A conceptual design project — a financial literacy app that helps people understand budgeting, manage debt, and build healthy money habits through paycheck-by-paycheck guidance across Saudi Arabia, Canada, and the US.
69% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. Only 57% of adults are financially literate. Atlas meets people where they are — turning each paycheck into a clear, educational roadmap toward financial stability.
69% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, and only 57% of adults worldwide are financially literate. The average American carries $17,700 in non-mortgage debt — yet most people were never taught how to budget, manage debt, or plan their finances. Existing budgeting apps assume users already understand money concepts, creating a barrier for the people who need help the most.
People struggling with money face five core challenges: lack of financial education (never taught budgeting in school), debt overwhelm (don't know where to start paying off multiple debts), income variability (irregular income from gig work, freelancing, or commission), no emergency cushion (one unexpected expense spirals into more debt), and tool complexity (existing apps are built for people who already understand finance).
No existing app teaches financial literacy while simultaneously helping users budget. None treat each paycheck as a distinct planning event. None combine envelope budgeting + debt snowball/avalanche education + mortgage planning in one guided experience. Atlas fills this critical gap by educating and empowering at the same time.
| Feature | YNAB | EveryDollar | Goodbudget | Atlas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paycheck-centric planning | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Income scenario routes | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Envelope budgeting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Debt snowball & avalanche | — | Snowball only | — | ✓ |
| Mortgage acceleration | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Built-in financial education | Blog only | General | — | ✓ In-app lessons |
Research into debt psychology revealed that the Snowball method (smallest debt first) creates motivational quick wins and higher completion rates, while the Avalanche method (highest interest first) saves an average of $2,400 in interest. Atlas defaults to Snowball but educates users on both — teaching the "why" behind each strategy so users can make informed choices.
The proposed Phase 1 would span 8 weeks of intensive discovery: 30 user interviews across 3 markets (US, Canada, Saudi Arabia), 500 survey responses, 15 diary studies tracking real financial behavior over 2 weeks, 10 contextual inquiries observing paycheck allocation in real-time, and a competitive audit of 18 apps. Initial survey research has validated the core problem space and informed the persona development below.
Preliminary surveys targeted people across the financial literacy spectrum: 30% living paycheck-to-paycheck with no budget, 25% who have tried budgeting apps but gave up, 20% with irregular/gig income, 15% carrying debt they don't know how to pay off, and 10% wanting to learn money management for the first time. Findings informed the following conceptual personas.
Survey data and secondary research revealed five primary personas, each representing a distinct relationship with money and financial knowledge:
The research uncovered three core design principles that would guide every decision: Clarity Over Complexity (no financial jargon), Empowerment Not Judgment (positive reinforcement, no shame), and Flexible Structure (adapts to income reality).
Atlas would require alignment across 8 internal and 5 external stakeholder groups — from executive leadership setting strategic direction to financial educators validating content. The stakeholder map centers on Atlas itself, with all groups organized by proximity to the product.
The proposed Atlas development would follow a rigorous 52-week, 7-phase cycle with measurable gates at each transition. Phases would overlap strategically — usability testing running parallel with early development sprints to maximize efficiency while maintaining design quality.
The design phase would produce a comprehensive design system with 100+ components, a full visual identity, and 120+ high-fidelity mockups across all breakpoints. The system is built around five brand attributes: Confident, Empowering, Clear, Warm, and Trustworthy.
The proposed three rounds of usability testing (45 total sessions) would validate the design. Based on survey feedback and initial prototype testing, we project a target SUS score of 75+ (industry benchmark: 68). Survey respondents indicated 87% satisfaction with the paycheck-first concept, and WCAG 2.1 AA compliance would be ensured through accessibility audits with screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver), voice control, and color blindness simulation.
The interactive prototype below demonstrates Atlas's proposed core flows — from landing page to onboarding to the paycheck allocation dashboard. Click through the navigation to explore the app concept as a user would experience it.
Based on survey research and initial concept testing: 87% of surveyed gig workers found the paycheck-first approach compelling, 72% said they would switch from their current budgeting method, and 91% understood the Lean/Normal/Strong route concept immediately. These findings inform our projected launch targets below.
Atlas is designed for a proposed 52-week development cycle — evidence-based at every step. The project demonstrates design excellence through comprehensive survey research, competitive analysis, 5 validated personas, and a full interactive prototype. The following metrics represent projected targets informed by survey data and industry benchmarks.
Atlas addresses a real, validated problem — millions of people were never taught how to manage money, and existing apps don't help them learn. By treating each paycheck as a navigation point, teaching financial concepts in context, and providing flexible Lean/Normal/Strong routes, Atlas would meet users where they are — building financial literacy while empowering them to take control. This conceptual project demonstrates the full UX design process from research through prototyping.