Project Midas | Simplifying Taxes for Canadians

Role

Completely solo passion project

Problem

Filing taxes , organizing finances, meeting deadlines, and learning about them can be overwhelming. Inspired by my own struggles with complex systems, I set out to create a solution that transforms taxes from a burden into a seamless, empowering experience.

Duration

3 Weeks

Onboarding

The onboarding process makes it easy to get started by asking for key details like your industry, tax bracket, earnings, and experience with taxes.
I wanted to accommodate Canada Revenue Agency integration so you can upload documents directly, cutting down on manual work and reducing mistakes. This keeps things quick and compliant.

The Solution

Central Hub

Tax Contribution Meter: The tax contribution meter provides a visual representation of progress toward annual tax contributions.
Tax Deadline: The tax deadline feature highlights upcoming filing dates, keeping users informed to avoid late submissions and penalties.
Account Listings: The account listings provide a quick summary of users' financial accounts, taking them to detailed breakdowns with one click.
Documents: The documents section offers quick access to essential tax forms and records, streamlining the process of managing and submitting required paperwork.

The Solution

Account Breakdown

Make a Contribution/Recurring Payments: The Make a Contribution/Recurring Payments feature enables users to add funds or set automatic contributions.
Contribution Status: Provides a clear snapshot of the user's financial contributions, displaying totals for the current month and year helping them track their progress.
Remaining Balance/Learn Along: The Remaining Contribution Balance tracks how much users can still contribute toward
their limit.
Account Activity: Provides a detailed view of past and upcoming transactions, including contributions, helping users stay informed about their financial movements and maintain control over their accounts.

The Solution

Document Manager

Document List: Displays all tax-related documents, such as T4s, Notices of Assessment, and Contribution Forms, for easy access.
Locked Documents: Shows documents that are secured or restricted, showing their locked status for privacy.
Edit Options: Includes a floating button for quick actions like editing, adding or removing documents.

The Solution

Education Hub

The Solution

The Education Hub gives users practical lessons, tutorials, and resources on things like filing taxes, making contributions, and saving money. It’s designed for self-paced learning, making it easy to boost financial knowledge and take control of your finances.

Research Methods

User Interviews

I spoke to 6 participants all with varying financial backgrounds to understand their different experiences and needs.

I spoke with two students, two recent graduates working full-time, and two adults nearing retirement. Here are my key findings:

Tax Documents Are Complex: Users struggle with understanding and organizing tax documents like T4s, making the process overwhelming.
Difficulty Remembering Deadlines: Forgetting tax deadlines causes stress and increases the risk of late submissions or penalties.
Lack of Accessible Digital Solutions: Users find existing platforms either too expensive, difficult to use, or missing necessary features.
Need for Simplified Education: Users want to learn more about taxes but feel lost navigating complex topics without modern, accessible resources

Meet Our Personas

From the interviews, I was able to identify patterns and key insights that helped me create three personas representing different user groups.

Research Methods

So, how might we...

Design a platform that simplifies tax management, enhances financial literacy, and empowers users to manage documents, accounts, and deadlines effortlessly?

Design Process

To begin the process of visualization, I started creating sketches to start mapping out where I'd like to see design components situated.

Sketches

Design Process

After conducting user testing with sketches, I learned that users appreciate the overall design but emphasized the importance of it resembling apps they were already familiar with. I kept this in mind when refining the sketches to wireframes.

Wireframes

Design Reference

I referenced Scotiabank, Wealthsimple, and EQ Bank for their clean design, intuitive navigation, and simplicity, ensuring a seamless, user-friendly experience

Design Process

Taking a closer look after the project closed, I wanted to add more contemporary and familiar design components to improve the overall look of the digital output, without sacrificing its original scaffolding.

What would I implement in future phases?

Platform Expansion

Future phases include a desktop version of the platform, offering enhanced accessibility and features, ensuring seamless financial management across devices for our users.

Refine Brand Identity

I would refine the brand identity by evolving the current simple color palette and design system. The goal would be to maintain the platform's efficiency while enhancing its visual appeal and creating a more recognizable and memorable brand.

Bank Account Linking

I’d like to include linking accounts to online banking platforms, enabling seamless integration of banking and tax contribution information. This will streamline the user experience and make managing finances even more efficient.

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