Google UX Certificate Portfolio Project Case Study

This is a slide deck I made for the Google Coursera UX Course

1. Invoizen
Kristin Lowry

2. Project Overview
Project Duration
3 months
The Product
Invoizen is an invoicing software app for small
businesses and solopreneurs. It enables
users to create, edit, track, send, and receive
invoices on mobile. What makes Invoizen
unique is its use of AI. Users can create a
client profile with pre-populated invoices by
uploading a contract. Additionally, they will
receive an assessment of current and potential
clients, including threats and opportunities.

3. Project Overview
The Goal
Clarity is essential to tackling these challenges
effectively. Freelancers need clear payment
terms, open communications, vigilance in
invoice tracking, and a way to anticipate
potential issues so they can address
them proactively.
The Problem
It is challenging for freelancers to get clients
to pay on time. The reason for payment delay
is often communication issues, disputes, or
internal issues on the client’s side.

4. Project Overview
Responsibilities
Desk research, user research, journey
mapping, interviews, paper and digital wire
frames, usability studies and high-fidelity
prototypes.
My Role
Product design, UX/UI design, and research

5. User Research
Personas
User Journey Maps
Competitive Audit
Understanding
the User

6. User Research Summary
I didn’t have the resources to conduct user interviews at the scale I would need to trust
the accuracy, so I tried to be as efficient as possible using Internet research. I utilized
desk and AI research, including Perplexity and Chat GPT, to determine who the users
were and what pain points they had around the problem. With a general understanding,
I queried Reddit forums such as r/Entrepreneur to hear from users, what issues they
encountered getting clients to pay promptly and what tools they used to track their
payments.
I heard that a lack of understanding of the project terms and parameters, which
sometimes resulted in disputes, caused payment delays. Issues such as scope creep
were frequent. Smaller businesses needed help with cash flow. Users used several
disparate tools to track payments, organize their schedules, and write a business plan.

7. User Pain Points
Client Cash Flow
Clients, especially
smaller ones, may
encounter financial
difficulties. They may
also stretch the payment
timeline to manage
cash flow.
Communication
Unclear payment terms,
misunderstandings of
the contract and scope,
logistical issues, or a
lack of follow-up can
cause payment delays.
Time Constraints
A complex payment
process requiring a lot
of back-and-forth or the
need for prioritization of
accounting on either side
can cause delays.
Relationships
Opportunities to get
more work from existing
relationships aren’t
always obvious. Clients
also tend to prioritize
those they have long-
term relationships with.
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8. Goals
• Establish financial stability by building
and maintaining a consistent roster
of clients.
• Creating a solid demo reel with a
distinct personal style.
• Staying on top of current industry
trends and upskilling when necessary.
• Work-life balance.
Frustrations
• Finding trustworthy clients, who will
have consistent work, and pay on time.
• Negotiating rates, balancing fair.
compensation with client budgets
• Irregular income; managing times of
feast or famine.
• Client revisions and feedback can
create a workload counter to the
contract and payment structure.
Shane
Age: 43
Occupation: Motion Designer
Hometown: Pasadena, CA
Family: Wife, two
children (age 3 and 9)
About
Shane, a motion designer with a keen eye for detail, is in need of an efficient invoicing
system to streamline his accounting tasks. His goal is to ensure prompt payments,
accurate invoices, and smooth communication with clients, thereby minimizing the back-
and-forth on payment and contract terms.
Shane is a motion designer and a former Associate Creative Director at a design firm.
He wanted to increase his income by setting his rates and establishing a direct contract
with clients, so he went freelance. His ability to pick and choose his clients and projects
drew him to strike out on his own. While he has been successful so far, he always has to
account for the uncertainties of life as a freelancer.
“I like being in control of my career.”

9. Goals
• Create financial stability as a
solopreneur in a creative career.
• Grow photography business through
relationship-building.
• Flexible hours to prioritize
family time.
Frustrations
• Unpredictable income, finding
clients, and getting timely payment
can be challenging.
• Having to wear multiple hats:
photographer, accountant, customer
service, etc.
• Limited resources for equipment and
other necessities.
Aubrey
Age: 35
Occupation: Photographer
Hometown: Bend, OR
Family: One child
About
Aubrey is a photographer who needs a way to track invoices efficiently to ensure
clients pay her on time. She also wants a way to vet clients and see their payment
history to ensure she is building relationships that are worth her effort.
Aubrey is a photographer who specializes in weddings and family portraits. She loves
being a photographer and the flexibility it gives her. It started as a side hustle and
then became a full-time job as her income became more significant and steady. While
fulfilling, it’s not without its challenges. Generating business and securing steady
income falls entirely on her shoulders.
“I’m lucky that I get to do what I love.”

