QuickBooks Online

Apps feature

— PLATFORM

Desktop

— DISCIPLINES

UX Researcher

Product Designer

Prototyper

Cat herder

— TOOLS

Sketch, InVision, Lingo, Abstract

What's Quickbooks?

QuickBooks is an accounting software package that helps over 4 million small to mid-size businesses run and grow their business every day.

I specifically worked on the QuickBooks Apps feature, which is a marketplace where users can go to find various 3rd party tools that help power their business, that run on top of the core functionality of QuickBooks.

For example, if you’re a 1-person business a common 3rd party app you’d run on top of QuickBooks is Square, to run a point-of-sale where transactions flow QuickBooks.

QuickBooks users use on average 1 app from the Apps.com marketplace every day.

There are ~7,000 3rd party apps that we help users integrate into their QuickBooks experience.

This project demonstrates the impact that design can have when proper due diligence of user research testing is conducted while coupled with frequent design critiques and adhering to design systems. Close collaboration was required among different business segments of the organization to deliver quickly on an MVP solution that enables users to effectively utilize and customize their business reports.

User Problem

There was an enormous demand from customers for their data insights from 3rd party apps to be accessible within QuickBooks. Previously, the only way to access the data was to be taken outside of the QuickBooks product with minimal communication on new activity.

QuickBooks apps marketplace

GOAL

To connect users' 3rd party product data to the core QuickBooks experience and functionality. For example, increase the users' awareness of activity , fuse / unify / connect, and smooth out all the dozens of small usability pain-points associated

Re-imagine the first time (and continued) experience when a small to mid-size business accesses an app installed to their QuickBooks Online account. The secondary goal was to systematize the design for any financial reporting apps to be integrated to the QuickBooks platform.

A cohesively designed first time use experience when connecting Fathom to QuickBooks, have a preview of Fathom’s data insights from within QuickBooks.

We started with one of our strategic 3rd party app partners to discuss integration enhancements and defining the MVP rollout. These critical requirements were set to define the standard of how all current and future finance reporting apps would be developed and utilized by our QuickBooks customers.

These invaluable discussions with our valued customer gave way to key insights on what to explore for informed design proposals.

Feedback was affinity mapped and prioritized for next wave of iterations.

Frank Rodriguez

QuickBooks Online

Apps feature

APPS FEATURE

As mentioned above, there are ~7,000 3rd party products that integrate into QuickBooks Online. The work that I solved for across this ecosystem, but for the purposes of this case study, I'm going to frame it within Fathom Reporting app.

KICK-OFF

The first step was to bring cross-functional teams together to formally discuss the the possibilities of how to improve 3rd party app features and capabilities.

USER INTERVIEWS

Understanding user mental models for their expected interactions were of the highest valued insights to my design approach.

SYNTHESIS OF DATA

Tested existing platform to:

CONCLUDE AND COMMUNICATE

By outlining the findings of the user research to cross-functional teams, we looked to execute on the exploration phase.

IDEATION AND COLLABORATION

My product manager, Srini, and I collaborated closely in ideating possible solutions to the usability issues of the users' first time and continued use experience.

UX EXPLORATIONS

Putting ideas to crude wireframes were carried out. Throughout this process, regular communication with other business segments were involved in these proposals.

DESIGN SYSTEMS ALIGNMENT

To ensure brand and interaction consistency, regular meetings with the design systems team were held. This further helped to inform the design strategy while supporting the dev team’s efficient implementation.

REGULAR PEER REVIEW

Designs went through several rounds of formal design critiques. Input was gathered from content designers to design technologists.

Feedback was affinity mapped and prioritized for next wave of iterations.

HI-FI MOCKS

Revisiting the design systems team for recommendations and component usage compliance were done throughout the exploration phase of high fidelity design mock-ups.

CLICKABLE PROTOTYPE

Prototypes were built for further testing and validation.