User Research

Questionnaires

Student: Alex Johnson

• Demographics:
• • Age: 15
  • Grade: 10th
• Technology Usage:
  • Uses apps daily for both school and social activities.
  • Mainly uses a smartphone.
• Lunchtime Habits:
  • Decides based on what’s available and personal cravings, doesn’t track spending.
  • Not aware of weekly spending but occasionally runs out of allowance.
• App Engagement:
  • An app with a friendly user interface and reward systems would be most engaging.
  • Yes, gaming elements would make it more fun to use the app regularly.
• Financial Literacy:
  • Has basic knowledge but could definitely learn more, especially about saving.
  • Interested in learning how to budget for both short-term and long-term goals.
• App Usage:
  • Would use the app if it was easy to use and helped me to choose better lunch options.
  • Features like alerts when nearing the budget limit and rewards for staying under budget would be helpful.

Parent: Laura Hernandez

• Demographics:
  • Age: 42
  • Number of children: 2
  • School levels of children: Junior High and High School
• Technology Usage:
  • Very comfortable with financial apps.
  • Primarily uses a smartphone and occasionally a laptop.
• School Lunch Budgeting:
  • Manages budgeting through a combination of cash allowances and monitoring bank statements.
  • Challenges include keeping track of spending and ensuring children make healthy choices.
• App Features:
  • Real-time alerts and spending limits are crucial (Rated 5).
  • Financial tracking is important (Rated 4), while educational content is a bonus (Rated 3).
• Security and Privacy:
  • Data encryption is very important (Rated 5), and two-factor authentication is a must (Rated 5).
  • Primary concern is unauthorized access to the financial details and overspending.
• Feedback:
  • Would appreciate features that suggest healthy and budget-friendly meal options.

User Interviews

Student: Alex Johnson

• Interviewer: Thanks for joining us, Alex. How do you usually manage your money for school lunches?
• Alex: Well, I just use the money my mom gives me. I try to guess if it’s enough for the week. Sometimes I buy more snacks when I should probably save for a full meal.
• Interviewer: What problems do you run into when buying your lunch?
• Alex: It’s easy to lose track of spending. Sometimes I want to buy something extra, but I’m not sure if I can afford it.
• Interviewer: Would you use an app that helps you manage your lunch money? What features would you want?
• Alex: Yeah, I think so. It’d be cool to have an app where I can see how much money I have left and what I can buy. Maybe get rewards if I save some money?
• Interviewer: How important is it for you that the app is easy and fun to use?
• Alex: Super important. If it’s boring or complicated, I probably won’t use it much.
• Interviewer: And how do you feel about an app that would require parental approval for some purchases?
• Alex: I guess it’s okay for bigger things, but I’d want to make most decisions myself. It should let me be responsible for my own budget.

Parent: Laura Hernandez

• Interviewer: Thank you for participating, Laura. Can you describe how you currently manage your children’s school lunch budgets?
• Laura: Sure. I usually give them a weekly allowance, but it’s hard to track what they spend day to day. Sometimes they run out of money before the weekends.
• Interviewer: Have you encountered any particular challenges with this approach?
• Laura: Definitely. There’s no easy way to know if they’re spending on healthy food or just snacks. Plus, I worry about them carrying cash around.
• Interviewer: What features do you think could help you in an app designed for school lunch budgeting?
• Laura: Real-time tracking would be great. Also, something to help me understand their spending habits and maybe even suggest healthier food choices within the budget.
• Interviewer: Are there any security features that you would consider essential in such an app?
• Laura: Oh, absolutely. Strong security is non-negotiable since it’s dealing with money. I’d say some form of two-factor authentication and alerts for unusual activity.
• Interviewer: And finally, how likely are you to use an app like this if it meets your needs?
• Laura: I’d definitely use it. It would make my life easier and I’d feel more involved in their dietary choices.

Field Studies

Student: Alex Johnson

Setting:

• Alex is observed in the school cafeteria during lunchtime, managing his lunch money and making selections.

Behavior Observed:

• Alex seems to make spontaneous choices based on what he sees others eating or what’s easily accessible.
• Alex tends to buy on impulse, grabbing whatever catches his eye or what his friends are having, without pausing to think about how it affects his budget for the rest of the week.
• Alex is curious about his friends’ lunch choices, often asking them how much stuff costs or if they’ve got enough money for certain foods, but not really diving into how they manage their budget.

