SPROUT

SPROUT

Growing responsible spenders. Cultivating the merchants of tomorrow.

Growing responsible spenders. Cultivating the merchants of tomorrow.

THE LANDING PAGE
Starting a conversation with parents

THE LANDING PAGE
Starting a conversation with parents

THE SPROUT APP
Creating an ecosystem

THE SPROUT APP
Creating an ecosystem

PROCESS

PROCESS

TALKING TO PARENTS AND KIDS
In our intial surveys, sent to tweens and parents of tweens, we uncovered an interesting, rather unexpected gap: while conversations between parents and their tweens are mostly surface level and often non-existent, kids actually desire financial knowledge and understanding. Although our early brainstorming sessions conjured up images of tense, parent-led dinner lectures on the importance of saving money, our survey results indicated that, on the contrary, perhaps family conversations about money aren't happening enough.

FORMING THE CONCEPT
The findings discussed above revealed a need for not just an e-wallet, but also a need for a powerful tool to assist parents in preparing their children for this commerce-based world in which we live. Thus, Sprout was born out of a desire to facilitate tough conversations within families and foster crucial money management skills in kids. In the mobile app construct, we imagined our tool as an immersive, financial “ecosystem”, a secure app environment where tweens can safely spend, save, earn, and learn, leaving parents assured, and kids empowered. With Sprout, everyone wins!

TALKING TO PARENTS AND KIDS
In our intial surveys, sent to tweens and parents of tweens, we uncovered an interesting, rather unexpected gap: while conversations between parents and their tweens are mostly surface level and often non-existent, kids actually desire financial knowledge and understanding. Although our early brainstorming sessions conjured up images of tense, parent-led dinner lectures on the importance of saving money, our survey results indicated that, on the contrary, perhaps family conversations about money aren't happening enough.

FORMING THE CONCEPT
The findings discussed above revealed a need for not just an e-wallet, but also a need for a powerful tool to assist parents in preparing their children for this commerce-based world in which we live. Thus, Sprout was born out of a desire to facilitate tough conversations within families and foster crucial money management skills in kids. In the mobile app construct, we imagined our tool as an immersive, financial “ecosystem”, a secure app environment where tweens can safely spend, save, earn, and learn, leaving parents assured, and kids empowered. With Sprout, everyone wins!

IDENTIFYING THE USERS
Although kids are the primary users of the app, Sprout aims to start the conversation with parents first. We developed two main users personas with this distinction in mind: Buddy Johnson, a standard disempowered tween and his mother, Samantha Johnson, a standard overworked mom. In creating the comprehensive app offerings, we also considered the desires and needs of these three parenting archetypes: the future-oriented parent, the preoccupied parent, and the helicopter parent. Samantha would fall into the "preoccupied parent" category. 

IDENTIFYING THE USERS
Although kids are the primary users of the app, Sprout aims to start the conversation with parents first. We developed two main users personas with this distinction in mind: Buddy Johnson, a standard disempowered tween and his mother, Samantha Johnson, a standard overworked mom. In creating the comprehensive app offerings, we also considered the desires and needs of these three parenting archetypes: the future-oriented parent, the preoccupied parent, and the helicopter parent. Samantha would fall into the "preoccupied parent" category. 

DEVELOPING THE FEATURES
The initial survey results and our three main parenting archetypes helped guide the development of the key features. As most major banks move their offerings online (and specifcally, to mobile), it was no surprise that most parents we surveyed desired the basic conveniences of an eWallet for their kids. Our survey results also suggested that nearly every parent is interested in an educational component. A more surprising finding was that many parents were on board with a marketplace option for kids to find work and offer their skills. For those helicopter parents who may be concerned about security and safety, we developed a robust customization system in which parents can opt in or out of such controls as spending limits, pending-parental-approval messaging, and purchase notifications.

DEVELOPING THE FEATURES
The initial survey results and our three main parenting archetypes helped guide the development of the key features. As most major banks move their offerings online (and specifcally, to mobile), it was no surprise that most parents we surveyed desired the basic conveniences of an eWallet for their kids. Our survey results also suggested that nearly every parent is interested in an educational component. A more surprising finding was that many parents were on board with a marketplace option for kids to find work and offer their skills. For those helicopter parents who may be concerned about security and safety, we developed a robust customization system in which parents can opt in or out of such controls as spending limits, pending-parental-approval messaging, and purchase notifications.

DEVELOPING THE BRAND LOOK AND FEEL
As mentioned earlier, today's children are a digital generation, and not only are they spending a lot of time on their cell phones, but some of their favorite apps (i.e. Instagram, Spotify, Snapchat, etc.) —were actually designed for adults. Thus, we felt it was important that the Sprout app have enough sophistication to compete. We opted out of the bells, & whistles that might be found on a children's app, and instead created a clean, simple geometric  design system and an icon-driven app interface in order to communicate that this app offers something unique.  

DEVELOPING THE BRAND LOOK AND FEEL
As mentioned earlier, today's children are a digital generation, and not only are they spending a lot of time on their cell phones, but some of their favorite apps (i.e. Instagram, Spotify, Snapchat, etc.)—were actually designed for adults. Thus, we felt it was important that the Sprout app have enough sophistication to compete. We opted out of the bells, & whistles that might be found on a children's app, and instead created a clean, simple geometric  design system and an icon-driven app interface in order to communicate that this app offers something unique.