http://www.ziasu.com/portfolio/portfolio/c-saw C-saw is a mobile application for cohabitating couples to settle up their joint expenses. They don’t need to have a joint account or to split the bill every time. Just simply takes turn to pay, and C-saw will show them who should pay next time according to the difference of each person’s contribution.

1. C-saw
Zia Su
2014 December
UX Project

2. C-saw is a real world application that helps cohabiting couples to
settle up their joint expenses. They don’t need to have a joint account
or to split bills. C-saw can tell them who should pay next and track
their joint expenses easily.
Thesis Abstract

3. – Alina Dizzy
“Navigating finances as a cohabiting unmarried
couple is one of the biggest strains on a
relationship, but doing it correctly can be a
predictor of whether it’ll last.”
http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20130910-do-this-before-moving-in-together

4. Background Research
http://www.familyfacts.org/charts/110/nearly-12-percent-of-couples-living-together-are-unmarried
Nearly 12% of couples living
together are unmarried
COHABITING COUPLES AS A PERCENT OF ALL CORESIDENTIAL COUPLES
The percentage of unmarried
couples living together has
increased ten-fold, from slightly
more than one percent of all
couples in 1960 to nearly 12
percent in 2011.

5. Background Research
http://news.virginia.edu/content/whose-turn-pay-can-be-deal-breaker-cohabiting-couples
Cohabiting couples fought about money more frequently than married couples, and
when cohabiting individuals felt that money was being handled unfairly, they were
70% more likely to break up than cohabiting couples who didn't feel that way.
Breaking up over money issues
75% to 80% of married couples pool their incomes, which is kind of blurs whose
money is paying for what, but only about 50% of cohabiting couples do.
Pool money?

6. Problems
• Always ask ”Whose turn to pay?”
• One half of the couple earns more than the other, and it’s not fair that two
people contribute evenly
• Don't want to constantly discuss over “who owes who”
• Lack of a tangible contribution rule and it can cause conflict
• Can’t see partner’s joint spending record

7. Unique Solutions
• Set fair contribution rule and allow uneven split
• Hook up with credit card
• Two people’s bookkeeping
• Visualization of who should pay
• Able to see partner’s joint spending records
• Easy to use and clean interface

8. Concept Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv2_IGHmti4

9. Competitors
Mint BillGuard Settle Up Splitwise C-saw
Price Free Free
Free (Android)
$1.99 (iOS)
Free Free
User Group ✓ ✓ ✓
Record spending ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Hook up credit card ✓ ✓ ✓
Record manually ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Settle up money ✓ ✓ ✓
Spending report ✓ ✓ ✓
Create budget ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Usability ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★
Interface ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★
Best ★★★★★ Better ★★★★ OK ★★★ Bad ★★ Worst ★

10. Inspiration
BillGuard
Money Tracker
Key features
• Track the spending in fast and smart way
• Protect cards from fraud and unfair charges
• Save money with smarter tech
Inspiration
C-saw has recording function as well, so I got
inspiration from this App. It is impressive that
how smoothly BillGurd leads user to confirm
each transaction. Also the interface design is
modern and elegant.

11. Target Audience
Age: 25-34*
Primary: Cohabiting unmarried couple
Secondary: Married couple
24% of women aged 25-34 were cohabiting, compared to 22% of women aged 35-39, and
15% of women aged 40-44. In every age group, the percentages have increased since 1987.
http://www.unmarried.org/statistics/
*

12. Hannah
• Age: 25
• Gender: Female
• Occupation: City College Student
• Location: San Francisco, CA
• Cohabitation time: Two and half years
• Personality: Easygoing, carful
• Financial tool: Excel
“I think it’s not fair to split all costs down
the middle since our earnings are different.”
Persona

13. Persona
Linda
• Age: 27
• Gender: Female
• Occupation: Dancer
• Location: Richmond, CA
• Cohabitation time: 6 months
• Personality: Passion, effective
• Financial tool: mint.com
“Discuss who should pay is always annoying.”