Insights Gained:

• Alex, like many students, bases his spending decisions on peer influence and immediate visual cues.
• He would benefit from an app that provides immediate balance information and visualizes his spending habits.
• There’s an opportunity to incorporate social features or peer comparisons in the app to leverage the influence of peers in making healthier and budget-wise choices.

Parent: Laura Hernandez

Setting:

• Laura is observed in her home office where she conducts her household budgeting, including the management of her children’s allowances.

Behavior Observed:

• Laura keeps a spreadsheet where she tracks all expenses, including a column for each child’s school expenses.
• She cross-referenced her bank app frequently to check if her children had requested money transfers for their school lunch account.
• Occasionally, she’s seen discussing with her children their lunch choices and advising on healthier options.
• Laura expresses frustration when receipts from her children’s purchases are delayed or when she can’t see the transaction details.

Insights Gained:

• A real-time digital tracking system could alleviate Laura’s frustration with delayed receipts.
• She seeks more transparency in what her children are purchasing.
• There is a potential for an app feature that could recommend healthier lunch options within a set budget.

Analyzing App Reviews

Student Group

App Reviewed: PocketMoney Manager

Positive Reviews:

• Students enjoy the app’s gamified elements, which reward them for staying under budget and making healthy food choices.
• The user interface is often described as “cool” and “fun,” with students liking the use of bright colors and interactive graphs.
• Many students appreciate the autonomy the app provides, allowing them to track their own spending without feeling micromanaged.

Negative Reviews:

• Some students note the app’s performance issues, particularly slow loading times when checking their balance or adding items to their cart.
• A few reviews criticize the lack of a social aspect, as students wish to compare choices or collaborate on savings goals with friends.
• There are requests for more personalized suggestions based on past purchases and budget goals.

Parent Group

App Reviewed: FamilyBudgeter

Positive Reviews:

• Parents appreciate the app’s comprehensive dashboard that provides a clear overview of their children’s spending and budget health.
• The real-time notifications for when children make a purchase are frequently mentioned as a standout feature, allowing for immediate oversight.
• Several reviews praise the app for its educational resources that help parents teach their children about financial responsibility.

Negative Reviews:

• A common complaint is the lack of customization for alerts, with some parents wanting to set thresholds for notifications.
• Some parents find the app’s interface cluttered, making it difficult to navigate and set up features like auto-allowance.
• There are mentions of the app not having an intuitive process for setting up family accounts, which leads to a frustrating initial experience.

Feedback:

• Valued Features and Areas for Improvement: Both parents and students value the app’s functionality and educational aspects, but highlight the need for better usability and more personalized features.
• Divergent User Group Needs: Parents are looking for greater control and easier navigation, while students seek a more social and engaging experience, free from technical issues.
• Guidance for App Development: The insights from these reviews should inform the development of a new app, ensuring it effectively addresses these identified gaps and caters specifically to the needs of both parents and students.

Focus Groups

Student Group

Participants: A diverse group of seven students from local junior high and high schools participate. Their experience with financial responsibility and apps varies.

Discussion Points:

• Current Lunch Spending: Students discuss their current approach to buying lunch, with most admitting they don’t keep track of their spending.
• Desired App Functions: Students are interested in an app that is fast and easy to use. They want to see exactly how much money they have and what they can buy with it.
• Gamification: The idea of earning points or rewards for staying within budget or choosing healthier options is popular among the group.
• Peer Influence: Students highlight the importance of what their friends think and suggest social features, like seeing what others are buying.

Feedback:

• Students want an app that’s quick to navigate; they don’t want to spend a lot of time on their phone during lunch.
• They express the need for a balance between parental control and personal autonomy in their spending.
• The group likes the idea of a visual, interactive budgeting tool that would make financial management more engaging.

In both focus groups, the need for a balance between control and autonomy is emphasized, along with the importance of security and educational components. These insights can help tailor the app’s features to meet the nuanced needs of both parents and students.

Parent Group

Participants: A group of six parents, with children in junior high and high school, are selected. They have varying degrees of familiarity with budgeting apps and mobile technology.

Discussion Points:

• Existing Budgeting Methods: Most parents report using a mix of cash allowances and bank transfers for school lunches, expressing a desire for a more streamlined approach.
• App Features: There’s a consensus that the app should have robust security features. Some parents prioritize ease of use and intuitive design, while others are more concerned about comprehensive tracking and reporting tools.
• Educational Value: Several parents expressed that they would like the app to have features that could help teach their children about budgeting and healthy eating habits.
• Communication: Parents want clear and immediate notifications regarding their children’s spending and the ability to send messages through the app for reminders or instructions.

