Prospective App Design

Guideline

Guideline is a full-service, modern 401(k) that caters towards small businesses and startups. Guideline’s website provides users with an online dashboard to monitor their retirement contributions across 401(k)s and IRAs, and integrates seamlessly with platforms like ADP, Gusto, Intuit, Quickbooks, Rippling, Square, and Zenefits.

As a user of Guideline myself, I was frustrated that I couldn’t easily check my 401(k) contribution status on my phone, or while away from my desktop. As a leader in the 401(k) space, Guideline’s mobile website offers little to no difference for mobile users over their desktop dashboard. Given their clean, user-friendly UX ethos, I view this as a missed opportunity.

the challenge

Create a mobile app experience for Guideline.

the outcome

Process images of the ideation of a Guideline Home Screen and preliminary features. High-fidelity mockups of the Home Screen.

design process:
table of contents

1. Review of Existing Material

2. Prioritization of Features

3. Hand-Sketched Mockup

4. Low- and High-Fidelity Mockups

review of existing material

Guideline's Web Dashboard

existing features

The main features of Guideline's web experience are:

1. Total Retirement Savings

2. Total Semi-Monthly Contribution

3. Tasks and Notifications

4. Recent Transactions

User experience flow

Breaking down the user experience of Guideline shows more of the features that may or may not be prioritized in the Guideline mobile app experience.

hand-sketched mockup

Laying Out Guideline's Bones

In order to ensure that the mobile app is not over-scoped for this short design project, I decided to sketch out the main features on the home page of the web app and leave the additional features for the user profile settings dropdown.

Low & medium fidelity

I began by sketching out the Portfolio Graph, Recurring Contributions, Portfolio Allocations, Notifications, and more.

Medium & high fidelity

Adding in color and detail to the UI, I increased the fidelity of the Guideline mobile app experience.

Large text shows total retirement contribution and recurring contributions at a glance, while less-important information is pushed towards the scroll fold.