10. ACTION Prospecting Contact
Contract
Negotiations
Production Payments
TASK LIST
• Researching
perspective clients
• Networking
• Cold calls
A. Initial contact with
prospect
B. Discussion of
project needs,
timeline, and
budget
A. Create detailed
project proposal
outlining the
scope of work,
deliverables,
timeline, and
pricing
B. Acceptance of
proposal
C. Finalize terms
A. Storyboarding,
creative direction,
motion graphics
creation,
animation, and
visual effects
B. Revisions and
feedback
A. Final file approved
B. Invoice sent
C. Payment received
FEELING
ADJECTIVE
Excited about
prospects and
potential projects
Concerned about the
quantity and quality of
the work
Relieved to have
made contact
Hopeful that clients
needs will align
with user need an
availability
Determination of
user’s rates
Hopeful that
negotiations will run
smoothly
Potential frustration
with push back
Enjoyment of the
work
Frustrated by client’s
feedback
Desire to minimize
scope creep or guard
against it
Anxious about
whether the payment
will come through
Relief when clients
pay on time
IMPROVEMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
A way to vet
companies before
reaching out
Suggestions
for potential
opportunities
Predictive analysis of
factors such as client
business history,
project complexity,
and industry norms
Contract with clear
payment terms
and expectations
including late
payments
Rate suggestions
based on market
demand, competition,
and project
complexity
Efficient scheduling
to insure that
deliverables and
feedback are given
and received without
holding up the project
timeline
Invoicing services
Payment reminders
and tracking
Persona: Shane
Goal: To receive timely payment from clients so he can be financially secure

11. ACTION Prospecting Contact
Contract
Negotiations
Production Payments
TASK LIST
• Researching
perspective clients
• Networking
• Social media self
promotion
A. Initial contact with
prospect
B. Discussion of
project needs,
vision, and budget
A. Create detailed
project proposal
outlining the
scope of work,
deliverables, and
pricing
B. Acceptance of
proposal
C. Finalize terms
A. Logistics of photo
shoot, equipment,
permits etc.
B. Photo shoot
C. Client Review
A. Final files
approved
B. Invoice sent
C. Reminder issued
D. Payment received
FEELING
ADJECTIVE
Determined to find
work through self
promotion
Excited to try new
strategies
Concerned clients
might not be
receptive
Relieved to have
made contact
Hopeful that clients
will have a good
experience and
refer others
Hopeful client
accepts user’s rates
Potential frustration
with push back
Enjoyment of
the work
Potential frustration
with equipment and
situations out of
user’s control such
as weather or client
behavior
Anxious about
whether the payment
will come through
Relief when clients
pay on time
IMPROVEMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
Potential client
suggestions
Social media
monitoring and lead
suggestions
Writing suggestions
for initial contact and
follow up
Contract with clear
payment terms
and expectations
including late
payments
Rate suggestions
based on market
demand, competition,
and project
complexity
Image and editing
enhancements
Invoicing services
Payment reminders
and tracking
Integration with
existing payment
platforms such as
Google pay
Persona: Aubrey
Goal: To receive timely payment from clients so she can be financially secure

12. Competitive Audit
According to research, the most popular freelancing apps
are Freshbooks, Quickbooks Self-Employed, Wave, and
Zoho Invoicing. I analyzed these four software companies
and found that there was no Goldilocks solution when it
came to ease of use. They were too simple and relied too
heavily on third-party integration, or they were too complex
for users with simpler invoicing needs.
The competition doesn’t offer AI-generated invoices. Some
apps offer invoice automation, but they require the user to
input the data themselves. AI could generate invoices based
on the contract and modify them with actual hours worked,
etc., with minimal input from users.
Competitive Audit Report
Competitive Audit

13. User Flow
Paper Wireframes
Digital Wireframes
Digital prototypes
Usability Studies
Starting the
Design

14. User Flow
Before beginning the design of my app, I wanted to determine
what user flow I would focus on. Since this is an invoicing app,
the primary user flow would be to create an invoice as a new
user and create a new client.
I determined that generating invoices directly from the
contract would eliminate manual work for the user and clear up
any confusion/miscommunication about the project’s terms.

15. Paper Wireframe
I created paper wireframes, iterating each page of the user flow several times.
Then, I selected the best ideas for each page and could move on to digital wireframes.
This exercise is helpful for ideation. It forces an analysis of many different possibilities
and angles. Another benefit of paper sketches is that the investment is low. Paper
wireframes can be messy and imprecise.

