Progressive Web Application
Quicko is a growth-stage startup in India's tax ecosystem. Quicko's progressive web app redesign project aimed to seamlessly integrate tax planning and filing processes, streamlining navigation for enhanced usability. The revamp successfully increased site engagement, lowered bounce rates, and contributed to a surge in new account creation.
1 Product Manager
1 Developer and
1 Designer
Quicko's primary user is the average Indian taxpayer seeking simplicity in a complex filing process. This core user group includes diverse income sources from salaries to small businesses. The main user persona desires clarity and efficiency in submitting tax returns through Quicko's streamlined digital platform.
For Quicko's progressive web app, the primary user can be any Indian exploring via digital marketing or an affiliate's mobile space.
"Quicko's uniform web structure overwhelms mobile users. The core challenge is addressing the mobile experience's inflexibility and unintuitiveness. The task is redesigning the mobile interface to present extensive tax information without overwhelming users."
As a designer, the most significant challenge is to simplify the extensive tax information needed for filing into an accessible experience. The primary objective is to make tax filing process simpler for all users and improve the mobile interface. Before entering the design phase, I set crucial conditions to define an effective user flow, encompassing:
Streamline mobile structure for intuitive, flexible use that better engages younger audiences.
Consolidate required tax data into interfaces that reduce overwhelm.
Redefine the product hierarchy to seamlessly guide users through filing.
Build trust between users and the platform.
Mobile User Engagement: The current web app structure falls short in adapting to mobile users. Key pain points in mobile accessibility need identification for effective targeting and retention.
Navigation: The app's current shortcomings, particularly its lack of flexibility and intuitiveness on mobile devices, result in a fractured user experience and intricate navigation. Addressing these challenges is crucial for overall usability.
Process Friction: The tax filing process is burdensome and time-consuming. Alleviating the interface's intimidating nature is imperative to ensure users can navigate planning and filing with ease, informed by insights from Quicko's data.
Completion Rate: User return patterns reveal that while buttons may be accessible, the overall complexity of the interface introduces confusion. Implementing strategies to simplify the product is essential for encouraging user completion.
Product Hierarchy: Evaluating the current product hierarchy highlights its impact on user understanding. Opportunities to enhance clarity within the hierarchy must be recognized, guiding users through the process and facilitating completion.
HOME SCREEN
The major change that was introduced in home screen was the action buttons to the main categories in filing and planning both. This was a key accessibility feature. Another addition was a carousel for various major product entities to attract the consumer’s attention.
Before
After
TAX PLANNING
Horizontal Navigational tab bar was introduced in the redesign so as to make all the categories easily accessible to the user, which was a card like structure in the old design. User was also able to add/edit his financial situation very prominently.
Before
After
TAX FILING
In addition to the changes similar to the Tax Planning module, the entire architecture was redefined and divided in different entities. Further entities were classified in different categories as well wherever needed. A clean interface provided the user a clarity of his progress which lacked in the previous version.
Before
After
RESTRUCTURED INTERNAL WORKFLOW
Each category within the Tax filing underwent a consistent nested internal workflow, offering a straightforward process with distinct and prompt options for users to follow seamlessly.
ADDITIONAL SCREENS
These are the other screens that were introduced for the new version, the main addition being the In-app coaching for the user so as to understand the application properly without feeling overwhelmed.
Understand
Understanding the tax structure and requirements of the product
Where and why is the current design not working
What are the constraints in redesigning
Define
What are the main problems to tackle in the mobile experience with also keeping the uniformity with desktop site
Explore & Ideate
Product Architecture
Navigation Pattern and User Flows
Possible Solutions
Feature Hierarchy
Design
Establishing and Structuring Design System
Shaping the experience
Designing the features, user interface and interactions
UNDERSTAND
My initial research focused on understanding India's intricate tax structure and the various entities involved. After developing this foundation, I shifted to identifying limitations in the existing product and gathering research insights to inform the redesign. This two-pronged research approach provided the necessary context on both the tax landscape and specific product issues to address.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
These were the key Design Principles I had established while working on this redesign:
Functionality
Actionable
The design should be easy to interact with and serve its core functionalities.
It should be easy to understand with minimal cognitive load.
It should push users to access more information and inspiring to complete the process.
EXPLORE
I started by working on the product hierarchy and settling on the information architecture. Subsequently, I initiated the ideation phase by envisioning the desired user experience and visual aesthetics. This dual-track approach, combining conceptualizing the look and feel with solidifying the information architecture, allowed me to prioritize features and design the ultimate solution.
Here is my comprehensive exploration of various solutions throughout the process:
DESIGN SYSTEM
Quicko's PWA initially adopted the design system from its desktop version but encountered breakdowns in various areas. Consequently, I re-established a design system specifically tailored for its mobile version.
As an intern, I was thrilled to lead the redesign of a core product component. While daunting at first, it catalyzed immense professional growth.
Researching complex Indian taxes was challenging but connecting with users provided the insights to guide my design.
Cross-functional collaboration was critical. Design can't occur in silos. Aligning diverse teams of engineering, business, and marketing was integral to the process.
The process involved continually adapting and implementing design adjustments based on feedback sessions. Ongoing user testing was crucial to gain empathy and truly understand target users' needs and preferences.
Tailoring adaptive workflows for different users and establishing a unified design language were key accomplishments.
This experience impressed upon me the importance of deeply understanding users, collaborating across teams, responding to feedback, and delivering cohesion. Invaluable lessons to carry forward in my design career.