Feedback:

• The group agrees that an app that reduces the need for cash handling would be beneficial.
• They suggest that the app could include customizable profiles for each child to cater to different ages and maturity levels.
• Parents show interest in a feature that would allow them to see what their children are eating, not just the spending amount.

Social Listening

Student Group:

Platforms Monitored: Instagram, Snapchat stories, TikTok, Student forums

Common Sentiments:

• Students are looking for an app that is quick and easy to use, with minimal disruption to their social and school life.
• They share a keen interest in apps that offer a level of gamification and personal rewards.
• Negative comments about current apps often mention outdated designs or patronizing content that fails to resonate with their lifestyle and preferences.

Specific Comments:

• “Why do all budget apps look like they’re made for adults from the ’90s? Need something that actually feels like it was made this century… #techsavvy #studentlife”
• “Got a budget app so I can manage my lunch money, but it’s sooo slow 🙄. Any good ones out there that don’t crash all the time? #lookingforrecommendations”

Parent Group:

Platforms Monitored: Parenting forums, Facebook groups, Twitter

Common Sentiments:

• Parents on social media are expressing a need for more effective ways to manage their children’s lunch money without resorting to cash.
• There’s a clear desire for tools that not only track spending but also offer insights into nutritional choices.
• Complaints about existing apps often focus on their lack of integration with school systems and their overly complex user interfaces that don’t cater well to busy parents.

Specific Comments:

• “Wish there was an app that let me see what my kid is eating at school instead of just showing me a balance! #parenting #schoollunch”
• “Tried out [App Name] and it’s a nightmare to set up. Need something simpler that doesn’t take a finance degree to understand. #frustrated”

Conclusion: Parents are vocal about wanting a comprehensive yet straightforward app that gives them confidence in their children’s school lunch choices, both financially and nutritionally. Students, on the other hand, show a strong preference for modern, fast, and engaging apps that respect their independence and fit seamlessly into their digital-centric lifestyle. These insights from social listening can be vital in shaping the development of an app that is well-received by both user groups and fills a current gap in the market.

When mapping out the user journey for the student, I identified several crucial screens to include:

When mapping out the user journey for the parent, I identified several crucial screens to include:

Summary of the Journey

The student’s journey is designed to be engaging and educational, with a focus on independent decision-making within the constraints of their budget. The parent’s journey complements this by providing oversight and control mechanisms, ensuring they can support and guide the student’s spending. Both journeys are streamlined for ease of use, with visual cues that guide the user through each step, reinforcing the app’s educational and practical goals.

Student Onboarding

At the onset of their digital journey, students are greeted by the CafeTeria app’s login screen, which bursts with lively hues and dynamic visuals that immediately grab attention and spark interest. This initial interface is thoughtfully designed to be as inviting as it is intuitive, featuring a prominently displayed “Sign in as a Student” button that stands out against the playful backdrop, guiding young users to confidently enter their credentials. This welcoming gateway not only sets the stage for the engaging experience that follows but also subtly reinforces the app’s identity as a friendly and accessible tool for students navigating their meal choices and budgeting.

Student Menu

Upon logging in, students arrive at a welcome screen that prominently displays their daily budget, providing a clear starting point for financial planning. The breakfast menu greets them with a selection of food icons that represent a wide range of options to energize their morning. Moving on, they explore the lunch menu, where appealing choices are presented alongside pricing to maintain budget awareness. For a sweet finish, the dessert menu offers tempting treats, while the premium menu presents special items that may require parental approval due to their cost. Throughout their interaction with the app, integrated budget tracking supports students in making informed choices, combining a practical educational experience with the pleasure of choosing their meals.

Student Cart

Within the cart section, students receive a detailed summary of their meal selections, enabling them to assess and modify their choices before finalizing. If their total exceeds the pre-set budget, the app immediately issues an alert, offering students the choice to adjust their order or seek additional budget approval. When the total cost aligns with their budget, the app provides a confirmation message, acknowledging their savvy budgeting and bolstering their financial decision-making skills. This dynamic feedback system keeps students constantly informed about their spending, fostering an environment where financial literacy and conscientious spending are part of the daily learning experience.

