Finance App MVP

Project Overview

Initiated as an interdisciplinary project at the Chair for Digital Finance, Technical University of Munich, this Finance App represents a pivotal step in my journey from a student assistant to a key member of the Financial Health Initiative e.V. The app was born out of a necessity to overcome the limitations of the previous project’s prototype, continued as a student assistant as part of the project management team, which was hindered by slow development pace due to an overly complex codebase and a constant change of students working on the project. Embracing the challenge, I spearheaded the development of a simpler native iOS prototype, eventually transitioning to a full-fledged polished research-MVP. See Demo.

The Challenge

Our primary goal was to create a research-ready MVP, facilitating seamless financial management and data analysis. The project faced hurdles, including fluctuating team compositions and evolving requirements. A crucial pivot occurred when we shifted to native iOS development with me as the sole developer to accelerate development with a simpler setup and a clear vision of the app’s functionality.

Solution & Architecture

At the core of the Finance App MVP we are integrating three third-party APIs:

• FinAPI: Accesses real-time bank account data.
• FinAPIWebForm: Manages PSD2 compliant authentication.
• FinanzMining: Offers transaction categorization and insights.

These APIs are proxied through an edge function for to hide API keys and store anonymized user data in a PostgreSQL database for research purposes.

My Role & Contributions

As a founding member of the Financial Health Initiative e.V., I was instrumental in:

• Designing and developing the iOS app using Swift and SwiftUI.
• Integrating with FinAPI and FinanzMining APIs through OpenAPI.
• Integrating Core Data for efficient local data management.
• Storing research data in a PostgreSQL database through an edge function.
• Assigning research user groups for A/B testing (overall spending vs. available income).
• Continuously deploying the app to TestFlight for testing.

Impact & Outcomes

This project has not only advanced my technical skills but also provided invaluable insights into project management, team collaboration, and how to structure a project for long-term success. It’s a testament to my ability to take ownership of a project and deliver a polished product. The app is currently on hold due to the lack of funding, but it will continue to be the main focus of the Financial Health Initiative e.V. once funding is secured.

Demo

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Onboarding

Overview

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