The Problem Statement
Users find Splitwise’s “Settle Up” and “Expense Entry” features confusing and inefficient, leading to delays and frustration. These usability issues often drive users to look for easier expense-sharing alternatives.
Users find Splitwise’s “Settle Up” and “Expense Entry” features confusing and inefficient, leading to delays and frustration. These usability issues often drive users to look for easier expense-sharing alternatives.
Splitwise is a popular app that helps friends split and track shared expenses, but many users find the “Settle Up” and “Expense Entry” features confusing and hard to use. The unclear workflows and tricky navigation often lead to delays in settling debts and frustration when adding new expenses, pushing some users to seek simpler alternatives.
Splitwise is a popular app that helps friends split and track shared expenses, but many users find the “Settle Up” and “Expense Entry” features confusing and hard to use. The unclear workflows and tricky navigation often lead to delays in settling debts and frustration when adding new expenses, pushing some users to seek simpler alternatives.
Solution
To address this, the idea is to simplify the “Add Expense” flow and redesign the “Settle Up” to be more intuitive and straightforward. By improving overall clarity and creating a more approachable interface, Splitwise can reduce user frustration and make expense sharing feel seamless and stress-free.
To address this, the idea is to simplify the “Add Expense” flow and redesign the “Settle Up” to be more intuitive and straightforward. By improving overall clarity and creating a more approachable interface, Splitwise can reduce user frustration and make expense sharing feel seamless and stress-free.
Making the “adding
new expense” flow
simpler and more understandable
Making the “adding
new expense” flow
simpler and more understandable
Create a clear settle-up experience with less confusion
Create a clear settle-up experience with less confusion
Enhancing overall clarity by creating a user-friendly interface
Enhancing overall clarity by creating a user-friendly interface
Research
Research
We started gathering data by conducting three steps:
We started gathering data by conducting three steps:
Survey
Survey
Interview
Interview
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
What Users Really Think
What Users Really Think
To dig deeper into user difficulties, we conducted a quantitative survey with 26 existing users. The survey included questions covering topics like interest in sharing expenses, frequency of using expense management apps, challenges in splitting shared costs, and preferred methods for receiving app notifications.
To dig deeper into user difficulties, we conducted a quantitative survey with 26 existing users. The survey included questions covering topics like interest in sharing expenses, frequency of using expense management apps, challenges in splitting shared costs, and preferred methods for receiving app notifications.
64%
use the app for adding expenses and settling debts.
use the app for adding expenses and settling debts.
57%
users are not satisfied with the process of adding expenses
users are not satisfied with the process of adding expenses
40%
users are not satisfied with the settlement process.
users are not satisfied with the settlement process.
96%
users still recommend this application, despite criticisms.
users still recommend this application, despite criticisms.
The survey helped us identify broad responses and common issues that the users experienced in the process of sharing, splitting, and settling up expenses.
The survey helped us identify broad responses and common issues that the users experienced in the process of sharing, splitting, and settling up expenses.
In-Depth User Interviews
In-Depth User Interviews
To dive deeper into the problem, we interviewed 6 users who frequently split expenses, rely on Splitwise’s free plan, or have switched to alternative apps. These conversations focused on how they manage shared costs and revealed key frustrations with the “Settle Up” and “Add Expense” flows, helping us uncover the root of their confusion.
To dive deeper into the problem, we interviewed 6 users who frequently split expenses, rely on Splitwise’s free plan, or have switched to alternative apps. These conversations focused on how they manage shared costs and revealed key frustrations with the “Settle Up” and “Add Expense” flows, helping us uncover the root of their confusion.
“It’s nice if it can show how much I owe others by a graph.”
“It’s nice if it can show how much I owe others by a graph.”
“I freaked out when I pushed the settle-up button and I thought I eared everything.”
“I freaked out when I pushed the settle-up button and I thought I eared everything.”
“Working with the app need lots of data entry and is boring.”
“Working with the app need lots of data entry and is boring.”
“Inviting New friends to the app is not easy and straightforward.”
“Inviting New friends to the app is not easy and straightforward.”
What Holds Splitwise Users Back
What Holds Splitwise Users Back
1 – Confusing “Settle Up” Experience
1 – Confusing “Settle Up” Experience
Users often feel lost when trying to settle balances, as the app doesn’t clearly show who owes what, leading to delays and mistakes.
Users often feel lost when trying to settle balances, as the app doesn’t clearly show who owes what, leading to delays and mistakes.
2 – Complicated Expense Entry Process
2 – Complicated Expense Entry Process
Manually entering expenses is time-consuming, and splitting costs unequally can be confusing, especially in larger groups.
Manually entering expenses is time-consuming, and splitting costs unequally can be confusing, especially in larger groups.
