Hackathon Winner: Divet
Fintech Category: First Place
The Prompt
Prompt: In 24 hours, create an app or a program that solves a problem in the fintech industry.
The Concept
After choosing fintech as the category we wanted to compete in, my team members and I brainstormed different problems in the fintech world. The final idea we came up with allowed for multiple users to pay rent directly. It combines the useful aspects of Zelle, Splitwise, and Venmo.
Once we had our idea, we came up with wireframes. One challenge we encountered was determining a way to securely connect a user's account to their bank. We decided that we could use Plaid in this hypothetical scenario. A major decision we had to make was whether the app's UI would be 'group' based or 'bill' based. For example, if the app focused on the groups the individual was in, the home page would display the groups they are a part of first. We decided to have the main page display the bills that need to be paid instead because it is more likely for users to be in one group and have multiple bills than the other way around.
In order to better organize our thoughts, we created a rudimentary information architecture to guide our design.
Designing Quickly
With limited time, we dedicated a solid portion to concept finalization. We needed to determine which screens were the most important to tell the story of Divet. We prioritized screens that would resolve questions of security, layout, and how the average user would log on to the app. We designed quickly but with precision.
Divet Demo
Results: First Place in the Fintech Category
Key Takeaways
Communication is key. During hackathons, it is important to work as a team and communicate effectively. Each team member needs to understand which aspect of the project they are responsible.
Prioritize screens that will have the most impact on users. We needed to ensure that our concept was complete and made sense to users. This meant choosing the screens that promote user understanding the most effectively.
Make decisions quickly and commit to your ideas. With such a tight deadline, we can’t second-guess or go over the top with design choices. We had to make decisions based on effectiveness and necessity.