16. Low-Fidelity Wireframe
I determined that the “create new” and mobile-specific user
flows should be featured prominently at the top since they are
the most frequently used.
I’ve also included a summary section to give users an
overview of their financial picture and a chat feature that
enables users to chat with an Invoizen advisor.

17. Low-Fidelity Wireframes
In the Add New Client flow, I wanted users to be able to upload
a contract from a third-party storage site, such as Dropbox or
DocuSign. If they didn’t have the contract stored digitally, they
would also have the option to input their information manually.
If users don’t upload a contract, they can enter partial client
information, and the app will still generate a client profile
featuring predictions about the client’s business. They will
need to create the invoices manually.

18. Low-Fidelity Wireframes
The client profile would allow users to
see the company’s contact info, the
status of current invoices, overtime, and
invoices based on the contract that users
can send to the client. Users could filter
by project or client.
The client profile would also include
analytics generated by AI, including
opportunities and weaknesses. The
app would create suggestions for
approaching the client based on its
analysis. The client would be rated based
on standard criteria that Freelancers
consider when working with clients.

19. Low-Fidelity Prototype
The low-fidelity prototype walks users
through the process of creating a new
client, uploading a contract, and sending
out a pre-populated invoice based on
the contract. Users can also click on the
analytics section to learn more about the
client as a prospect based on AI.
Low Fidelity Prototype

20. Usability Study
Study Type
Unmoderated usability study.
Location
Washington, USA.
Participants
Four: Three men, one woman,
ages 32-42
Length
15-30 minutes.

21. Usability Study
Simplified Process
The process of client creation
should be obvious to users at all
points in the flow, and intended
navigation must be taken
into account.
Mobile Capabilities
The app needs to lean into
functionality unique to mobile:
the camera, GPS, timer, and
call function. Their ability
to eliminate extra steps will
encourage adoption.
More Choice, Less Work
Adding additional options for
importing data for client creation
will eliminate work for the user.
Users should be able to import
existing QuickBooks data.
The more formats and third-
party storage sites available,
the easier the contract upload
process will be.
I conducted a usability study to observe how easily users could navigate the flow. Users needed a more obvious
way to upload the contract and complete the process. Overall, they needed to understand why downloading a
mobile app would be the best solution for sending an invoice.
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22. Mockups
High-fidelity
Prototypes
Accessibility
Refining the
Design

23. Mockups
Simplified contract upload
Initially, I only had three ways to upload
a contract: paste a link, DocuSign, or
Dropbox. The design wasn’t obvious and
wasn’t useful for some people. I added
more third-party integrations, which
users can select using a popup.
Connecting with QuickBooks
In the user interviews, I learned how
ubiquitous QuickBooks is and how
beneficial it would be to give users the
ability to import QuickBooks data to
create a client profile.
Contract upload by camera
I learned that some users rely on paper
contracts and invoices. The ability to
upload a contract via photo would make
the invoicing process efficient enough for
me to download the app.
After Usability StudyBefore Usability Study

24. Mockups
Call client
The ability to call the client directly
without switching to another screen is
less work for the user.
Client health categories
The client health rating is derived from
data from company review sites such
as LinkedIn, Glass Door, and Indeed. It
is broken down into useful categories
for users, which adds more context and
relevancy than a general rating.
Invoice status organization
The app organizes invoices on the client
profile page by status: new, pending, and
overdue so that users can see all their
invoices in one location.
After Usability StudyBefore Usability Study

25. Mockups

26. Mockups

27. Mockups
The high-fidelity prototype includes a
client page and a popup modal so users
can upload contracts, from additional
third-party cloud storage apps.
High-Fidelity Prototype

28. Accessibility Considerations
Contrast
Color palette that meets
the WCAG guidelines for
color contrast.
Languages
Users have the option to choose
a language when they create
their account.
Screen readers
Screen readers to read text and
tell users what they have selected.
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29. Takeaways
Next steps
Going Forward

30. Takeaways
Impact
This app can succeed in the market due to its ability
to eliminate manual tasks related to invoicing.
Additionally, reviewing information about potential
clients saves users time and empowers their future
planning. Overall, AI capabilities can provide
differentiation for early movers, giving startups a
competitive edge.
Learnings
The main thing I learned from this project was the
importance of conducting user research. Relying
solely on desk research and AI doesn’t provide
enough information; it’s too general. The greatest
improvements came from usability studies. I learned
of user groups that I didn’t know existed and how to
design for them.

31. Next Steps
Increased integration
This app could integrate with
scheduling apps such as Trello
or Monday so that all of the
users’ administrative tasks are in
one place.
A/B testing
Conduct A/B testing with
design options.
Usability testing
Test expanded capabilities
and improved design with
users. Expand the scale of the
user testing.
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