Simple
Credit Card Expense
Empowering users with a credit card synced savings pocket.
UX Design
Mobile + Web
Growth Focus
Role
Design Lead
Responsibilities
Discovery, UX Research, Visual Design
Collaborators
Compliance, Product, QA, Engineering
Timeline
10 weeks
Summary
This project was my welcome to Simple, which in many ways was a dream job. While the work around this concept of a Credit Card Expense had been started, it was in need of continued support + v2 iteration. While learning indepth the ins + outs of Simple users I jumped into this unique functionality full steam.
Months later our cross-functional team was delivering the first of its kind Expense, which in Simple parlance was a kind of savings account, attached directly to a third party credit card providing a ‘set it + forget it’ environment providing users the best of both credit + debit.
Goals:
reach 1000 customers to test hypothesis (v1)
increase adoption of Simple Plus
add credit card auto pay from Credit Card Expense (v2)
1000
Target user audience reached for v1 hypothesis validation pool
1
Edge case of 'Statement Gap' that team conquered
Challenges
The Experiment
Simple aimed to launch this Credit Card Expense feature for a first 1000 users in order to evaluate potential impact on user adoption and the value proposition of Simple Plus.
By offering this unique budgeting feature, we hypothesized it would differentiate Simple from competitors and bring value to Simple Plus.
Moreover, this initiative served as an opportunity to explore using expense adoption behaviors as an alternative to traditional credit modeling, potentially assessing if Simple Plus customers using Credit Card Expenses were less likely to default than non-users.
Key insights
Upon release of v1 we learned;
One
Users were having trouble distinguishing between funding the expense + actually paying the card balance.
Two
Confusion also existed around how the credit card was to be paid with expectations focused around it being auto spent from the expense.
Process + Methodology
Strategic Foundation
Armed with the above information from the v1 release, we proceeded to design the needed steps to bring full credit card payment direct from the Expense to life. What we didn't expect was perhaps the highlight of the entire project.
Design Process
Discovery & Architecture: We worked iteratively following the user flow from above as well as the insights gleaned from the v1 release. Mapping out mockups below got us a majority of the way there.
Ideation & Exploration: For further validation we turned to a usability study that I relish employing - a simple but effective way to clarify + communicate where in the flow users are struggling + finding pain points. From there we jumped into solving the biggest issue, that of not just savings the funds to pay the credit card but actually linking + paying the card balance at the users discretion.
"There shouldn't be ANY confusion about how and when it gets paid. Make it super clear."
User CB
Highlight
One edge case we spent a significant amount of time with was that of Statement Gap. This is the period of time on the credit provider's side between the end of the statement period + the actual release of what that balance is. There are numerous reasons for this delay + detailed guidelines in place so it was something meaningful we had to account for.
I took it upon myself to put together a visual (below) for the sake of the team + our executive stakeholders in order to clearly tell the story of how we would handle this in regards to making credit card payments via the Credit Card Expense (copy in red to right).
Outcome
Credit Card Expense v2 was completed on schedule as designed near the end of the year. It was on track to grow Simple Plus adoption in the coming new year. Unfortunately not long after, Simple's parent company was purchased + as a result Simple as an entity was shut down. The feedback (see blow) and mometum was in place to make this a truly special tool for our users + for that I'm disappointed we never got the opportunity to truly run with it. For the record, I'm still not aware of any tool like this to this day.
Business goals
From the beginning our goal was to release to 1000 users in order to gauge both the risk involved with this as well as explore using expense adoption behaviors as an alternative to traditional credit modeling, potentially assessing if Simple Plus customers using Credit Card Expenses were less likely to default than non-users. We achieed this number + it was simply a matter of time to gather the data.
Simple
Credit Card Expense
Empowering users with a credit card synced savings pocket.
UX Design
Mobile + Web
Growth Focus
Role
Design Lead
Responsibilities
Discovery, UX Research, Visual Design
Collaborators
Compliance, Product, QA, Engineering
Timeline
10 weeks
Summary
This project was my welcome to Simple, which in many ways was a dream job. While the work around this concept of a Credit Card Expense had been started, it was in need of continued support + v2 iteration. While learning indepth the ins + outs of Simple users I jumped into this unique functionality full steam.
