The document describes a proposed mobile app called Scrappy Cash created by UNT students to help incoming freshmen access financial resources and services offered by the university more easily. Scrappy Cash would integrate information about students' majors, housing, meal plans, loans, scholarships, and more. It would allow students to search and bookmark financial opportunities, access email and profiles, view a glossary of terms and FAQs, and pay bills. Interviews with students suggested the current financial information and processes are disorganized and confusing. The app aims to improve communication through a more visual and centralized platform.

1. Scrappy Cash

2. S C R A P P Y
C A S H
UNT’s
An app created by
Brianna Glass, Kristen Sadlier,
Matt Rivas, & Taylor Crisler
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3. Table of Contents
Student Guide
04/26/16
Server: Scrappy
Page #
Universtiy of North Texas 1155 Union Circle,
Denton, TX 76203. 940-565-2000
Welcome to UNT!
Concept
Functions
Visuals
Interviews
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At UNT, students experience a barrier
between themselves and the financial re-
sources and services offered on campus.We
created Scrappy Cash, a financial-oriented
app, to remove the communication barrier
by a visual solution.The Scrappy Cash app
will be introduced at orientations for UNT
freshmen. A tutorial will introduce financial
terms, financial processes, app functionality,
and the website.
Scrappy Cash is designed to meet the
versatile needs of UNT freshmen.Therefore,
a Scrappy Cash account will give students
access to up-to-date information related to
their major, residential living, meal plan,
FLEX status, and active loan, scholarship,
or work study applications. It will include
access to the Eagle Network, MyUNT, and
EagleConnect. Scrappy Cash will serve as
a database for how much money a student
needs, wants, and has.
Concept
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4. Functions
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To open an account with Scrappy Cash, incoming
students will sign-in into the app with their EUID.
Five sections anchor Scrappy Cash:
Search & Bookmark – The Eagle
Network will link with this section. Loans,
scholarships, and work study opportunities
can be found in this section. After brows-
ing, students may bookmark opportunities
to be applied for on a larger device.The
templates will be available only by web-
site, as many actions related to the applica-
tion process are not mobile-friendly, such
like a scholarship essay.
Mail – A student can connect to their
email account through EagleConnect.This
eliminates the complication of multi-ap-
plication browsing on a compact cellular
device.
Profile – The profile will include infor-
mation on the registered student. Notifica-
tions will appear on this page as students
save or favorite a loan, scholarship, or
work study opportunity. A calendar will
highlight due dates. Below the calendar,
a checklist will communicate the steps
needed to progress.
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Functions
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Glossary & FAQ – In this section, stu-
dents can locate information regarding
financial terms and answers questions.
Pay Portal – The Pay Portal will allow
students to monitor and pay electronically
to their schooling, housing, and dining/
FLEX balances and fees by card.There will
be an option to store card(s) details; there-
fore, security is necessary for the safety of
Scrappy Cash.
Each section will include the numbers and
locations of the financial offices at UNT that
correspond. A search and share option will
be present in each section.The share op-
tion will allow students to share access of
important financial information to a parent
or legal guardian.

