Lessons from Digit: Learning to Save?

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PRODUCT ANALYSIS: DIGIT Vanessa Gennarelli Instructional Designer @mozzadrella mozzadrella.me

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OK, with this product I will become a SAVER. Who doesn’t want to be a saver? But my Spidey-sense is tingling… what’s going on under the hood? Is this app trying to tell me “Let-us-do-the-hard-Calculus- homework-for-you-don’t- worry-your-pretty-head- about-it?” Kinda seems that way.

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Hi cutie. Not super-clear these are buttons, but what they hay, let’s sign up.

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So I’ll need a checking account…that would be good to know in the app store copy, which kind of made Digit seem like a bank. (Which it kinda is, because Digit is opening an account for you in this ﬂow). OK, it’s Blue Time! Whoah gang. We went from ﬂirty winking Digit to stern Bank icon, without any visual cueing of how the app will interact with “Bank.”

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These icons aren’t telling us a whole lot—ok there’s a bank…and the savings get bigger… Maybe make this a *happy account* that is bursting at its seams.

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At this point, I’m worried about security and safety—this visual cue doesn’t put that at ease at all…

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But the copy kind of does…maybe use a security or ease-of-use icon instead. Easy access to funds == safe, legit business. At this point, I’m worried about security and safety—this visual cue doesn’t put that at ease at all…

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OK, now White Time! Not sure what that signiﬁes, but geez, sure is clean!

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Glad there was some education on what to expect with Bank before account creation— that’s nicely done.

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However, password- creation is one of the trickiest pieces of FinTech onboarding, and there’s a missed opportunity here to educate the consumer on why that’s important. Glad there was some education on what to expect with Bank before account creation— that’s nicely done.

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Two-step veriﬁcation makes me think the app is going to communicate with me primarily via email….

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How are we going to communicate, Digit? Pretty sure you’re gonna use # to send me notiﬁcations…

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But ok, you can have it, you cutie Digit ;) How are we going to communicate, Digit? Pretty sure you’re gonna use # to send me notiﬁcations…

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Scary! I know what ACH is and I’m still a little freaked out. The copy should should say that this will allow us to transfer money to and from bank (using ACH rails). Unclear what the state relationship is between the six-digit code above and the “Verify Your Number” button here.

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ACH enables push and pull transactions between accounts. ACH is a system owned by banks that lets them talk to each other. But while we’re here…

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For a good overview, check out Chapter 4 in Payments Systems in the US by Carol Coye Benson. They are the rails behind US FinTech services PayPal and Venmo. ACH is slow (several days) aiming for same- day settlement, but aren’t quite there yet. ACH enables push and pull transactions between accounts. ACH is a system owned by banks that lets them talk to each other. But while we’re here…

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But let’s keep this party rollin’…. And look, we’re blue!

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Where’s Digit? I kinda miss that cutie…

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Large, familiar icons, easily clickable… OK—I’m beginning to feel like Digit knows what it’s doing and is connected with legit banks.

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Maybe pull this step up in the ﬂow to give newbies a familiar context, instead of generic Gloomy Bank… Large, familiar icons, easily clickable… OK—I’m beginning to feel like Digit knows what it’s doing and is connected with legit banks.

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But now Dark Gray Time. Dark Gray Time is serious time… Wish I knew what to expect down here so I don’t feel so freaked out about giving you my info.

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O.M.G.

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Secure connections…. O.M.G.

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Secure connections…. are so hard…. O.M.G.

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Secure connections…. are so hard…. let us give you this freaky spinning maze to show you how much… O.M.G.

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PHEW!

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PHEW! “I’ve started..” Who is speaking to me? Is it the omniscient Digit? Rut-roh.

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PHEW! “I’ve started..” Who is speaking to me? Is it the omniscient Digit? Rut-roh. Thanks, but I’m going to want to use your product and understand its value before I tell my pals. No hard feelings?

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AHHHHHH! WUT. IS. THIS?????? All this blank space!!! What is supposed to be here?

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AHHHHHH! WUT. IS. THIS?????? Do you want me to send these commands INTO THE VOID!?!? All this blank space!!! What is supposed to be here?

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Ohhh, is this like an IFFFT to make formulas or recipes between Digit and my bank accounts? A little ghosted demo of what WILL be here when my account is connected WOULD BE GREAT.

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OK let’s play around a little bit… I COMMAND my savings to save $2.00

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Makes sense and is actually a pretty neat experience. Needs some modeling though so users don’t send commands INTO THE VOID!

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Hmmm, what does FUN do? Let’s try “Liftoff” Makes sense and is actually a pretty neat experience. Needs some modeling though so users don’t send commands INTO THE VOID!

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WTF?

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OK, let’s try “Dope” WTF?

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Huh.

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Things Digit could have done to increase comprehension and recall:

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Things Digit could have done to increase comprehension and recall: First 10 days: What people with similar savings patterns have saved.

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Things Digit could have done to increase comprehension and recall: First 10 days: What people with similar savings patterns have saved. Coveted things: what people spend their digit savings on.

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Things Digit could have done to increase comprehension and recall: First 10 days: What people with similar savings patterns have saved. Coveted things: what people spend their digit savings on. Assess what kind of saver I think I am vs. what I actually am—you have all my bank data, after all.

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Instead, zebra costume. Huh.

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It’s cute, but now it’s making me suspicious of the whole enterprise. I should feel secure, conﬁdent, and any sense of trust should be built with features over time. Now I’m like “WTF is this Zebra doing with my money?” Instead, zebra costume. Huh.

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And the drip email campaign starts.

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Relatively straightforward. Wish this was properly explained in the email, but I understand wanting to maintain current docs on the site.

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But meanwhile in my text messages…

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Digit, you’re back! To remind me of my balance, thanks! But meanwhile in my text messages…

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…and you have Disney gifs and Chinese philosophy? Digit, you’re back! To remind me of my balance, thanks! But meanwhile in my text messages…

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Awww, semi-forced attempts at multiculturalism!

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While I really like the reminders…. they expose users to seeing their balance regularly…

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There’s too much magic here, not enough relevance or motivation. What does someone who saves $50 a month eventually become? Put another way, why I am I doing this? While I really like the reminders…. they expose users to seeing their balance regularly…

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If Mint will teach me how to be in charge of my future…

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And Acorns will teach me how to grow wealth… If Mint will teach me how to be in charge of my future…

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What does Digit help me do in the future? And Acorns will teach me how to grow wealth… If Mint will teach me how to be in charge of my future…

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I would recommend bringing out the silly only when your customer experiences a success or reaches the next win. Otherwise it’s disorienting and I’m learning that everything around money is a “dope” joke. And saving money is hard, it takes some effort.

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At least as much as 15-20 seconds of “Authentication-maze- Dark Gray Serious-Time.” And saving money is hard, it takes some effort.

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THANKS DIGIT! Vanessa Gennarelli Instructional Designer @mozzadrella mozzadrella.me