
Savings Goals
Helping users build financial stability with simple savings goals—resulting in a 10% increase in monthly active users
— Company
Branch
— Timeline
4 months
— Tools Used
Figma
Google Forms
— Project Background
While working at Branch, I noticed a gap in our product: there was no integrated way for users to set aside money.
Partner research from Uber revealed that many drivers — especially 1099 and gig workers — wanted a way to save without friction. They needed flexibility to move money in and out freely, since savings often doubled as an emergency fund.
— The Goal
We designed a simple, user-friendly savings experience by offering a dedicated savings balance, penalty-free transfers, and customizable savings goals. The primary goal was to empower users to easily set aside funds, creating a more stable financial experience. The solution focused on simplicity and user-friendliness, with a separate savings balance, flexible transfers with no penalties, and the ability to set savings goals.
How might we help Branch users build financial stability with a savings feature that feels flexible, intuitive, and empowering?
My Role as the Product Designer
As the sole designer on this project, I led the end-to-end design process, with a strong focus on user needs and feature prioritization. My contributions included:
Partnered with Product, Engineering, and Uber’s research team
Defined the MVP based on user needs, technical feasibility, and speed to market
Designed the core flows, UI components, and visual patterns
Worked closely with engineering through delivery to ensure design intent
Mvp Features
📤 Manual Transfers – Save at your own pace, no lock-in
🏦 Dedicated Savings Balance – Funds feel “set aside” without being inaccessible
🎯 Simple Goal Creation – Name your goal, set a target, and track with a progress bar
design approach
We focused on creating a clean, mobile-first experience:
Savings landing page showing balance and clear “Save Funds” action
Lightweight goal setup in 2–3 steps
Progress bar to visualize progress without feeling punitive
Seamless, no-fee transfers in and out of savings
challenges
Balancing simplicity with flexibility
Preventing negative balance issues
Working within wallet technical constraints
Tradeoffs
Delayed automation & multiple goals to focus on a fast, usable MVP
Added withdrawal rules to protect users without blocking valid use
Collaborated closely with backend to adapt flows to existing architecture
impact
In the first 4 weeks:
40% of users who tapped “Save Funds” created a goal
41% of those contributed funds
49% set a specific target amount
+10% monthly active users
–8% withdrawals from the primary account
Reflection
This project reinforced the value of:
Designing for trust, clarity, and flexibility in financial tools
Partnering effectively across organizations (Branch + Uber)
Shipping an MVP with measurable impact while setting the stage for future enhancements
Future Enhancements
🪙 Multiple concurrent goals
💳 Round-up savings from card purchases
📊 Detailed analytics for contributions vs. withdrawals