14. Adam
• Age: 32
• Gender: Male
• Occupation: Senior Engineer
• Location: Berkeley, CA
• Cohabitation time: One month
• Personality: Hard-working, organized
• Financial tool: Google doc
“I want to know both my and my partner’s joint
spending record, so I can track them easily.”
Persona

16. Task1 / User Flow
Create an account and invite the partner to use C-saw
Landing page
Sign up by phone
number
Invite parter
User’s phone
book
Send invitation via
SMS
Start
Done

17. Task1 / Wirefarms
Create an account and invite the partner to use C-saw
1/8 2/8 3/8 4/8

18. Task1 / Wirefarms
Create an account and invite the partner to use C-saw
5/8 6/8 7/8 8/8

19. Task2 / User Flow
Set fair contribution rule
Start page Enter income Choose Category
See what category
will split by income
Set up rest of
categories
Check fair
contribution Rule
Leave comments
Send to partner
skip
Start
Done

20. Task2 / Wirefarms
Set fair contribution rule
1/12 2/12 3/12 4/12

21. Task2 / Wirefarms
Set fair contribution rule
5/12 6/12 7/12 8/12

22. Task2 / Wirefarms
Set fair contribution rule
9/12 10/12 11/1210/12

23. Task3 / User Flow
Record new credit card transactions as joint expenses
Home page
(get notification)
Record expense
page
Classify expenses
New joint
expenses
Confirm the
category
Correct the
category
Tap “Done”
Home page
(seesaw moves)
Record
successfully
Start
Done

24. Task3 / Wirefarms
Record new credit card transactions as joint expenses
1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10

25. Task3 / Wirefarms
Record new credit card transactions as joint expenses
4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10

26. Task3 / Wirefarms
Record new credit card transactions as joint expenses
9/10 10/10

27. Task4 / User Flow
Record a new spending manually
Home page Enter amount Choose category
Select detail of
spending
Tap “Done”
Record
successfully
Home page
(seesaw moves)
Start
Done

28. Task4 / Wirefarms
Record a new spending manually
1/4 2/4 3/4 4/4

29. Task5 / User Flow
Set monthly budget and then check this month’s eating out spending
Home page Find “Set budget”
Set monthly
budget
Tap “set”
Tap system menu
button
Find “Spending
Report”
Sending Report
page
Tap “eating out”
icon
Find out this
month’s eating out
spending
Start
Done

30. Task5 / Wirefarms
Set monthly budget and check this month’s eating out spending
1/6 2/6 3/6 4/6

31. Task5 / Wirefarms
Set monthly budget and check this month’s eating out spending
5/6 6/6

32. User Testing
Paper Prototype and Interview
Hi-fi Wireframe Digital Prototype
6 rounds of testing / 6 participants for each testing
Oct 2014
Lo-fi Wireframe
6 rounds of testing / 3 participants for each testing
Nov 2014
1 2
5 rounds of testing / 3 participants for each testing
Nov 2014
5 rounds of testing / 2 participants for each testing
Dec 2014
3 4

33. User Testing

34. User Testing - Homepage
AfterBefore

35. References
1. Dizik, Alina. "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Finances of Cohabitation." BBC Capital. BBC, 10 Sept. 2013. Web. 15
Dec. 2014. <http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20130910-do-this-before-moving-in-together>.
2. Fowles, Deborah. "Personal Finance Issues for Unmarried Couples Living Together." About Money. About.com, n.d.
Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://financialplan.about.com/cs/unmarriedcouples/a/SoHappyTogether.htm>.
3. Cannon, Brevy H Visitors of the University of Virginia. "'Whose Turn To Pay?' Can Be Deal-Breaker for Cohabiting
Couples." UVA Today. Visitors of the University of Virginia, 6 May 2009. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://
news.virginia.edu/content/whose-turn-pay-can-be-deal-breaker-cohabiting-couples>.
4. Unmarried Equality. "Statistics." Unmarried Equality. Unmarried Equality, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://
www.unmarried.org/statistics/>.
5. Palmer, Kimberly. "Living Together and Keeping Money Separate - US News." US News RSS. U.S. News & World
Report, 11 Oct. 2011. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2011/10/11/
living-together-and-keeping-money-separate>.
6. Aleccia, Jonel. "'The New Normal': Cohabitation on the Rise, Study Finds." NBC News. NBC News, 3 Apr. 2013.
Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-normal-cohabitation-rise-study-finds-
f1C9208429>.
7. Caprara, Collette. "Family Fact of the Week: Dimming Aspirations in the Rise of Cohabitation." Daily Signal. Daily
Signal, 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 16 Dec. 2014. <http://dailysignal.com/2013/09/18/family-fact-of-the-week-dimming-
aspirations-in-the-rise-of-cohabitation/>.