Parent Onboarding

When parents access the CafeTeria app, they’re met with a dedicated login portal, clearly marked “Sign in as a Parent,” which immediately differentiates their user experience from their children’s. They enter their login information on a screen that’s thoughtfully designed with a calming green color scheme, symbolizing the trust and responsibility inherent in their role. This specialized interface underscores the app’s understanding of the different needs and concerns of parents managing their children’s meal plans and budgets. The straightforward login process is quick and secure, respecting the parents’ time and providing a stress-free gateway into the app. Once inside, they step into a user-friendly dashboard where they can effortlessly oversee and adjust their child’s cafeteria transactions, reinforcing the app’s commitment to creating a seamless and trustworthy experience for parents.

Parent Budgeting

Upon entering the dashboard, parents are presented with a clear and concise overview of their child’s current balance and spending trends, allowing for immediate financial insight. Parents have the flexibility to set and modify budgets directly from the dashboard, ensuring they can adapt to their child’s changing nutritional needs and spending habits. This functionality is designed with ease of use in mind, simplifying what could be a complex task into a few straightforward clicks. The dashboard serves as a central hub for financial management, making it effortless for parents to maintain control over their child’s cafeteria expenses.

Parent Settings

Within the app, parents are afforded a comprehensive settings menu that offers full control over their account security, including the ability to update passwords as needed. They can peruse the payment history, which provides a detailed record of past transactions, ensuring transparency and tracking of their child’s spending. The platform also allows for the addition of new payment methods, streamlining the process of funding their child’s account. Furthermore, parents can manage student profiles, making it possible to adjust settings for each child individually. This suite of options is designed to give parents the tools to customize their experience and manage the cafeteria finances of their family with ease and efficiency.

Prototyping

The end result is an app that sports a bright, candy-like aesthetic, likely to captivate the young users who engage with it, inviting them to explore further. Concurrently, the app also resonates with parents aiming to impart budgeting lessons to their children. For the parent interface, I opted for a green palette, symbolizing the primary interaction point for them – money. In contrast, the student interface utilizes blue, a color that communicates stability and maturity. Based on my experience as a parent of teenagers, they yearn for recognition of their growing independence and maturity. Pairing this color with the app’s objective to teach budgeting seems particularly appropriate for a teenage demographic.

Students Onboarding

Student Menu

Student Cart

Parent Onboarding

Parent Budgeting

Parent Settings

Project Takeaways

1. User-Centric Design: A key takeaway from this project is the importance of a user-centric design approach. The interface was crafted with the needs of two distinct user groups in mind: parents and students. By considering their unique perspectives and requirements, the app provides a tailored experience that simplifies budget management for parents while making the food selection process engaging for students.
2. Educational Integration: The project successfully integrates educational elements into the user experience, teaching students about budgeting through real-time feedback on their food choices. This feature not only supports the app’s functionality but also adds value by instilling financial literacy at an early age.
3. Color Psychology and Navigation: The thoughtful use of color psychology across various menu screens enhances navigation and category recognition. The consistency in layout across these screens reinforces user familiarity, reducing cognitive load and streamlining the selection process.
4. Accessible and Inclusive Design: Accessibility features were carefully woven into the app’s design, ensuring that it is inclusive and can be easily used by individuals with diverse abilities. This commitment to inclusivity not only broadens the app’s user base but also reflects a modern approach to app development.
5. Real-time Decision Making: By providing users with immediate budgetary feedback, the app empowers students to make informed decisions on the spot. This real-time decision-making capability is a standout feature that encourages responsible spending habits.
6. Visual Clarity and Feedback: Visual clarity in the presentation of options and immediate feedback on user actions contribute to an intuitive user experience. The design ensures that information hierarchy is maintained, and essential details are not lost in the visual appeal.

In wrapping up this case study, the CafeTeria app stands out as a beacon of innovative design that marries functionality with education. It represents a leap forward in how technology can be harnessed to enrich the daily routines of its users – in this case, the routine of choosing and purchasing school meals. By integrating budget management into the food selection process, the app does more than just streamline transactions; it teaches life skills in a context where they are immediately applicable. The app’s vibrant interface, intuitive navigation, and accessible design come together to create an experience that is as delightful as it is instructive. As the students of today grow into the financially savvy adults of tomorrow, they may well look back at the CafeTeria app as one of their earliest and most practical lessons in financial literacy. This project encapsulates a vision where technology doesn’t just make life easier; it also makes it better.