My Role
As the solo product designer, I was able to work on all stages of the design including: User Research, Sketching, Journey Maps, Low and High Fidelity Designs.
Today, we all love watching movies on Netflix, ordering stuff on Amazon, and jamming to music on Spotify. But here's the thing: these cool services take money from our bank accounts every month or year. It's like a steady drip of payments that can feel a bit too much. Sometimes, we keep paying for services we don't even use anymore. It's like money slipping away quietly.
As the solo product designer, I was able to work on all stages of the design including: User Research, Sketching, Journey Maps, Low and High Fidelity Designs.
So, here's the problem: all these subscriptions can get confusing. Money is regularly disappearing from our accounts, and it's not always clear why or what for. This can make us feel uneasy about our finances, especially when we forget to cancel services we don't use. It's like a puzzle, and sometimes canceling or changing subscriptions can feel like a headache.
Tracking changes in fees for multiple financial subscriptions can be time-consuming.
Often forget what services I'm subscribed to, and unexpected charges surprise me.
It's frustrating when I realize I've been paying for a service I forgot about. Also, the constant stream of emails from different services makes it hard to keep track of everything.
Also want to ensure I'm not overpaying for redundant services
It's tough to keep everything organised, especially with my busy schedule.
One major challenge is juggling between different billing cycles. Sometimes I forget to cancel a service I'm not using much, and the charges add up.
Optimize user spending with actionable insights and a clear financial overview, aligning alternatives with user interests to enhance overall financial efficiency.
Enable informed decisions by providing detailed spending insights and implementing a solution that tracks spending, offering actionable recommendations for optimal financial management.
Simplify financial management for user engagement and introduce features that aid in discovering new services, expanding financial choices.
Optimize payment management with a user-friendly interface, timely reminders, and personalized suggestions for subscription spending.
The double diamond framework was used in this project.
After interview with stakeholder was clearly identified business requirement will serve as foundation for shaping the product.
Busy pros (25-50) juggling subscriptions, want an easy solution. Tech-savvy, value time, seek control over spending. Clear communication is key.
The main competitors are Tilla and Subscrab
Simplify tracking with our app.
Link your bank for personalized insights.
Renew effortlessly and view comprehensive details.
Receive automated reminders and personalized recommendations.
Add subscriptions manually for full control.
Customize your dashboard for a personalized overview.
Manage settings securely with user-friendly features.
Continuous improvement and future scalability for efficient tracking.
Tilla emphasises simplicity and Subcrab offers versatility across devices. Choose based on your preference for simplicity, analytics depth, and platform compatibility.
Freemium
Android
Tilla focuses on simplicity and efficiency in subscription management. With an intuitive interface, users can easily add and track subscriptions, receiving customizable reminders for renewals. The app offers comprehensive insights into payment history, emphasizing user-friendly features.
User-friendly interface for easy subscription management.
Personalized notifications for renewal and upcoming payments.
Detailed payment history and spending analysis.
Freemium
iOS
Android
Android Tablet
iPad
Subcrab prides itself on a platform-agnostic approach, ensuring accessibility across various devices. It offers a streamlined subscription tracking experience with features like payment history and renewal reminders. User feedback highlights its straightforward design and versatility.
Accessibility across various devices and platforms.
Easy subscription management with features like payment history and renewal reminders.
Known for its straightforward design and adaptability.
When conducting in-depth interviews with individuals aged 25 to 50 regarding subscription management apps, it's crucial to gather insights about their needs, preferences, and experiences.
How do you currently manage your subscriptions, both digital and non-digital?
How did you first discover and decide to use a subscription management app?
What specific features do you consider most essential in a subscription management app?
Can you describe a situation where you found a subscription app particularly easy or challenging to use?
How do you track changes or updates in your subscriptions within the app?
What type and frequency of notifications do you prefer for subscription renewals and upcoming payments?
How important is it for you to have detailed financial insights, such as spending trends and patterns, within the app?
Have you encountered any specific challenges or frustrations while using subscription management apps?
Are there any additional functionalities or improvements you would like to see in subscription management apps?
Users prefer subscription apps with intuitive interfaces, customizable features, and detailed financial insights for effective budgeting. Platform versatility is essential, with users valuing accessibility across devices. Automated, customizable notifications are crucial for staying informed about renewals. Positive experiences are linked to apps that simplify the subscription management process, enhancing user satisfaction.
