see what our current users want?
Our responses from the Google form as follows
Demographics: 34, Software Engineer, lives in San Francisco.
User Personas
Alice, the Group Organizer
John, the Tech-Savvy Professional
Needs: John prefers using the latest tech for payments and values instant transfers. He uses Zelle frequently for personal transactions.
Pain Points: Finds it inconvenient to manually enter payment details in Zelle after calculating amounts in Splitwise.
Demographics: 28, Marketing Manager, lives in New York City.
Needs: Alice regularly organizes group events and trips and uses Splitwise to manage shared expenses. She prefers quick settlements and clear tracking of who has paid.
Pain Points: Switching between apps to request payments and tracking unpaid debts manually.
Ideation and Design Process
To address the identified pain points, the team conducted multiple brainstorming sessions. We considered various payment methods, but prioritized Zelle due to its widespread adoption, trustworthiness, and real-time payment capabilities.
Brainstorming Solutions
Testing Plan
We selected a diverse group of 10 participants, including both frequent Splitwise users and new users, to get a broad range of feedback. Participants were also chosen based on their familiarity with Zelle.
Participants were asked to complete a series of tasks using the new Zelle integration, such as splitting a bill and paying a friend through Zelle. These scenarios were designed to reflect real-world usage.
The tasks included selecting Zelle as a payment method, entering payment details, and completing the transaction.
Below are the 2 design variations we asked users to test and provide feedback
User sees how much he owes a person
Closes Splitwise to open Zelle application to pay $66.20
User selects contact and selects bank account from which he wants the amount to be debited
Proceeds to pay
Accounts
Pay & Transfer
Plan & Track
Investments
Choose a bank account
Pay
Good Morning
December 13, 2024
Send | Zelle
Pay Bills
+
Deposit Checks
CHASE COLLEGE (..2185) >
CHASE COLLEGE (..9822) >
$800.88
$1800.10
Bank accounts
Choose a contact to send
S
A
J
G
P
Sharan
Alvina
John
Gavin
Paul
Enter amount
$66.20
Design 1
1
2
3
4
Design 2
Settle Up
You owe Paul $56.34
Choose a payment method
Pay Via Zelle
Pay Via Apple Pay
Pay Via Debit/Credit Card
Record Cash Payment
Settle Up
P
S
Settle Up
Who do you want to settle up with?
You owe
Paul Falls
$
56.34
paulfalls@gmail.com
You owe
Jane
$
500
janejohns@gmail.com
P
J
Good Morning
December 13, 2024
Send | Zelle
Pay Bills
+
Deposit Checks
Summary
You owe Paul $56.34 on Splitwise
Pay $56.34
Accounts
Pay & Transfer
Plan & Track
Investments
CHASE COLLEGE (..2185) >
CHASE COLLEGE (..9822) >
$800.88
$1800.10
Bank accounts
Pay
1
2
3
Test Results
“Very convenient, much needed feature”
Design 1
Design 2
What the users wrote
What the users wrote
“I did not have to switch apps even once, everything was done in the span of few minutes”
70% of our users preferred “Design 2” increasing in user satisfaction
“Not a great user experience since I had to close app and shift to Zelle to make payment.”
“ I forgot the exact amount I owe the person when I opened Zelle to pay. I had to switch back to confirm the amount”
Impacts of the Case Study
Increased Transactions: Implementing Design 2 will likely enhance user retention among loyal Splitwise users, as Zelle provides a convenient payment option. This could result in more frequent transactions and increased app usage, thereby boosting engagement metrics.
Simplified Payments: Integrating Zelle with Splitwise simplifies the payment process by eliminating the need to switch between multiple apps, creating a smoother and more efficient user experience. This was confirmed by 70% of participants during our testing phase involving 10 users.
The case study demonstrates the potential for significant user experience improvements, increased market differentiation, and business growth through the Zelle integration with Splitwise.
However, to fully realize these benefits, it’s important to focus on user education, continuous feedback, security and performance optimization. Addressing these areas will help ensure the integration is successful and well-received by users.
Conclusion
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