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Flowney
Financial Education App for Children
Role Independent Project
Duration June 2022 - July 2022
Tools Figma; p5.js
Play Video
Context
With the development of China's market economy, children in China are frequently exposed to money in their daily lives. Influenced by traditional Chinese culture, many Chinese parents believe that financial education should wait until their children are adults.
According to a survey by China Youth and Children's Daily
of parents do not know how to discuss financial issues with their children in an understandable and pleasant way.
of parents believe that "children nowadays spend money recklessly".
Getting kids started with money management and ensuring a positive financial future for them has become a major challenge.
Research
From Social Media: Little Red Book - a social media and e-commerce platform described as "China's Instagram".
Introduction
In one of the posts about children's pocket money from Little Red Book, parents responded differently to their children's money habits and the allocation of pocket money.
Stories
Problem
Children have no control over their desire.
Children without parental discipline.
Children without parental discipline.
Children are easily influenced by their peers.
Children have no concept of saving money.
Children don't know how to set goals to allocate their pocket money wisely.
Family Interview
To understand more about the children's money habits and what they think about their pocket money, I interviewed twenty families and selected three of them with different representations.
Shadowing
This is a scene of two children from family B going out with their mom to buy snacks with their pocket money.
Problem
Through interviews and observations, I realized that financial education for children in China is still in the initial stage. Parents' financial education for children is not systematic. When it comes to children's need for money, parents avoid the topic of money, which makes children lack the concept of money management and develop a negative attitude towards money.
Continue Research
The Current Situation Of Children's Financial Quotient In China
According to the report of the China Youth and Children's Social Survey Center in 2021, only 23.6% of Chinese parents pay attention to the education of their children's financial quotient. Chinese parents are more concerned about cultivating their children's IQ and EQ. Some parents believe that financial education is only necessary when the children become adults.
According to data from the China Youth and Children’s Social Survey Center:
Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development - Concrete Operational Stage
Become more mature and "adult-like."
Understand exchanges
Solve problems in a more logical manner.
Understand a series of unseen financial transactions involving other parties.
7 to 11 yrs
"Habit Formation and Learning in Young Children" By Dr. David Whitebread and Dr. Sue Bingham
According to Dr. David Whitebread and Dr. Sue Bingham's study, many of the habits we enter adulthood with, especially around money, are formed by age 7. Things like planning ahead, budgeting, delaying gratification and returning borrowed items are all habits we develop in childhood.
Many children receive a regular “income” in the form of ‘pocket money’ and thereby, many children’s understanding of income is shaped by this cultural practice. For young children, pocket money is often seen as a sign of parental approval, or a way of being kind; Yamamoto and Takahashi (2008) found that the financial significance of ‘pocket money’ (i.e. a grant of money) does not become understood until children reach early adolescence. Younger children especially are unlikely to understand an pocket money as a form of wage, although they become aware that adults work for payment (a ‘wage’).
Children's Digital Native Lifestyles
A survey by China Youth Daily Social Survey Center 2022 shows which technology products kids like, which ones help them learn, and which ones parents will pay for. 73.8% of children aged 7-11 would choose a smart device.
Time spent with devices in their hands is entertainment for children. It’s also a better understanding of their experience with mobile apps and patterns they are familiar with.
Insights
Competitors
Persona
Information Architecture
Wireframe
User Interface
Home
The dashboard allows parents to track the use of pocket money and manage their children's pocket money.
Analysis
Parents can view a monthly and yearly breakdown of their child's expenses for pocket money.
Notification
Make sure parents don't miss every pocket money expense and contact with their children.
Call
Allows parents to set up private numbers for their children and ensures that there is no misspending of pocket money.
Profile
Parents can link to a specific bank card and transfer money to their children on a regular basis.
Application Scene
Research
Overview
Family Interview
Shadowing
2nd Research
Insights
Competitors
Persona
Information Architecture
App Design
Context
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