Months later our cross-functional team was delivering the first of its kind Expense, which in Simple parlance was a kind of savings account, attached directly to a third party credit card providing a ‘set it + forget it’ environment providing users the best of both credit + debit.
Goals:
reach 1000 customers to test hypothesis (v1)
increase adoption of Simple Plus
add credit card auto pay from Credit Card Expense (v2)
1000
Target user audience reached for v1 hypothesis validation pool
1
Edge case of 'Statement Gap' that team conquered
Challenges
The Experiment
Simple aimed to launch this Credit Card Expense feature for a first 1000 users in order to evaluate potential impact on user adoption and the value proposition of Simple Plus.
By offering this unique budgeting feature, we hypothesized it would differentiate Simple from competitors and bring value to Simple Plus.
Moreover, this initiative served as an opportunity to explore using expense adoption behaviors as an alternative to traditional credit modeling, potentially assessing if Simple Plus customers using Credit Card Expenses were less likely to default than non-users.
Key insights
Upon release of v1 we learned;
One
Users were having trouble distinguishing between funding the expense + actually paying the card balance.
Two
Confusion also existed around how the credit card was to be paid with expectations focused around it being auto spent from the expense.
Process + Methodology
Strategic Foundation
Armed with the above information from the v1 release, we proceeded to design the needed steps to bring full credit card payment direct from the Expense to life. What we didn't expect was perhaps the highlight of the entire project.
Design Process
Discovery & Architecture: We worked iteratively following the user flow from above as well as the insights gleaned from the v1 release. Mapping out mockups below got us a majority of the way there.
Ideation & Exploration: For further validation we turned to a usability study that I relish employing - a simple but effective way to clarify + communicate where in the flow users are struggling + finding pain points. From there we jumped into solving the biggest issue, that of not just savings the funds to pay the credit card but actually linking + paying the card balance at the users discretion.
"There shouldn't be ANY confusion about how and when it gets paid. Make it super clear."
User CB
Highlight
One edge case we spent a significant amount of time with was that of Statement Gap. This is the period of time on the credit provider's side between the end of the statement period + the actual release of what that balance is. There are numerous reasons for this delay + detailed guidelines in place so it was something meaningful we had to account for.
I took it upon myself to put together a visual (below) for the sake of the team + our executive stakeholders in order to clearly tell the story of how we would handle this in regards to making credit card payments via the Credit Card Expense (copy in red to right).
Outcome
Credit Card Expense v2 was completed on schedule as designed near the end of the year. It was on track to grow Simple Plus adoption in the coming new year. Unfortunately not long after, Simple's parent company was purchased + as a result Simple as an entity was shut down. The feedback (see blow) and mometum was in place to make this a truly special tool for our users + for that I'm disappointed we never got the opportunity to truly run with it. For the record, I'm still not aware of any tool like this to this day.
Business goals
From the beginning our goal was to release to 1000 users in order to gauge both the risk involved with this as well as explore using expense adoption behaviors as an alternative to traditional credit modeling, potentially assessing if Simple Plus customers using Credit Card Expenses were less likely to default than non-users. We achieed this number + it was simply a matter of time to gather the data.
Simple
Credit Card Expense
Empowering users with a credit card synced savings pocket.
UX Design
Mobile + Web
Growth Focus
Role
Design Lead
Responsibilities
Discovery, UX Research, Visual Design
Collaborators
Compliance, Product, QA, Engineering
Timeline
10 weeks
Summary
This project was my welcome to Simple, which in many ways was a dream job. While the work around this concept of a Credit Card Expense had been started, it was in need of continued support + v2 iteration. While learning indepth the ins + outs of Simple users I jumped into this unique functionality full steam.
Months later our cross-functional team was delivering the first of its kind Expense, which in Simple parlance was a kind of savings account, attached directly to a third party credit card providing a ‘set it + forget it’ environment providing users the best of both credit + debit.
