DoughFlow
A Comprehensive Web-Based App to Deliver Financial Literacy Curriculum
My Role:
UX Designer and Researcher
Methods and Tools:
Competitive Audit, Data Analysis, Information Architecture, Annotated Wireframes, Interactive Prototyping, Usability Testing, Loom, Figma
Video walkthrough of DoughFlow’s features
Background
Addressing Financial Illiteracy Among High School Graduates in the United States
As of Academic School Year (AY) 2023-24 only 25 States in the United States of America required students to complete Financial Literacy in order to graduate.
25:50As a teacher for 20 years and a father of two young adults, I have observed that we are sending young people into the world unprepared for the personal finance challenges that await them. This experience, both as an educator and a parent, motivated me to address this need by developing DoughFlow, an app designed for teachers to deliver financial literacy curriculum in the state of Minnesota, with the hope of expanding its use to other states.
“Will there ever be a day when I wake up and I don’t have to think about money?”
User comment during usability testing
The Problem
Bridging the Financial Literacy Gap: Empowering Teachers with DoughFlow
Currently, young people and their families often bear the burden of learning and teaching personal finance on their own.
Although some banks offer services to help young people learn about personal finance, there remains a significant gap in accessible, comprehensive educational resources designed for high school students.
DoughFlow aims to provide an intuitive, educational platform specifically for teachers to deliver financial literacy curriculum, fulfilling the new graduation requirement and equipping students with essential financial literacy skills. While there is a student side to the app, this project focuses on the teacher's side and the content provided for effective teaching.
Understanding the Users
Empowering Educators: DoughFlow's User-Centric Approach
“Let me know if you need help on this. I’ve needed something like this for years ”
High School Social Studies Teacher
Primary Users
The primary users for DoughFlow are secondary educators in Minnesota who teach or have been tasked with teaching Personal Finance and Financial Literacy. This user group made up 100% of my research participants. Though many do not currently teach financial literacy, their insights into the design and features of DoughFlow were highly valuable.
Secondary Users
Secondary users are students. For this project, I focused on the primary users. Future versions of DoughFlow will necessarily include a student version of the app.
Future Versions
Future versions of DoughFlow will be a comprehensive app that includes all content and functionality for both teachers and students. DoughFlow will also be able to integrate with Learning Management Systems (LMS) so teachers can efficiently report on student learning while using the app.
Research and Methodology
Laying the Groundwork:
A Strategic Approach to Research and Design
To understand the landscape of financial literacy tools and the specific needs of my users, I implemented a comprehensive research strategy. This strategy was essential for informing the design process before creating wireframes or prototypes.
Comparator /Competitive Research: This helped me understand what features existed and where there were opportunities for improvement. I also learned that there is no web-based app for teacher to deliver financial literacy curriculum.
Data Analysis: This analysis provided insights into how users interact with financial literacy tools and what they expect from such platforms.
Desirability Surveys:
To understand what features and content teachers found most meaningful and useful, I gathered some of my most valuable data from educator surveys. I was able to reach out the the Minnesota Council for Economic Education. These responses gave me the confidence to move forward with design that would be teachers would want to use.
There were three features that where clearly the most desirable.
Customizable lesson plans
Interactive activities and quizzes
Access to external resources
Information Architecture:
Developing a structured layout for the app’s content ensured that the information would be organized intuitively. This step laid the foundation for creating a user-friendly interface.
The Design
Research Driven Features and Content
Usability Testing:
Conducting usability tests with the interactive prototype I created in Figma was vital for gathering feedback and refining the design. These tests helped identify any issues and areas for improvement, ensuring the app met user needs effectively.
An Iterative Process
After multiple iterations based on usability test insights, the final design was significantly refined to enhance both functionality and user satisfaction. The updated interface incorporated user feedback, resulting in a more intuitive and seamless experience, aligned with their needs and expectations.
Teachers access features from a straightforward default page that includes basic class information and upcoming assessments.
By clicking the 'Learning Modules' button on the default page, teachers can access all the lessons and their content.
Teachers can see progress through previous units, learn about objectives for the unit and find Customizable Lesson Plans and Interactive Activities .
Teachers can view and review submitted student work, provide feedback, and assign grades from the Default page by clicking 'My Classes’.
Future versions of DoughFlow will integrate with various Learning Management Systems(LMS) so that grades can be recorded and stored efficiently.
To access external resources, a teacher clicks the ‘Teacher Resources’ button.
Teachers can assign videos, gamified activities, vocabulary exercises, and more. These resources can be used as student assignments or integrated into classroom instruction to enhance the daily lesson.
Here’s the presentation I gave about DoughFlow.
Next Steps and Learnings
Path to Enhancing Financial Literacy Education
To build DoughFlow into a fully functioning app that aligns with Minnesota's new graduation requirement for personal finance education, the following steps are essential:
Align the curriculum with state or national standards.
Develop an engaging student-side interface with interactive lessons and quizzes.
Integrate with school management systems for seamless assignment and tracking.
Conduct pilot programs to gather feedback and refine features.
Continuously enhance UX based on feedback.
Seek partnerships and funding to support development and scaling.
Ensure compliance with educational and data privacy laws.
These steps will help DoughFlow become a robust tool for teaching essential financial literacy skills, ultimately preparing students for future success.