About
Monety was founded to help people achieve their dreams and improve credit scores.
Challenge
Strict banking requirements and high interest rates push many users toward risky alternatives, limiting financial stability.
Impact
I designed an application with a simple experience to help people, but an early-stage mistake required us to step back and rethink the entire product.
Team
CEO & founders
Me as designer & FE Dev
2 BE Engineers
1 Marketer
My role
Designing a playfull version
Challenge
The primary challenge was that many users, especially those unfamiliar with financial tools, found traditional banking interfaces intimidating. The aim was to create a friendly and less formal app that would encourage users to explore AI-driven microloans while making financial management feel approachable.
Objectives
Engage users who typically avoid financial apps due to their complexity
Use playful design elements to make financial interactions feel simple and accessible
Increase loan requests and user engagement through a casual interface
70%
Found the idea engaging
45%
Felt comfortable trusting a casual app for financial decisions
55%
Where hesitant about accepting loans through a playful interface
What users need?
Also, interviews conducted with over 10 users, aiming to understand their expectations from a friendly tool. User where asked about their comfort with playful language, icons, and colors in a financial context. Insights showed that while users enjoyed casual interactions, they were hesitant about frustrating playful interfaces for serious transactions.
The empathy maps showed that users felt cautious even while enjoying playful designs, indicating the need for a journey that starts fun and gradually becomes more structured, particularly at decision points like loan acceptance.
Creating personas
What were users looking for?
Expected user's journey
The friendly version’s journey map was designed with a clear set of expectations at each stage, aiming to create a smooth, engaging, and ultimately trustworthy user experience for accessing microloans. Here’s how each stage’s expected outcomes aligned with the overall goals.
Wireframing
The initial sketches of the wireframes concentrated on structuring the core screens: onboarding, KYC verification, loan requests, and user dashboards. Each screen was intentionally designed with large buttons, clear icons, and simple prompts to maintain user confidence and ease of navigation.
Hi-Fi design
The hi-fi design aimed to bring a vibrant, user-friendly interface to life, making the borrowing process feel welcoming and easy. Building on the wireframes, the design incorporated bright colors, and a friendly illustrations guiding users through onboarding and KYC verification. The loan request flow featured cheerful visuals balanced with clear terms, while the user dashboard used animated cards alerting the user about he expenses, ensuring users felt both engaged and informed.
Sign up
Login
Transactions
Cash advance
Testing & iteration
Usability testing was conducted with 7 users to gather detailed feedback on the hi-fi design’s functionality, clarity, and overall appeal. Users were observed interacting with the prototype, focusing on key features like onboarding, KYC verification, loan requests, and the user dashboard.
Key findings
• 80% of users described the app as fun and engaging, enjoying the playful elements that made the borrowing process feel less daunting.
• However, 45% of users indicated that the loan request screens needed clearer explanations, particularly in terms of repayment details and interest rates. This led to a revision of the messaging, with more straightforward text and better visual emphasis on terms and conditions.
• Onboarding and KYC steps received positive feedback for their ease of use, with users appreciating the friendly guidance provided by the mascot and animations.
Refinements after testing
• The loan request flow was refined to include clearer language and visual cues to improve user confidence in understanding loan terms.
• Additional tooltips and progress indicators were added throughout the dashboard to enhance clarity and ensure users always understood their current financial status.
User feedback was clear
Playful designs encouraged exploration but lacked trust for financial decisions, leading to a pivot toward a clearer, more professional interface.
Designing a formal version
Based on feedback from the friendly version, it became clear that users desired a more professional, secure, and trust-focused interface. While the playful approach attracted engagement, users felt that financial interactions required a more formal design to establish credibility. The formal version of Monety was created to offer clear, structured financial solutions without sacrificing ease of use.
The challenge
The main challenge was shifting from a playful to a trust-building design without losing engagement. While approachable, the friendly version lacked the professionalism users wanted for financial tasks. The formal version needed to make each interaction feel reliable, secure, and clear, especially during loan approval and KYC verification.
Objectives
Increase user trust by presenting a more structured, professional interface.
Enhance clarity in communication, especially regarding loan terms, repayment schedules, and security measures.
Improve loan acceptance rates by offering a credible design that reassured users at critical decision points.
Maintain ease of use while transitioning to a formal tone, ensuring that users still found the app intuitive and accessible.
Boost user confidence in the loan process by clearly outlining each step, using professional language and transparent visuals.
New findings
After the release of the first version, playful one, a new survey was conducted with 100 people, users and potential users, who were struggling with traditional banking and the new proposal. We want to validate the low adoption rate.
Based on user interviews and surveys, the empathy map revealed users’ thoughts, feelings, and actions throughout the financial process.
It became clear that users desired a more professional, secure, and trust-focused interface. While the playful approach attracted engagement, users felt that financial interactions required a more formal design to establish credibility.
New personas
Now, users were looking for..
New customer's journey
The friendly version’s journey map was designed with a clear set of expectations at each stage, aiming to create a smooth, engaging, and ultimately trustworthy user experience for accessing microloans. Here’s how each stage’s expected outcomes aligned with the overall goals.
Wireframing
The lo-fi wireframes were created to establish a clear, structured design that users would trust:
The wireframes laid out the foundational screens: onboarding, KYC, loan requests, dashboard, and the profile that will include the score and the clarity communication with the user, using a structured layout with straightforward instructions and a professional tone. Users appreciated the clarity and direct communication style during early testing, setting the stage for the hi-fi design phase.
Hi-Fi design
The high-fidelity design aimed to create a trustworthy, professional interface that emphasized transparency:
Onboarding
The onboarding process is designed to be clear, professional, and user-friendly, guiding users step-by-step with clear instructions and visual cues. It emphasizes security while maintaining a straightforward flow, ensuring users feel confident right from the start.
Sign up
The sign-up process provides a secure and seamless experience, integrating Plaid to allow users to easily link their bank accounts. This step-by-step flow ensures clarity and trust, enabling users to quickly connect their accounts and begin managing their finances confidently.
Dashboard
The main view offers a comprehensive overview of the user’s financial behavior, featuring charts of past expenses for easy analysis and upcoming expense predictions powered by AI. It also includes an alerts section, providing real-time updates and tailored loan offers based on user activity, ensuring a proactive financial experience.
Loan request
The loan request screens provide a clear, step-by-step flow where users can select the amount, payday, and purpose of the loan. An optional tip feature allows users to support Monety’s operations (no fees or interest charged). Users can also choose the speed of delivery, offering a personalized and straightforward borrowing experience.
Funding queue
The funding queue offers users a transparent view of their loan request position. The queue prioritizes requests based on the tip amount, with higher tips resulting in better placement. This feature provides clarity and motivation, helping users understand how their request progresses.
KYC
The KYC (Know Your Customer) process ensures security and compliance while maintaining a simple and guided flow. Users are prompted to upload identification, verify personal details, and complete the process confidently, reinforcing trust and safeguarding their financial information.
Monety score
The Monety Score provides users with a clear, real-time assessment of their financial health. It’s always visible, offering transparent feedback on readiness to borrow and personalized tips to improve. The score dynamically updates based on user behavior, guiding them toward better loan eligibility.
