Conceptual Feature-Add
Conceptual Feature-Add
Conceptual Feature-Add
Conceptual Feature-Add
Conceptual Feature-Add
Automating the awkward: reducing social friction in recurring group expenses
Automating the awkward: reducing social friction in recurring group expenses
Automating the awkward: reducing social friction in recurring group expenses
OVERVIEW
Venmo allows users to schedule payments with individuals & create Groups for one-time split expenses, but doesn't support recurring payments within Groups. This gap forces coordinators to manually track & follow up on recurring group bills like rent & utilities, creating anxiety around repeatedly asking peers for money. Through user research, iterative testing, & strategic design, I introduced recurring expense functionality to Venmo's "Groups" feature that automates reminders, consolidates payment tracking, & reduces the emotional burden of managing shared finances.
OVERVIEW
Venmo allows users to schedule payments with individuals & create Groups for one-time split expenses, but doesn't support recurring payments within Groups. This gap forces coordinators to manually track & follow up on recurring group bills like rent & utilities, creating anxiety around repeatedly asking peers for money. Through user research, iterative testing, & strategic design, I introduced recurring expense functionality to Venmo's "Groups" feature that automates reminders, consolidates payment tracking, & reduces the emotional burden of managing shared finances.
OVERVIEW
Venmo allows users to schedule payments with individuals & create Groups for one-time split expenses, but doesn't support recurring payments within Groups. This gap forces coordinators to manually track & follow up on recurring group bills like rent & utilities, creating anxiety around repeatedly asking peers for money. Through user research, iterative testing, & strategic design, I introduced recurring expense functionality to Venmo's "Groups" feature that automates reminders, consolidates payment tracking, & reduces the emotional burden of managing shared finances.
GOALS
Reduce social friction of splitting bills with friends & roommates
Reduce mental burden of manually tracking & coordinating recurring payments
Provide transparency so all group members can see payment status without asking
Enable "set it & forget it" convenience through optional autopay
Increase adoption & usage of Venmo's underutilized Groups feature
Reduce fragmentation by keeping users within Venmo instead of using multiple apps to manage recurring group expenses
GOALS
Reduce social friction of splitting bills with friends & roommates
Reduce mental burden of manually tracking & coordinating recurring payments
Provide transparency so all group members can see payment status without asking
Enable "set it & forget it" convenience through optional autopay
Increase adoption & usage of Venmo's underutilized Groups feature
Reduce fragmentation by keeping users within Venmo instead of using multiple apps to manage recurring group expenses
ROLE: UX/UI Designer (1 of 1)
ROLE: UX/UI Designer (1 of 1)
RESPONSIBILITIES
UX/UI Design Strategy
User Research & Competitive Analysis
Testing & Prototyping
RESPONSIBILITIES
UX/UI Design Strategy
User Research & Competitive Analysis
Testing & Prototyping
DURATION: 5 weeks
DURATION: 5 weeks
Outcomes
Enhanced Discoverability
Enhanced Discoverability
80% of testers found Groups feature more easily through new entry points rather than Venmo's original buried path
80% of testers found Groups feature more easily through new entry points rather than Venmo's original buried path
Reduced Cognitive Load
Reduced Cognitive Load
Consolidated tracking & payment functionality eliminates need for juggling multiple apps to split expenses, addressing key pain point.
Consolidated tracking & payment functionality eliminates need for juggling multiple apps to split expenses, addressing key pain point.
Key Feature Implementation
Key Feature Implementation
-Customizable auto-reminders to reduce social friction
-Optional autopay requests for "set it & forget it" convenience
-Payment tracker dashboard for shared visibility
-Customizable auto-reminders to reduce social friction
-Optional autopay requests for "set it & forget it" convenience
-Payment tracker dashboard for shared visibility
Recurring Group
Expense Setup
Choose between 'Recurring' or 'One-Time' occurrence for group expenses.
Custom Amounts
& Scheduling
Flexible split amounts
& scheduling.
Request Autopay
Request that members enable autopay for their shares. Members receive a notification for opt-in, allowing them to “set it & forget it”. Autopay is never forced, but can reduce the occurrence of late payments.
