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Kikoff

Kikoff

Improving Financial Feature Usability
Improving Financial Feature Usability

Industry

Fin-tech

Role

Usability Test

Duration

Jan 2025 - Mar 2025

Team

3 Product Designers

What is Kikoff?

Kikoff is a financial app designed to help users build and improve their credit through simple, low-cost plans and tools like Credit Builder Loans, Rent Reporting, and Dispute Resolution.

Kikoff is a financial app designed to help users build and improve their credit through simple, low-cost plans and tools like Credit Builder Loans, Rent Reporting, and Dispute Resolution.

During the pandemic, small businesses in Vietnam struggled to transition online. Existing e-commerce platforms lacked a focus on handcrafted and customized products. Sellers faced issues with customer engagement, pricing, and logistics.

Kikoff wanted to expand its market to university students who are new to credit building.
Our goal was to identify any pain points and suggest improvements to boost user retention.

During the pandemic, small businesses in Vietnam struggled to transition online. Existing e-commerce platforms lacked a focus on handcrafted and customized products. Sellers faced issues with customer engagement, pricing, and logistics.

METHODS
Process

  • Conducted usability tests with 7 target users (students 18–24)

  • We wanted to get feedback from diverse group of student, undergrad, grad, international, local, and various majors.

  • Observed task completion around onboarding, plan selection, and feature discovery

  • Collected qualitative feedback through interviews and post-test surveys

Test Execution

  • Format: In-person, moderated testing 

(30-40’ per session).

  • Devices Used: Mobile phone with the Kikoff Figma prototype.

  • Facilitation: One team member led the session, while another took notes.

  • Participants were encouraged to think out loud, sharing what felt easy, confusing, or unexpected.

Research Questions
Question 1

How easy is the sign-up and plan selection process?

Question 1

How easy is the sign-up and plan selection process?

Question 1

How easy is the sign-up and plan selection process?

Question 2


Do users understand how Kikoff feature works and find the tools helpful?

Question 2
Do users understand how Kikoff feature works and find the tools helpful?
Question 3


What influences user trust and willingness to continue using Kikoff long-term?

Question 3
What influences user trust and willingness to continue using Kikoff long-term?
ANALYZING DATA

After collecting data, we organized findings in a FigJam board, categorizing and ranking issues by severity to prioritize key usability and trust concerns.

Severity Level

Severity Level

  • L 1: Unusable – prevents completion of a task

  • L 2: Severe – creates significant delay & frustration

  • L 3: Moderate – has a minor effect on usability

  • L 4: Irritant – minor issue, suggests future improvement

  • L 1: Unusable – prevents completion of a task

  • L 2: Severe – creates significant delay & frustration

  • L 3: Moderate – has a minor effect on usability

  • L 4: Irritant – minor issue, suggests future improvement

FINDINGS
Many student felt the onboarding process was too long and unnecessary.
Many student felt the onboarding process was too long and unnecessary.
Many student felt the onboarding process was too long and unnecessary.
The educational content felt lengthy and unengaging, causing drop-off before reaching the core features.
The educational content felt lengthy and unengaging, causing drop-off before reaching the core features.
The educational content felt lengthy and unengaging, causing drop-off before reaching the core features.
However, once they reach the main feature, they were able to complete tasks quickly and find them very useful,
However, once they reach the main feature, they were able to complete tasks quickly and find them very useful,
However, once they reach the main feature, they were able to complete tasks quickly and find them very useful,
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Student’s Financial Goals Align with Kikoff
Student’s Goals Align with Kikoff
Student’s Financial Goals Align with Kikoff

6 of the 7 participants’ financial goals were to build their credit score in preparation for a future house or car loan.

6 of the 7 participants’ financial goals were to build their credit score in preparation for a future house or car loan.

Kikoff aligns with college students' financial goals, making it a potential market with business opportunities.

Kikoff aligns with college students' financial goals, making it a potential market with business opportunities.

Onboarding is Overwhelming
Onboarding is Overwhelming

Onboarding is long and unclear, users find it frustrated and just skip it. However, when they get to the main 3 main features 100% of tasks were successful.

Onboarding is long and unclear, users find it frustrated and just skip it. However, when they get to the main 3 main features 100% of tasks were successful.

Simplify the onboarding process and enhance the educational content with engaging visuals, like videos and images.

Simplify the onboarding process and enhance the educational content with engaging visuals, like videos and images.

Price Is Not The Main Factor, Trust Is
Price Is Not The Main Factor, Trust Is

After completing all tasks, many participants said they enjoyed the experience. 4 out of 7 were willing to choose a higher plan once they understood the benefits.

After completing all tasks, many participants said they enjoyed the experience. 4 out of 7 were willing to choose a higher plan once they understood the benefits.

Clearly explain all features and build trust before plan selection. Students are willing to pay if they understand and trust Kikoff’s offerings.

Clearly explain all features and build trust before plan selection. Students are willing to pay if they understand and trust Kikoff’s offerings.

Great features, but hard to find
Great features, but hard to find

Users' top two favorite features are Dispute and Rent Reporting (time-saving and straightforward), but they only noticed them after we asked them to test.

Users' top two favorite features are Dispute and Rent Reporting (time-saving and straightforward), but they only noticed them after we asked them to test.

Make these two features more prominent and consider highlighting them during onboarding and plan selection process to ensure users are aware of them.

Make these two features more prominent and consider highlighting them during onboarding and plan selection process to ensure users are aware of them.

Need To Expand Participant Diversity
Need To Expand Participant Diversity

Participants who willing to reveal their credit score have generally high credit scores: 4/7 students have scores above 740, while others mention they are financially stable.

Participants who willing to reveal their credit score have generally high credit scores: 4/7 students have scores above 740, while others mention they are financially stable.

Suggest to conduct usability tests at diverse schools, including community colleges and private university, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the nationwide college student financial needs.

Suggest to conduct usability tests at diverse schools, including community colleges and private university, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the nationwide college student financial needs.

Conduct usability tests at diverse schools, including community colleges and private university for broader insights.

REFLECTION

  • We successfully tested with diverse UW students, but future tests should include community college and private university students for broader insights.

  • Participants needed more time to understand Kikoff’s flow and features, suggesting fewer and clearer scenarios would improve testing clarity.

  • Some navigation issues were caused by the Figma prototype; testing with the live app next time would yield more accurate results.

WANT THE FULL STORY?

Check out the Presentation Deck!

Wanna collaborate? Let's Chat!

I am currently looking for a team where I can take part, learn from, and become a better designer (/human).

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© 2025 Kim Au Le

Wanna collaborate? Let's Chat!

I am currently looking for a team where I can take part, learn from, and become a better designer (/human).

Let's Chat!

© 2025 Kim Au Le

Wanna collaborate?
Let's Chat!
I am currently looking for a team where I can take part, learn from, and become a better designer (/human).

Let's Chat!

© 2025 Kim Au Le

Wanna collaborate? Let's Chat!

I am currently looking for a team where I can take part, learn from, and become a better designer (/human).

Let's Chat!

© 2025 Kim Au Le