3 – Poor First-Time Experience
3 – Poor First-Time Experience
New users struggle with unclear navigation, no onboarding or tutorial, and confusing features like the Friends tab, making the app feel overwhelming from the start.
New users struggle with unclear navigation, no onboarding or tutorial, and confusing features like the Friends tab, making the app feel overwhelming from the start.
4 – Lack of Visual Clarity
4 – Lack of Visual Clarity
The interface is seen as dull and cluttered, with poor use of color, icons, and graphs, making it hard to scan information quickly or stay engaged.
The interface is seen as dull and cluttered, with poor use of color, icons, and graphs, making it hard to scan information quickly or stay engaged.
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
After learning more about our users, we examined Splitwise’s competitors, such as Settle Up, Splittr,Tricount, and Split Bills to identify industry standards and gather insights for improving Splitwise.
After learning more about our users, we examined Splitwise’s competitors, such as Settle Up, Splittr,Tricount, and Split Bills to identify industry standards and gather insights for improving Splitwise.
User Personas
User Personas
We created two personas as representations of our target users which enables us to better understand user needs, behaviors, and goals.
We created two personas as representations of our target users which enables us to better understand user needs, behaviors, and goals.
Empathy Map
Empathy Map
To organize all of the information gathered from the affinity map, we designed an empathy map by writing our findings on sticky notes.
To organize all of the information gathered from the affinity map, we designed an empathy map by writing our findings on sticky notes.
Ideation Method
Ideation Method
Crazy 8
Crazy 8
Brainstorm
Brainstorm
A/B Testing
A/B Testing
We used Crazy 8’s to brainstorm our ideas to address the needs and expectations of users for a shared expenses management app like Spltiwsise. Then we used the dot voting method to narrow down the ideas.
We used Crazy 8’s to brainstorm our ideas to address the needs and expectations of users for a shared expenses management app like Spltiwsise. Then we used the dot voting method to narrow down the ideas.
After reviewing our process and data, we identified that the primary challenges users face are centered around the expense entry and settle-up processes, so we decided to focus on the two main flows to continue our process.
After reviewing our process and data, we identified that the primary challenges users face are centered around the expense entry and settle-up processes, so we decided to focus on the two main flows to continue our process.
Provide a better user flow to add expenses and edit information in each stage
Settling up the shared amount in a better way
Provide a better user flow to add expenses and edit information in each stage
Settling up the shared amount in a better way
Information Architecture and User Flow
Information Architecture and User Flow
After having a clear understanding of what features we wanted to redesign, our team visualized the user's path, starting from the home page to accomplish “Entering a new expense” or “Settling Up” the previous expenses..
After having a clear understanding of what features we wanted to redesign, our team visualized the user's path, starting from the home page to accomplish “Entering a new expense” or “Settling Up” the previous expenses..
“Adding New Expense” User Flow
“Adding New Expense” User Flow
“Settle-up” User Flow
“Settle-up” User Flow
Prototype
Prototype
Test
Test
User Testing
User Testing
We conducted two types of usability testes at this stage including both moderated and unmoderated sessions. For unmoderated testing, we used “Maze” and moderated, we interviewed 5 participants, consisting of both existing users of the app and new users.
We conducted two types of usability testes at this stage including both moderated and unmoderated sessions. For unmoderated testing, we used “Maze” and moderated, we interviewed 5 participants, consisting of both existing users of the app and new users.
Home page (Before)
Home page (Before)
Home page (After)
Home page (After)
Key Learnings
Key Learnings
We realized the significance of user-centric design and prioritized the user's experience at all stages.
Communication within the team is critical for achieving consistency with the project's goals.
Time management is important for the collaborative project since missing task deadlines can have significant effects on others' responsibilities.
We mustn't become too tied to our designs and keep open to improvement.
We realized the significance of user-centric design and prioritized the user's experience at all stages.
Communication within the team is critical for achieving consistency with the project's goals.
Time management is important for the collaborative project since missing task deadlines can have significant effects on others' responsibilities.
We mustn't become too tied to our designs and keep open to improvement.
Next Steps
Next Steps
Redesigning other important pages, such as the activity and payment features, to improve usability and simplify workflows.
Add new payment alternatives to allow people more freedom in controlling their spending.
Implement improved user interface and visual enhancements throughout the app to increase aesthetics and usefulness.
AI assistant gives users individualized help and support.
Redesigning other important pages, such as the activity and payment features, to improve usability and simplify workflows.
Add new payment alternatives to allow people more freedom in controlling their spending.
Implement improved user interface and visual enhancements throughout the app to increase aesthetics and usefulness.
AI assistant gives users individualized help and support.