Goals:
reach 1000 customers to test hypothesis (v1)
increase adoption of Simple Plus
add credit card auto pay from Credit Card Expense (v2)
1000
Target user audience reached for v1 hypothesis validation pool
1
Edge case of 'Statement Gap' that team conquered
Challenges
The Experiment
Simple aimed to launch this Credit Card Expense feature for a first 1000 users in order to evaluate potential impact on user adoption and the value proposition of Simple Plus.
By offering this unique budgeting feature, we hypothesized it would differentiate Simple from competitors and bring value to Simple Plus.
Moreover, this initiative served as an opportunity to explore using expense adoption behaviors as an alternative to traditional credit modeling, potentially assessing if Simple Plus customers using Credit Card Expenses were less likely to default than non-users.
Key insights
Upon release of v1 we learned;
One
Users were having trouble distinguishing between funding the expense + actually paying the card balance.
Two
Confusion also existed around how the credit card was to be paid with expectations focused around it being auto spent from the expense.
Process + Methodology
Strategic Foundation
Armed with the above information from the v1 release, we proceeded to design the needed steps to bring full credit card payment direct from the Expense to life. What we didn't expect was perhaps the highlight of the entire project.
Design Process
Discovery & Architecture: We worked iteratively following the user flow from above as well as the insights gleaned from the v1 release. Mapping out mockups below got us a majority of the way there.
Ideation & Exploration: For further validation we turned to a usability study that I relish employing - a simple but effective way to clarify + communicate where in the flow users are struggling + finding pain points. From there we jumped into solving the biggest issue, that of not just savings the funds to pay the credit card but actually linking + paying the card balance at the users discretion.
"There shouldn't be ANY confusion about how and when it gets paid. Make it super clear."
User CB
Highlight
One edge case we spent a significant amount of time with was that of Statement Gap. This is the period of time on the credit provider's side between the end of the statement period + the actual release of what that balance is. There are numerous reasons for this delay + detailed guidelines in place so it was something meaningful we had to account for.
I took it upon myself to put together a visual (below) for the sake of the team + our executive stakeholders in order to clearly tell the story of how we would handle this in regards to making credit card payments via the Credit Card Expense (copy in red to right).
Outcome
Credit Card Expense v2 was completed on schedule as designed near the end of the year. It was on track to grow Simple Plus adoption in the coming new year. Unfortunately not long after, Simple's parent company was purchased + as a result Simple as an entity was shut down. The feedback (see blow) and mometum was in place to make this a truly special tool for our users + for that I'm disappointed we never got the opportunity to truly run with it. For the record, I'm still not aware of any tool like this to this day.
Business goals
From the beginning our goal was to release to 1000 users in order to gauge both the risk involved with this as well as explore using expense adoption behaviors as an alternative to traditional credit modeling, potentially assessing if Simple Plus customers using Credit Card Expenses were less likely to default than non-users. We achieed this number + it was simply a matter of time to gather the data.
M1
Information Architecture
Reimagining the structure of a $6B AUM unicorn.
UX Design
Web + Mobile
Scalable System
Role
Design Lead, Co-Project Lead
Responsibilities
Information Architecture, UX Research, Design System Documentation
Collaborators
C-Suite Stakeholders, PM (multiple), Compliance, Test Eng, Engineering, Design System, Visual Design
Timeline
6 months
Summary
Reimagining the information architecture of M1, "the financial super app", managing over $6B in assets. The original M1 5 year plan was 7 years old + was failing on multiple levels - user, internal + business. Working across the entire organization I collaborated with the CEO/founder to intelligently rebuild the foundation for M1's growth + future success.
Goals:
Enhance user navigation to support growth.
Simplify complex financial data presentation to increase stickiness.
Optimize the overall user experience in the form of expanding the design system with updated components.
*This UX work was done in conjunction with a visual design uplift by the team of Ceasar Gamulja + Ricky Sunay. Mobile work assist by Victoria German.
$3B
AUM growth supported by architecture over following year
+7%
DAU growth over two months
2
New navigation components added to the design system.