Auto-Reminders
Choose when members receive payment reminders. Auto-reminders serve as a gentle nudge without the social friction.
Payment Tracking
Dedicated tab within Expense Details showing all members’ payment status for each cycle. Visible to all members, this transparency reduces questions & anxiety.
Additional Paths
to Access Groups
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
Recurring Group
Expense Setup
Choose between 'Recurring' or 'One-Time' occurrence for group expenses.
Custom Amounts
& Scheduling
Flexible split amounts
& scheduling.
Request Autopay
Request that members enable autopay for their shares. Members receive a notification for opt-in, allowing them to “set it & forget it”. Autopay is never forced, but can reduce the occurrence of late payments.
Auto-Reminders
Choose when members receive payment reminders. Auto-reminders serve as a gentle nudge without the social friction.
Payment Tracking
Dedicated tab within Expense Details showing all members’ payment status for each cycle. Visible to all members, this transparency reduces questions & anxiety.
Additional Paths
to Access Groups
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
Recurring Group
Expense Setup
Choose between 'Recurring' or 'One-Time' occurrence for group expenses.
Custom Amounts
& Scheduling
Flexible split amounts
& scheduling.
Request Autopay
Request that members enable autopay for their shares. Members receive a notification for opt-in, allowing them to “set it & forget it”. Autopay is never forced, but can reduce the occurrence of late payments.
Auto-Reminders
Choose when members receive payment reminders. Auto-reminders serve as a gentle nudge without the social friction.
Payment Tracking
Dedicated tab within Expense Details showing all members’ payment status for each cycle. Visible to all members, this transparency reduces questions & anxiety.
Additional Paths
to Access Groups
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
Recurring Group
Expense Setup
Choose between 'Recurring' or 'One-Time' occurrence for group expenses.
Custom Amounts
& Scheduling
Flexible split amounts
& scheduling.
Request Autopay
Request that members enable autopay for their shares. Members receive a notification for opt-in, allowing them to “set it & forget it”. Autopay is never forced, but can reduce the occurrence of late payments.
Auto-Reminders
Choose when members receive payment reminders. Auto-reminders serve as a gentle nudge without the social friction.
Payment Tracking
Dedicated tab within Expense Details showing all members’ payment status for each cycle. Visible to all members, this transparency reduces questions & anxiety.
Additional Paths
to Access Groups
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
Recurring Group
Expense Setup
BEFORE
Choose between 'Recurring' or 'One-Time' occurrence for group expenses.
Flexible split amounts
& scheduling.
Request Autopay &
Auto-Reminders
Request that members enable autopay for their shares. Members receive a notification for opt-in, allowing them to “set it & forget it”. Autopay is never forced, but can reduce the occurrence of late payments.
Choose when members receive payment reminders. Auto-reminders serve as a gentle nudge without the social friction.
Payment Tracking
BEFORE
Dedicated tab within Expense Details showing all members’ payment status for each cycle. Visible to all members, this transparency reduces questions & anxiety.
Additional Paths to
Access Groups
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
Recurring Group
Expense Setup
BEFORE
Choose between 'Recurring' or 'One-Time' occurrence for group expenses.
Flexible split amounts
& scheduling.
Request Autopay &
Auto-Reminders
Request that members enable autopay for their shares. Members receive a notification for opt-in, allowing them to “set it & forget it”. Autopay is never forced, but can reduce the occurrence of late payments.
Choose when members receive payment reminders. Auto-reminders serve as a gentle nudge without the social friction.
Payment Tracking
BEFORE
Dedicated tab within Expense Details showing all members’ payment status for each cycle. Visible to all members, this transparency reduces questions & anxiety.
Additional Paths to
Access Groups
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
Recurring Group
Expense Setup
BEFORE
Choose between 'Recurring' or 'One-Time' occurrence for group expenses.
Flexible split amounts
& scheduling.
Request Autopay &
Auto-Reminders
Request that members enable autopay for their shares. Members receive a notification for opt-in, allowing them to “set it & forget it”. Autopay is never forced, but can reduce the occurrence of late payments.
Choose when members receive payment reminders. Auto-reminders serve as a gentle nudge without the social friction.
