mayo · fintech mobile app · 2024
Redefining ‘mine’ and ‘ours’ in couple’s finances for friction-free, confident decisions
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Challenge
Money talks are awkward, especially when spending habits don’t align. For dual-income, no-kids couples who aren’t quite “all in” financially but also aren’t fully separate, the lack of a fair, easy way to manage expenses often leads to friction.
The Goal
Even after nine years together, managing money as a couple wasn’t always easy. I found many others were in the same boat. I wanted to ease the tension and make managing 'ours' simple, without either of us giving up the comfort of 'mine.'
My Approach
I designed Mayo to make manage personal and shared expenses friction-free. By bridging the gap between 'mine' and 'ours,' Mayo provides clarity without compromising autonomy—helping couples focus on each other, not just the money.
THE SOLUTION
The MVP
The result is an intuitive, visually engaging app designed for dual-income-no-kids couples. In a market filled with overly technical financial tools, Mayo simplifies money management—making financial clarity accessible, even for those who aren’t deeply engaged with finance.
How did we get here? Read on.
origin story
The Why
Money has always felt personal to me. After nearly a decade in a relationship, ‘mine’ and ‘yours’ naturally became ‘ours’—but not without its challenges. I realized many couples faced the same struggles. How do you find balance when two people have different goals, habits, and instincts around money? That question stuck with me, and I wanted to find a way to make it easier.
Here's how I did it.
my PROCESS
1
discover
Desk Research
Screener Surveys
User Interviews
3
develop
Card Sort
Red Routes
User Flows
2
Define
User Persona
How Might We
User Stories
4
Deliver
Wireframe
Prototype
Usability Tests
research
Identifying The Problem
Merging finances can help couples but may spark conflict over values and spending, risking personal autonomy.
Desk Research
🏠
80% of couples moved in together primarily due to financial reasons.
80% of couples moved in together primarily due to financial reasons.
⚖️
Differences in spending and uncoordinated purchases are common conflict sources.
Differences in spending and uncoordinated purchases are common conflict sources.
🙅♀️
64% of couples report being financially incompatible with their partner.
64% of couples report being financially incompatible with their partner.
Competitor Analysis
Few financial apps support household budget sharing. YNAB is the most established, Origin offers the best UX, and Honeydue focuses on shared finances, but there’s room for more inclusive, user-friendly solutions.
“Dual income, no kids” couples
struggle the most
Identifying The Right Audience
Dual-income-no-kids couples' finances are more linked than in casual relationships, but they’re still navigating how to manage fluctuating personal and shared expenses together.
Testing Assumptions
Insights from user interviews revealed a key need I hadn't initially considered. This challenged my assumptions and prompted me to revise my original hypothesis.
initital hypothesis
Differences in financial values and spending habits sparked friction for couples.
Differences in financial values and spending habits sparked friction for couples.
→
Hypothesis pivot
Conflicts stem from unclear shared finances, leading to lower sense of control.
Conflicts stem from unclear shared finances, leading to lower sense of control.
User Personas & Core Needs
🎚️
Control & Verification
Control & Verification
“I use spreadsheets because I trust trust own accuracy, and I control when information is updated.”
“I use spreadsheets because I trust trust own accuracy, and I control when information is updated.”
⏱️
Reducing Time Spent
Reducing Time Spent
“Manual entry is time consuming. If there was an easier but accurate alternative, I’d switch today.”
“Manual entry is time consuming. If there was an easier but accurate alternative, I’d switch today.”
🔍
Context > Granular Details
Context > Granular Details
“I want to verify info, but what I really want is to get an overview of where my money is going”
“I want to verify info, but what I really want is to get an overview of where my money is going”
Ideation
I identified key themes to guide the MVP and focused on differentiating features. A style guide and user flows ensured consistency, leading to iterative design refinements.
End Result
Shared and personal accounts in one place
Transparency into personal and shared accounts, gives users a clear view of their assets and liabilities.
Control what's shared
Users can customize what financial info is shared with their partner, ensuring control and autonomy.
Reliably organize transactions, with ease
Spreadsheet-level control without the manual effort, saving time while maintaining reliability.
Actionable insight for confident decision-making
insights through summaries and visuals, empowering couples to collaborate and make informed decisions together.
Easier collaboration
Chat feature enhances communication, helping couples stay connected and equally involved in managing finances.
Shared and personal accounts in one place
Transparency into personal and shared accounts, gives users a clear view of their assets and liabilities.
Control what's shared
Users can customize what financial info is shared with their partner, ensuring control and autonomy.
Reliably organize transactions, with ease
Spreadsheet-level control without the manual effort, saving time while maintaining reliability.
Actionable insight for confident decision-making
insights through summaries and visuals, empowering couples to collaborate and make informed decisions together.
Easier collaboration
Chat feature enhances communication, helping couples stay connected and equally involved in managing finances.
reflections & takeaways
01 — Progressive disclosure
For newcomers to financial apps, I would have liked to explore an option to gradually reveal information in to ease overwhelm.
02 — Embracing limitations
I used my lack of technical skills as a strength to develop simpler, user-focused solutions, leveraging gaps in knowledge as learning opportunities.
03 — Finding my own process
Adapting the design thinking process to fit my understanding of the problem, rather than following it linearly, proved beneficial.
👋 Thanks for stopping by. Here's more of me and my work.
👋 Thanks for stopping by.
sarthak12garg@gmail.com
👋 Thanks for stopping by.
sarthak12garg@gmail.com
👋 Thanks for stopping by. Here's more of me and my work.