LEA: The Sustainable eWallet Solution

LEA, Life-Earth Ally is a public eWallet app with a focus on promoting sustainable finance through spending. Additionally, it serves as an educational platform, raising awareness about the environmental and societal repercussions of financial choices. A personal project that I embarked on during my enrollment in the Vertical Institute UX bootcamp course.

Green Finance is still in its infancy in Singapore, and a significant portion of the population remains unfamiliar with the actionable steps they can take to contribute positively to society and the environment.

I aim to educate users about sustainable finance by developing an all-in-one e-Wallet that incorporates a subtle touch of gamification, allowing them to cultivate their own virtual forest. Beyond simply monitoring transactions, I am harnessing users’ spending behaviors to promote sustainable finance practices. As a reciprocal gesture, LEA will translate users’ activities into real-life tree-planting initiatives. This approach enhances users’ awareness of the environmental impact associated with their financial decisions.

My goal is to craft a mobile app for Tipsy Collective’s gastropubs, with a focus on digital menu display, loyalty programs, user engagement, efficient order management, and data-driven insights.

An interview was conducted with 6 users. The questions are prepared to understand their understanding of green finance and what they think they can do on their part to contribute to their finances daily. The target audience is working professionals between the age of 29 – 45. Below are some of the questions that were being asked:

• Have you used any budgeting apps currently? If yes, how was the experience?

• How much do you know about green finance or sustainable finance?

• Is there any issue with green finance today?

• Are you willing to contribute to sustainable finance with the goal of saving the environment?

• What kind of function do you envision for green finance?

• Would you be interested if we have a feature for e-Wallet that does tracking of your spending and at the same time earns rewards in the cause for a sustainable environment?

These are some of the key responses that emerged from the interviews, highlighting pain points that could potentially inform our solutions.

Following the interview, I developed a persona to outline the user’s profile, goals, and frustrations. This was done to enhance our understanding and empathy towards the users.

Here, I have crafted a “How might we” statement that helps pinpoint the problem, challenges assumptions, and makes it easier to identify the central issue that requires a solution.

Next, I made a site map to show how the app’s information is organized. It helps us see how all the content and pages are connected.

During the initial design phase, I create low-fidelity screens with a primary emphasis on conceptual design. This approach assists me in ensuring that the foundational user experience is well-crafted. By simplifying the UI down to its core elements, it also facilitates the identification of potential usability and functionality issues, particularly those related to the top-up screens.

I also created a moodboard to familiarize us with the desired look and feel, thus laying the ground work for the visual style.

Here I created mid-fi screens to better communicate the design concept effectively without getting bogged down in excessive visual elements. This is to ensure that essential design concepts are conveyed.

Subsequently, I solidified the design style and laid out a comprehensive set of design standards encompassing fonts, colors, icons, and illustrations. This ensures a unified and consistent look and feel throughout the design.

Lastly, presenting high-fidelity screens along with accompanying descriptions.

Researching green finance proved challenging due to its early stage status, especially within the Singapore context. However, I conducted user research to understand perceptions and challenges. Surprisingly, I discovered a strong interest in e-Wallets and gamification. Connecting with users was demanding yet immensely rewarding.

Transitioning to the Figma phase was enjoyable, allowing me to visually present my compiled ideas. While there’s much left to explore, I’m looking to expand this concept. I extend gratitude to the Instructor and peers at Vertical Institute for the opportunity to work on this project.