Money Minion

Finance

Financial education for the next generation using Augmented Reality and gamification

The Problem

The client was looking for a way to bring the next generation of customers into their business.  The Digital Ventures team ran an innovation sprint and came up with the concept for Money Minion, a financial education program for children.

My role in the venture was to define the product, create a proof of concept and validate it through testing.

The Solution

Money Minion took the form of an interactive, Augmented Reality experience with a connected piggy bank.

The process of reaching this conclusion took a combination of user interviews, game development and augmented reality experiments.

The Process

Creating game assets can be intensive, so it was crucial that we expressed our ideas rapidly in low fidelity.  In addition to white board sessions, I sketched a number of key screens so we could imagine what the experience could be like.

This helped us clarify the role of the connected piggy bank (Sparkapsul space ship) and the "worlds" where children would learn savings concepts.  Each journey would include a savings goal like saving up for a toy, opening an account or adding an allowance.

Character Design

The child's companion is Schmut, an astronaut who needs help flying his space ship to different worlds, accomplishing goals and finding his lost companions.  

I provided the art direction for these characters based off the cartoon “Dumb Ways to Die” and assembled the characters into their space suits.

Interaction Design

The video to the right shows a prototype of the interaction design for the Money Minion app. The user can access several different worlds and space stations that correspond to different financial lessons.

Augmented Reality

We knew that we wanted to connect the Sparkapsul to an app, but how to bridge that gap wasn't initially clear.  We considered Bluetooth sensors to send notifications to the app when coins were added, but we wanted the Sparkapsul to feel more tied into Schmut's Journey.

AR Test in Unity

Augmented Reality seemed like a good fit.  If we could bring the Sparkapsul into the app or project Schmut onto the Sparkapsul, we could connect the experience.

I researched how to add Augmented Reality to an object using Vuforia and Unity.  Below is a proof of concept test using an AR target and a 3D model of a farm.  When the cameral on my iPad detected the AR target, it replaced that physical plan with the 3D object I included.

UI Design

I was responsible for creating game graphics like the Money Minion planets, star scapes, buildings and satellites.  I assembled these assets along with the UI design into the screens within the prototype.

Branding

I was responsible for creating game graphics like the Money Minion planets, star scapes, buildings and satellites.  I assembled these assets along with the UI design into the screens within the prototype.

Prototype

I built the prototype in Principle with UI assets from another designer and our illustrator.  I created the environments using a combination of photos, illustrations and vector graphics.

Packaging

I designed the packaging for the product and assembled a mockup that included the Sparkapsul and a sculpted figurine (provided by my colleague) of Schmut inside.

The Result

Our team presented Money Minion in Berlin to the Venture Board.  It was well received, but the client decided not to move forward with the project. Strategically, a pure public relations product for children didn't fit with their goals.

Lessons Learned

Money Minion is still my favorite project from my time at Digital Ventures.  The combination of the UX, AR, product design, 3D printing, character design, design strategy, storytelling and game design was a dream come true.