5. Interviews
Brianna
Matt
Taylor
Kristen
Memos
Instead of asking questions, I showed my visual sketches to freshmen, designers, and friends
and asked for feedback. As my sketches developed after each interview, Scrappy Cash
evolved into a potentially user-friendly and visually appealing app, which is excellent, be-
cause financial graphics cease to be aesthetically pleasing.
From the subjects I interviewed, I learned about the differences between departmental, in-
stitutional, and external funding for scholarships.This process provided keen insight into the
most effective way to find each of these scholarships, the kinds of misconceptions freshman
have about them, and how their deadlines and requirements can vary based on discipline.
It also reaffirmed my hunch that an organization based on a chosen discipline, such as the
Society for Professional Journalists, is often seen as a hub where those who want to award
scholarships look to find worthy candidates. For example, Professor Mark Donald is on the
Mayborn scholarship committee, and is heavily involved in the SPJ. Finally, TG’s Adventures
in Education taught me about running an ergonomic scholarship database,which really really
drove home for me what an adverse effect poorly designed websites can have on incoming
freshmen, especially those that charge for their services!
Our goal was to create a medium that would improve communication and accessibility for
UNT freshmen students to the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office. The initial goal was main-
tained throughout development.We wanted a platform that was interactive,such as a website;
however,we discovered that an app would better connect and fulfill the needs of the students.
While interviewing,I was exposed to methods ensuring a user-friendly application by design
and type. I listened to the experiences and concerns of our target audience. As a team, we
discussed these factors and applied changes to our product. For example, we decided that
the app should integrate all UNT matters – UNT Housing & UNT Dining Services included. If
this concept was to be actualized, it is important to listen to the targeted audience, because
the usability of the app would certainly be dependent on the user’s experience.Would Scrap-
py Cash improve communication and accessibility for UNT freshman students to financial
resources on campus? Yes, I think the app would move connection forward.
After conducting 4 interviews, and carrying out extensive research on the student loan pro-
cess – I’ve learned that the students are greatly lacking necessary resources needed to make
the complex loan process easier.Even if students file for bankruptcy after college,their loans
still need to be paid off whether the loan is subsidized, unsubsidized, or private.
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Interviews Quotes
I like the design of the app, it’s illustrative and funky!
In this case, function over form is important. But the form should still be
evocative and interesting.
We encourage students to resist attempting something they aren’t com-
fortable with. A student can start by developing three essays. Once
you’ve had to write one, tweak them as you go.The challenge with using
a database like fastweb is that it’s driven by advertisement and not disci-
pline. It’s more functional and time efficient to search by discipline.
The communication between the Financial Aid & Scholarship Office and
freshman students could be a lot better.When I go to the office for ques-
tions, to gain better understanding, there is an assumption that I should
know certain things prior. In most cases, I don’t, so I am more confused
when I leave then when I got there.
I would have everything in one place. It’s too hectic having to get on 4 or
5 different websites. I would have one designated place for everything
and I would make it way more user friendly than it is now. The system
they have is all over the place. And when youre dealing with money, es-
pecially student loans, you’d figure that they would perfect that.
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Meredith White
Kenny Fallis
Lisa N. Goodwin
LaPorcha Wilson
Andrew Campbell

6. 6
Interviews
Thesis
We think that a visual solution will improve communications between incoming
students and the Financial Aid offices.
History
The University of North Texas offers limited financial aid resources and services
that are not effectively reaching incoming freshman. The resources offered to stu-
dents include the UNT Financial Aid & Scholarship Office, Student Accounting and
University Cashiering Services, and the UNT Student Money Management Center.
The services offered to students include in-person counseling,scholarships,short-
term loans, installment plans, Hazlewood Act, student employment, accommoda-
tions for people with disabilities, and UNT textbook price comparison. Outside of
UNT, students are required to complete online counseling through the U.S. Depart-
ment of Education’s Federal Student Aid.
Future
In the future,we want to see UNT Financial Aid & Scholarship Office actively devel-
oping their communication with students. As a UNT student, unless you are seek-
ing, you will not find the information.We think to remove the current communica-
tion barrier a visible visual solution is necessary.
Visuals
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Gallery of a few people we interviewed.
Sanjuan Banda Bobby Klingen Smith
Emily Cayas
Louise GomezLaPorcha WilsonFernando Devora

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Visuals
A site map of Scrappy Cash
UNT
Scrappy
Cash
UNT EUID
Sign In
Menu Bar
Mail
(Compose/Share)
EagleConnect
Inbox,
Outbox,
Sent, &
Drafts
Search
Engine
Search All
Search
Loans
Search
Scholarships
Search
Work
Study
Eagle
Network
Profile
(Phoro/Name/Major/
Classification/Share/
Checklist Meter)
Notification
Tab History Favorites Checklist
Glossary/
FAQ
Pay Portal
(Calculator)
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Visuals
The next pages will present
sketches of Scrappy Cash.

8. 10
Visuals
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Visuals

9. 12
VisualsDigital sketches of Scrappy Cash.
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Visuals