Users express discontent when bombarded with excessive notifications or encountering irrelevant content, leading to dissatisfaction. Poor customer support, complex interfaces, limited customization, and data security concerns contribute to negative experiences, highlighting the importance of addressing these issues for enhanced user satisfaction and app success.
After Conducting preliminary research and formulating hypotheses to gain valuable insights into user expectations, identify the primary challenges they encountered, when interacting with subscription management platforms, I utilised quantitative research method.
Using insights gathered from interviews and surveys, I crafted a profile of the perfect user. This persona served as a valuable guide in identifying optimal solutions, offering a profound comprehension of our objectives and challenges.
Los Angeles, California
Content Creator
Sarah is a tech-savvy and creative individual passionate about producing engaging content for her clients. She juggles multiple subscriptions, including software tools for graphic design and video editing, as well as streaming services for inspiration. She values efficiency and looks for ways to simplify her hectic work schedule.
Manages various subscriptions, frequently updates software tools, and explores new content on streaming platforms for inspiration.
Content Creator
Sarah appreciates subscription management apps that provide clear visualizations of her expenses, sync seamlessly with her bank, and offer timely reminders for subscription renewals. She values simplicity and a user-friendly interface that allows her to focus on creating content without financial worries.
Sarah finds it frustrating when apps lack integration with her preferred software tools or when the reminder notifications are too frequent, disrupting her workflow. Additionally, a cluttered or complex app design is a turn-off for her.
This Customer journey map aims to pinpoint the areas that can be enhanced to improve overall user satisfaction. I defined positive and negative experiences for subscriptions and cancelled subscription.
Steps
Needs
Potential Negative
Solutions
Discovery
Discover a user-friendly app for subscription management.
Limited app options or lack of features relevant to creative professionals.
Develop apps tailored for content creators with integration capabilities.
App Selection
Download an app with an intuitive interface and integration with creative tools.
Difficulty navigating the app or lack of integration with essential creative software.
Design an app with easy navigation and seamless integration.
Initial Usage
Link the bank securely and set up customizable reminders.
Complicated user interface leading to frustration and potential errors in subscription entries.
Implement a secure bank linking process and allow customizable reminders.
Linking Bank Account
Link the bank securely for real-time expense tracking.
Concerns about security or a complicated linking process.
Create a secure and user-friendly bank linking process.
Daily Interaction
Receive clear and relevant reminders for subscriptions.
Frequent or irrelevant notifications disrupting creative workflow.
Optimise notification settings and provide insightful spending data.
Adding New Subscription
Easily add new subscriptions, especially creative tools.
Complicated subscription addition process or lack of flexibility.
Create an intuitive process for adding and categorizing subscriptions.
Positive Experience
Efficient subscription management and a positive user experience.
Significant app glitches or lack of updates impacting positive perception.
Regularly test and refine the app, gather feedback, and communicate updates effectively.
After UX - research, I have enough data to generate hypotheses. There were 10 hypotheses, but I decided to highlight 4 main hypotheses.
I am convinced that simplifying the onboarding process will lead to higher user adoption. If the onboarding process for subscription management apps is made simpler, then more users will adopt the app, as a streamlined setup is likely to attract and retain users.
I am convinced that integrating popular creative tools will significantly enhance user satisfaction among content creators. If subscription management apps seamlessly integrate with widely used creative tools, then users will experience increased satisfaction, leading to higher engagement and positive user experiences.
I am convinced that customisable reminders will reduce user frustration and increase overall satisfaction. If subscription management apps allow users to customise reminder settings according to their preferences, then users will experience less frustration, resulting in higher overall satisfaction and continued app usage.
I am convinced that a user-friendly design correlates with higher app ratings and increased user satisfaction. If subscription management apps prioritize a user-friendly design, then the app's ratings will be higher, and users will be more satisfied, as an intuitive and visually appealing design tends to enhance the overall user experience.
Understanding user flow, you can determine what steps a user needs to take to complete a task, and how to lead them through our content.
Sketches are the first step in the design process. They are used to explore and communicate ideas, and to understand the problem at hand.
The visual design stage is where the look and feel of the app is determined. It is where the app comes to life.
Customized Widgets enables users to personalise their dashboard by selecting and arranging widgets based on their preferences. This feature ensures a tailored and efficient subscription management experience, allowing quick access to relevant information.
Understanding user flow, you can determine what steps a user needs to take to complete a task, and how to lead them through our content.
Understand user behavior visually with heatmap testing. See where users focus on a digital interface for insights into design effectiveness.
Evaluate the overall user experience by mapping users' paths. Identify pain points and improvements in their journey for a better product or service.