Challenges
This high-visibility project came with unique complexities: redesigning M1's information architecture while maintaining user trust and engagement in a traditionally conservative industry, collaborating with the CEO/founder who reached out directly to me to lead this project (adding both opportunity and responsibility to deliver exceptional results), and balancing data-rich content with intuitive design.
Core Design Challenges
Preserving user confidence during a significant architectural shift
Balancing dense financial data with intuitive user experience
Orchestrating tight cross-functional collaboration across multiple teams
Working closely with our Design System Committee to establish scalable patterns and ensure consistent adoption across all platforms
"The app is kind of all over the place."
User MK
Process + Methodology
Strategic Foundation
CEO Brian Barnes and I began by exploring his vision to center M1 around the Business Ledger—a fundamental accounting principle that calculates net worth as the sum of assets and liabilities. This foundational concept provided a robust framework for mapping M1's future product ecosystem and informed every subsequent design decision.
Design Process
My approach followed a systematic methodology:
Discovery & Architecture: Conducted comprehensive site map inventory and information architecture analysis to understand the current state and identify optimization opportunities.
Ideation & Exploration: Generated divergent concept explorations and navigation alternatives, ensuring we considered multiple approaches before converging on the optimal solution.
Validation & Refinement: Progressed from initial concepts through user testing on mockups, iterating based on feedback to validate our design decisions with real user insights.
Delivery & Documentation: Created a comprehensive delivery package including interactive Figma prototypes, detailed Design System documentation, and executive summary materials.
Cross-Organizational Alignment Working closely with my PM partner, I produced a video walkthrough that communicated both the project methodology and outcomes to stakeholders across the organization. This ensured company-wide understanding of the strategic rationale, design decisions, and expected impact.
Outcome
The outcomes of this project were really powerful on many levels. First off, user feedback. Secondly, for the business. Lastly, one that offered a surprise - scalability.
User Feedback
From comments around misleading navigation + wayfinding to the ultimate feedback, especially from a Reddit AMA, of "kudos to your designers".
Business goals
Couple of levels. Big one for the org was always around increasing AUM. In the year following this work the AUM of M1 rose from $6B to over $9B, not entirely attributable to this alone but definitely complimentary to the clearer user understanding. Additionally on the business side we saw a nice bump in DAU over two months post release.
Scalability
We often consider scalability in a growth mind set + understandably so. This project, as one would expect with IA, accounted for + accomplished that as evidenced by my team soon after releasing net new products that easily integrated with the Business Ledger concept as well as the navigation in place. The surprise, + lesser considered element of scalability, is in deprecated products. While unknown at the time of this IA project, the business later had need to deprecate the Checking Account product. That drop was easily accomplished on the UI side with the upgrades in navigation + wayfinding that this team successfully implemented as part of this project. A unique yet fulfilling experience proving the value of long term systems thinking to handle yet unknown vectors.
$3B
AUM growth supported by architecture over following year
+7%
DAU growth over two months
2
New navigation components added to the design system.
The Human-Centered Approach
I saw an opportunity to inject much-needed delight into the user experience. Guided by the principle of "emotional over transactional," I advocated for including motion design—particularly on mobile—to create moments of joy within complex financial workflows. Working alongside tech leads like Patrick McCarron we transformed cold data windows into dynamic experiences creating an interface that serves people first, complexity second.
M1
Information Architecture
Reimagining the structure of a $6B AUM unicorn.
UX Design
Web + Mobile
Scalable System
Role
Design Lead, Co-Project Lead
Responsibilities
Information Architecture, UX Research, Design System Documentation
Collaborators
C-Suite Stakeholders, PM (multiple), Compliance, Test Eng, Engineering, Design System, Visual Design
Timeline
6 months
Summary
Reimagining the information architecture of M1, "the financial super app", managing over $6B in assets. The original M1 5 year plan was 7 years old + was failing on multiple levels - user, internal + business. Working across the entire organization I collaborated with the CEO/founder to intelligently rebuild the foundation for M1's growth + future success.
Goals:
Enhance user navigation to support growth.
