HEARD App
Helping Entrepreneurs Achieve Results and Development
The team and I embarked on a journey to aid Truist Financial in future readiness by crafting a dynamic platform tailored to empower small business owners, driving growth, and attracting a wider clientele base.
Our strategic focus on small businesses stems from the recognition that they constitute a staggering 99.9% of all businesses across the United States (Rowinsky, 2022). By directing our efforts towards supporting and empowering this vast demographic, we aim to make a significant impact on fostering innovation, driving growth, and promoting resilience within local communities.
Problem Statement
How can Truist effectively engage and support entrepreneurs to make more informed decisions about their small businesses quickly and confidently?
Since this is an innovation project, I adopted a 'blue sky' approach while crafting the prototype, prioritizing simplicity and user engagement at every step. By embracing innovating design principles and envisioning possibilities without constraints all while utilizing assets from Truist Design System, the result is an app experience that seamlessly integrates funtionality with intuitive usability, ensuring users remain captivated and fully engaged throughout their interaction.
The Purpose
Providing an easily accessible network of mentorship and education opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs as they receive their funding for their business through Truist.
The primary focus remained steadfast on two key elements:
1. Enabling seamless question-and-answer interactions, fostering knowledge exchange within the community.
2. Integrating a robust networking feature to facilitate meaningful connections among entrepreneurs, enriching their experience and expanding their opportunities for collaboration and growth.
3. Implementing a platform where like- minded entrepreneurs can access a variety of learning resources and have the ability to share theirs.
The Result
The app starts with a smooth transition from Truist to HEARD. User is then prompted to the sign in page which will lead to onboarding. The idea behind selecting a learning style is to reflect user's selection/s with the available learning resources that will be featured in the 'Learning' tab. The interactive design when selecting a learning style adds to the unique and fresh take on the app.
Onboarding users
Since the focus is on learning and growth, choosing skills or areas that users want to explore more is implemented in the onboarding. The selection will then reflect throughout the app through the related questions featured in the homepage, the learning resources added in the 'Learning' tab, and the possible connection with other entrepreneurs that have similar interests.
Foster growth
The app includes a feature dedicated to fostering continuous learning and knowledge expansion, empowering users to explore diverse resources tailored to their interests and needs. Not only can users access an array of educational materials, but they also have the opportunity to contribute to the community by uploading and sharing their own valuable resources, fostering collaborative environment where knowledge flows freely, enriching the experience for all.
Grow your network
Through intuitive features, users can easily discover and connect with like-minded individuals, fostering meaningful relationships and promoting collaboration. Whether sharing insights, seeking advice, or simply engaging in enriching discussions, the design is build to ensure that connecting with fellow entrepreneurs is both accessible and rewarding.
Additional features
Through question upvotes and other interactions within the app, users are evaluated and are able to build their reputation which is reflected in their profile. In the Analytics tab, a breakdown of user's activities throughout the week is featured.
Next steps
After conducting thorough user research utilizing platforms like dScout to assess the functionality of the app, I remain committed to iterative development. Armed with invaluable data and insights gathered directly from users, I plan to refine and enhance the app's feature to ensure that they align seamlessly with user needs and preferences. This iterative approach represents the dedication to delivering an exceptional user experience.
BUTTONS + FEEDBACK
ANIMATIONS
ILLUSTRATIONS