Payment Tracking
BEFORE
Dedicated tab within Expense Details showing all members’ payment status for each cycle. Visible to all members, this transparency reduces questions & anxiety.
Additional Paths to
Access Groups
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
Recurring Group
Expense Setup
BEFORE
Choose between 'Recurring' or 'One-Time' occurrence for group expenses.
Flexible split amounts
& scheduling.
Request Autopay &
Auto-Reminders
Request that members enable autopay for their shares. Members receive a notification for opt-in, allowing them to “set it & forget it”. Autopay is never forced, but can reduce the occurrence of late payments.
Choose when members receive payment reminders. Auto-reminders serve as a gentle nudge without the social friction.
Payment Tracking
BEFORE
Dedicated tab within Expense Details showing all members’ payment status for each cycle. Visible to all members, this transparency reduces questions & anxiety.
Additional Paths to
Access Groups
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
Recurring Group
Expense Setup
BEFORE
Choose between 'Recurring' or 'One-Time' occurrence for group expenses.
Flexible split amounts
& scheduling.
Request Autopay &
Auto-Reminders
Request that members enable autopay for their shares. Members receive a notification for opt-in, allowing them to “set it & forget it”. Autopay is never forced, but can reduce the occurrence of late payments.
Choose when members receive payment reminders. Auto-reminders serve as a gentle nudge without the social friction.
Payment Tracking
BEFORE
Dedicated tab within Expense Details showing all members’ payment status for each cycle. Visible to all members, this transparency reduces questions & anxiety.
Additional Paths to
Access Groups
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
Recurring Group
Expense Setup
BEFORE
Choose between 'Recurring' or 'One-Time' occurrence for group expenses.
Flexible split amounts
& scheduling.
Request Autopay &
Auto-Reminders
Request that members enable autopay for their shares. Members receive a notification for opt-in, allowing them to “set it & forget it”. Autopay is never forced, but can reduce the occurrence of late payments.
Choose when members receive payment reminders. Auto-reminders serve as a gentle nudge without the social friction.
Payment Tracking
BEFORE
Dedicated tab within Expense Details showing all members’ payment status for each cycle. Visible to all members, this transparency reduces questions & anxiety.
Additional Paths to
Access Groups
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
Recurring Group
Expense Setup
BEFORE
Choose between 'Recurring' or 'One-Time' occurrence for group expenses.
Flexible split amounts
& scheduling.
Request Autopay &
Auto-Reminders
Request that members enable autopay for their shares. Members receive a notification for opt-in, allowing them to “set it & forget it”. Autopay is never forced, but can reduce the occurrence of late payments.
Choose when members receive payment reminders. Auto-reminders serve as a gentle nudge without the social friction.
Payment Tracking
BEFORE
Dedicated tab within Expense Details showing all members’ payment status for each cycle. Visible to all members, this transparency reduces questions & anxiety.
Additional Paths to
Access Groups
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
Recurring Group
Expense Setup
BEFORE
Choose between 'Recurring' or 'One-Time' occurrence for group expenses.
Flexible split amounts
& scheduling.
Request Autopay &
Auto-Reminders
Request that members enable autopay for their shares. Members receive a notification for opt-in, allowing them to “set it & forget it”. Autopay is never forced, but can reduce the occurrence of late payments.
Choose when members receive payment reminders. Auto-reminders serve as a gentle nudge without the social friction.
Payment Tracking
BEFORE
Dedicated tab within Expense Details showing all members’ payment status for each cycle. Visible to all members, this transparency reduces questions & anxiety.
Additional Paths to
Access Groups
via PAY/REQUEST
button flow
via Group Membership link on Friend's profile
via SEARCH
flow
via HOME
top quick links
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Captain's
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Mobile app
Mobile app
Outcomes
Enhanced Discoverability
80% of testers found Groups feature more easily through new entry points rather than Venmo's original buried path
Reduced Cognitive Load
Consolidated tracking & payment functionality eliminates need for juggling multiple apps to split expenses, addressing key pain point.
Key Feature Implementation
-Customizable auto-reminders to reduce social friction
-Optional autopay requests for "set it & forget it" convenience
-Payment tracker dashboard for shared visibility