Simplify complex financial data presentation to increase stickiness.
Optimize the overall user experience in the form of expanding the design system with updated components.
*This UX work was done in conjunction with a visual design uplift by the team of Ceasar Gamulja + Ricky Sunay. Mobile work assist by Victoria German.
$3B
AUM growth supported by architecture over following year
+7%
DAU growth over two months
2
New navigation components added to the design system.
Challenges
This high-visibility project came with unique complexities: redesigning M1's information architecture while maintaining user trust and engagement in a traditionally conservative industry, collaborating with the CEO/founder who reached out directly to me to lead this project (adding both opportunity and responsibility to deliver exceptional results), and balancing data-rich content with intuitive design.
Core Design Challenges
Preserving user confidence during a significant architectural shift
Balancing dense financial data with intuitive user experience
Orchestrating tight cross-functional collaboration across multiple teams
Working closely with our Design System Committee to establish scalable patterns and ensure consistent adoption across all platforms
"The app is kind of all over the place."
User MK
Process + Methodology
Strategic Foundation
CEO Brian Barnes and I began by exploring his vision to center M1 around the Business Ledger—a fundamental accounting principle that calculates net worth as the sum of assets and liabilities. This foundational concept provided a robust framework for mapping M1's future product ecosystem and informed every subsequent design decision.
Design Process
My approach followed a systematic methodology:
Discovery & Architecture: Conducted comprehensive site map inventory and information architecture analysis to understand the current state and identify optimization opportunities.
Ideation & Exploration: Generated divergent concept explorations and navigation alternatives, ensuring we considered multiple approaches before converging on the optimal solution.
Validation & Refinement: Progressed from initial concepts through user testing on mockups, iterating based on feedback to validate our design decisions with real user insights.
Delivery & Documentation: Created a comprehensive delivery package including interactive Figma prototypes, detailed Design System documentation, and executive summary materials.
Cross-Organizational Alignment Working closely with my PM partner, I produced a video walkthrough that communicated both the project methodology and outcomes to stakeholders across the organization. This ensured company-wide understanding of the strategic rationale, design decisions, and expected impact.
Outcome
The outcomes of this project were really powerful on many levels. First off, user feedback. Secondly, for the business. Lastly, one that offered a surprise - scalability.
User Feedback
From comments around misleading navigation + wayfinding to the ultimate feedback, especially from a Reddit AMA, of "kudos to your designers".
Business goals
Couple of levels. Big one for the org was always around increasing AUM. In the year following this work the AUM of M1 rose from $6B to over $9B, not entirely attributable to this alone but definitely complimentary to the clearer user understanding. Additionally on the business side we saw a nice bump in DAU over two months post release.
Scalability
We often consider scalability in a growth mind set + understandably so. This project, as one would expect with IA, accounted for + accomplished that as evidenced by my team soon after releasing net new products that easily integrated with the Business Ledger concept as well as the navigation in place. The surprise, + lesser considered element of scalability, is in deprecated products. While unknown at the time of this IA project, the business later had need to deprecate the Checking Account product. That drop was easily accomplished on the UI side with the upgrades in navigation + wayfinding that this team successfully implemented as part of this project. A unique yet fulfilling experience proving the value of long term systems thinking to handle yet unknown vectors.
$3B
AUM growth supported by architecture over following year
+7%
DAU growth over two months
2
New navigation components added to the design system.
The Human-Centered Approach
I saw an opportunity to inject much-needed delight into the user experience. Guided by the principle of "emotional over transactional," I advocated for including motion design—particularly on mobile—to create moments of joy within complex financial workflows. Working alongside tech leads like Patrick McCarron we transformed cold data windows into dynamic experiences creating an interface that serves people first, complexity second.
M1
Information Architecture
Reimagining the structure of a $6B AUM unicorn.
