Pearl
Card-driven saving, insightful, strategic, collectible
Role
Sole Product Designer
Timeline
3 weeks (responsive web, end-to-end)
Tools
Figma · Adobe CC
Project
CareerFoundry Money-saving tool brief
Challenge
Create a platform that teaches money saving strategies based on spending habits.
Target
Goal-oriented young adults who abandon finance apps when charts and data feel abstract.
Solution
A card-driven savings app that surfaces a user’s biggest spending drain, delivers personalized strategies, and keeps them coming back with collectible cards tied to each goal.
Instant spending clarity
Each tester identified their top cost driver in < 15 s
Playful, not painful
All 5 testers said Pearl’s card system made saving more engaging than other finance apps
Art that pulls you back
4 / 5 said they’d return just to collect new cards and enjoy the illustrations.
n = 5 usability participants
The gap
Usability reviews showed most finance apps swamp users with jargon, charts and long forms. 57 % abandoned budgeting setups, and none of the competitors wrapped saving, spending and strategy into one cohesive flow.
Yes
43%
No
57%
Completed In-App Budgeting Setups
Three pivotal moves
Goal Cards
Turned abstract targets into collectible milestones → gave users a reason to log in weekly.
Challenge Cards
Translated spending pain-points into bite-sized “boss fights” → users instantly knew where to cut.
Strategy Cards
Contextual tips auto-linked to challenges → slashed cognitive load and doubled repeat-use intent.
Sprint
Focus
Outcome
1
Landscape & user stories
Key pain points mapped
2
Paper & low-fid card decks
Validated card metaphor
3
Mid-fid mobile test - 5 testers
Task success hit 80 %
4
Hi-fid + desktop hand-off
Task success climbed to 86 %, brand + UI locked.
Learnings
Money ≠ one-number
Card metaphor let users feel progress, not just see stats
Hierarchy drives navigation
Re-ordering text + icons cut nav time in half
Next up
Add recurring-goal variations & streak badges to keep long-term motivation high
Ready to turn complex problems into simple, human-centered experiences?
© 2025 by IvanAtlas