1. SPOT a “Student Loan Finder” app
Gavin Johns - Product Designer
Presentation created for Plaid.
View more work at gvnjhns.com .
2. PROMPT Student Load Finder
There are many ways in which potential students can attain
financial aide for their academic pursuits yet there is no simple
means for which they can discover, evaluate, and opt-in to their
various options. Design an experience where students can easily
find potential loan providers, calculate their costs, and take the
next step in applying for their loan.
Provide a high-level flow and wireframes or a high-fidelity mockup/prototype
for at least one step of the experience. You’re also welcome to do both.
3. “Spot me a student loan.”
- future brain surgeon
4. PROCESS - 8 hours spent
1. Problem definition
2. User Profile / Principles
3. Job to be done
4. Task Flow / Assumptions
5. Sketching
6. Wires
7. Next Steps
5. PROBLEM DEFINITION
Financial options:
1. Federal student loans
2. Private student loans
3. Grants
4. Scholarships
5. Jobs
Type of user:
1. New student
2. Existing student
3. Grad student
4. Parent
There are many types of financial options and users we can consider. Let’s reduce scope:
7. USER PROFILE
Uses for
Convenience
• Saves 10% of income every month.
• Unsure which student loan is best for her situation.
• About to take on a busy 18 hr course load.
• Spends 3 hrs/mo working on her budget & paying bills.
• 80% of her friends receive financial help from parents.
• Plans to study abroad in a few years.
8. PRINCIPLES
Effortless - New students are busy. Paying for
school quickly and easily is of primary importance.
Personalized - Everyone’s situation is different.
Choosing the right loan should be based on
current needs and future goals.
9. JOB TO BE DONE
When I need a student loan for school,
I want to easily figure out what the
absolute best option is for me, so I can
feel financially empowered and save time.
SITUATION
MOTIVATION
OUTCOME
10. SITUATION MOTIVATION OUTCOME
AWARENESS DISCOVERY EVALUATION OPT-IN SATISFACTION
Accepted to college &
need money to go
Open Spot, and
signup / login
View matched loans
View loan details Apply for loan
Fill out loan specific info
Submit application
Confirmation Loan approval process
$$$
Build profile View profile
11. SITUATION MOTIVATION OUTCOME
AWARENESS DISCOVERY EVALUATION OPT-IN SATISFACTION
Accepted to college &
need money to go
Open Spot, and
signup / login
View matched loans
View loan details Apply for loan
Fill out loan specific info
Submit application
Confirmation Loan approval process
$$$
Build profile View profile
REDUCE
SCOPE
12. ASSUMPTIONS
Loan Preferences - We can successfully suggest
loan combinations based on a short dynamic form.
Opting in - Starting the loan application flow can
be done within the Spot app.
13. SKETCHING
First I drilled into the
persona and started
writing more Tasks
that could be
incorporated in the
the Task Flow.
18. SITUATION MOTIVATION OUTCOME
AWARENESS DISCOVERY EVALUATION OPT-IN SATISFACTION
Accepted to college &
need money to go
Open Spot, and
signup / login
View matched loans
View loan details Apply for loan
Fill out loan specific info
Submit application
Confirmation Loan approval process
$$$
Build profile View profile
REDUCE
SCOPE
20. ONBOARDING
Basic introduction to the app
and explains how to use it.
Takes you to “Build profile” to
answer questions and signup.
21. BUILD PROFILE
Nontechnical question that can
help build preference & profile
“Continue” is disabled until the
question is answered.
Progress indicators
The goal is to ascertain current
financial situation and future
payment goals in as few questions as
possible. If a student has FAFSA,
for example, they will likely answer
less questions because they can link
their account.
Always have an option to skip if
you don’t know the answer.
Other question formats
23. PROFILE
Edit profile. Allow users to go back
and amend answers if they don’t
agree with the preferences.
High level overview of loan
preferences based on questions
answered / financial background.
The goal is to give context for the
next step in viewing matched loans.
24. ALL LOANS
Show other options that might
work, but not recommended. It’s
important to see the
recommendation in context.
Recommended loan option (sticky)
Apply directly from this screen
25. DETAILS
Basic loan overview
HIGHISH
FIDELITY
Detail dropdown for specific loans
Combined summary
Many students might need multiple
types of loans per semester. The
detail view allows users to dig into
the specifics of each loan and see
explanations of why we recommend
combining them.
26. CONFIRMATION
Loan overview & confirmation
Next steps depending on lenders
Opportunity to share this easy
process with friends!
27. NEXT STEPS
Other “Jobs to be done”
1. Track loans throughout college
2. Payment planner
3. Apply in app
4. Grants, scholarships, jobs?
5. Graduate students
6. Parents
Other considerations
1. Prove assumptions
2. Other principles?
3. Is mobile the best platform?
28. fin. lemme here those
questions!
thank you!
@gmailgavinpjohns