UX Design
Web + Mobile
Scalable System
Role
Design Lead, Co-Project Lead
Responsibilities
Information Architecture, UX Research, Design System Documentation
Collaborators
C-Suite Stakeholders, PM (multiple), Compliance, Test Eng, Engineering, Design System, Visual Design
Timeline
6 months
Summary
Reimagining the information architecture of M1, "the financial super app", managing over $6B in assets. The original M1 5 year plan was 7 years old + was failing on multiple levels - user, internal + business. Working across the entire organization I collaborated with the CEO/founder to intelligently rebuild the foundation for M1's growth + future success.
Goals:
Enhance user navigation to support growth.
Simplify complex financial data presentation to increase stickiness.
Optimize the overall user experience in the form of expanding the design system with updated components.
*This UX work was done in conjunction with a visual design uplift by the team of Ceasar Gamulja + Ricky Sunay. Mobile work assist by Victoria German.
$3B
AUM growth supported by architecture over following
year
+7%
DAU growth over two months
2
New navigation components added to the design system.
Challenges
This high-visibility project came with unique complexities: redesigning M1's information architecture while maintaining user trust and engagement in a traditionally conservative industry, collaborating with the CEO/founder who reached out directly to me to lead this project (adding both opportunity and responsibility to deliver exceptional results), and balancing data-rich content with intuitive design.
Core Design Challenges
Preserving user confidence during a significant architectural shift
Balancing dense financial data with intuitive user experience
Orchestrating tight cross-functional collaboration across multiple teams
Working closely with our Design System Committee to establish scalable patterns and ensure consistent adoption across all platforms
"The app is kind of all over the place."
User MK
Process
Strategic Foundation
CEO Brian Barnes and I began by exploring his vision to center M1 around the Business Ledger—a fundamental accounting principle that calculates net worth as the sum of assets and liabilities. This foundational concept provided a robust framework for mapping M1's future product ecosystem and informed every subsequent design decision.
Design Process
My approach followed a systematic methodology:
Discovery & Architecture: Conducted comprehensive site map inventory and information architecture analysis to understand the current state and identify optimization opportunities.
Ideation & Exploration: Generated divergent concept explorations and navigation alternatives, ensuring we considered multiple approaches before converging on the optimal solution.
Validation & Refinement: Progressed from initial concepts through user testing on mockups, iterating based on feedback to validate our design decisions with real user insights.
Delivery & Documentation: Created a comprehensive delivery package including interactive Figma prototypes, detailed Design System documentation, and executive summary materials.
Cross-Organizational Alignment Working closely with my PM partner, I produced a video walkthrough that communicated both the project methodology and outcomes to stakeholders across the organization. This ensured company-wide understanding of the strategic rationale, design decisions, and expected impact.
Outcome
The outcomes of this project were really powerful on many levels. First off, user feedback. Secondly, for the business. Lastly, one that offered a surprise - scalability.
User Feedback
From comments around misleading navigation + wayfinding to the ultimate feedback, especially from a Reddit AMA, of "kudos to your designers".
Business goals
Couple of levels. Big one for the org was always around increasing AUM. In the year following this work the AUM of M1 rose from $6B to over $9B, not entirely attributable to this alone but definitely complimentary to the clearer user understanding. Additionally on the business side we saw a nice bump in DAU over two months post release.
Scalability
We often consider scalability in a growth mind set + understandably so. This project, as one would expect with IA, accounted for + accomplished that as evidenced by my team soon after releasing net new products that easily integrated with the Business Ledger concept as well as the navigation in place. The surprise, + lesser considered element of scalability, is in deprecated products. While unknown at the time of this IA project, the business later had need to deprecate the Checking Account product. That drop was easily accomplished on the UI side with the upgrades in navigation + wayfinding that this team successfully implemented as part of this project. A unique yet fulfilling experience proving the value of long term systems thinking to handle yet unknown vectors.
$3B
AUM growth supported by architecture over following year
+7%
DAU growth over two months
2
New navigation components added to the design system.
The Human-Centered Approach
I saw an opportunity to inject much-needed delight into the user experience. Guided by the principle of "emotional over transactional," I advocated for including motion design—particularly on mobile—to create moments of joy within complex financial workflows. Working alongside tech leads like Patrick McCarron we transformed cold data windows into dynamic experiences creating an interface that serves people first, complexity second.