Designed Quarrel-Free Custody Management for Divorced Parents.
Overview
Co-parents struggle with tracking shared child expenses, leading to payment disputes, missing receipts, and communication friction.
The Solution – A mobile-first expense tracking system with receipt uploads, real-time balance updates, and automated payment requests.
The Impact – Reduced conflicts through transparency, simplified split calculations, and streamlined reimbursement workflows.
Role
UX/UI Designer
Tools
Research, Wireframes , AB Testing, Prototypes
Timeline
8 Weeks
Platform
Mobile-First Website
Before & After
See how the redesign improved clarity and usability.
- Complex navigation structure
- No receipt upload capability
- Balance hidden in settings
- Manual split calculations
- Poor mobile experience
- Clean, intuitive interface
- One-tap receipt upload
- Always-visible balance header
- Smart auto-calculator
- Mobile-first responsive design
Methodology
Applied the Double Diamond process — Discover → Define → Develop → Deliver
Discover – Research & Insights
Conducted interviews with 10 divorced parents. 80% reported disputes over unclear expense splits and missed deadlines.
Key Insight #2:
Parents lose track of $400-800 annually in unreimbursed expenses due to poor tracking.
Key Insight #3:
85% of expense entries happen on mobile while at store, doctor’s office, or school.
Interview Insights –
“I hate asking for money. It always turns into an argument about whether the expense was ‘necessary.’ If I had proof and a clear system, it would be so much easier.”
“Sometimes Michael sends me a huge bill with no warning. I wish I could review each expense as it happens so there are no surprises.”
OurFamilyWizard
- Strong record-keeping features
- Court-admissible documentation
- Poor UX, complex navigation
- Expensive subscription model
AppClose
- Free to use
- Simple interface
- Lacks automation
- No receipt uploads
Custody X Change (Old)
- Comprehensive features
- Desktop-focused
- Complex flows
- No clarity on balances
Key Business Insight
Transparency + Simplicity = Trust. Users wanted neutral language and visual trust cues to reduce emotional tension.
Define – Problem & Opportunity
Problem Statement –
Divorced and separated parents need a transparent, neutral way to track and share child-related expenses without creating conflict or confusion, so they can focus on co-parenting rather than financial disputes.
HMW –
How might we make expense sharing between co-parents transparent to prevent misunderstandings?
Michael – Dad (Primary User Flow)
Age: 38 | Occupation: Software Engineer | Custody: 50/50 with ex-wife Sarah
Goals:
- Track all expenses he pays for Emma (daughter)
- Get reimbursed quickly from Sarah
- Keep organized records for tax purposes
- Avoid awkward money conversations
Frustrations:
- Sarah sometimes questions expenses without receipts
- Forgets to request reimbursement until amounts pile up
- Texts get lost in conversation history
Sarah – Mom (Secondary User Flow)
Goals:
- Verify expenses before paying
- See proof of payment (receipts)
- Budget accurately for child expenses
- Keep payment history organized
Frustrations:
- Sometimes gets surprise large expense requests
- Can’t always remember if she already paid something
- Wants transparency in spending decisions
Trust Through Visual Proof
Receipt viewer dramatically reduces skepticism. 100% of testers who saw receipts approved immediately vs 75% who had to ask for proof in V1
Reduce Communication Friction
Immediate Push Notifcations
Real- time alerts ensure prompt review. Users apreciated being able. to handle request during breaks rather than letting them pile up and cause delays.
Clear Approval Flow
Develop – Ideation & Design Process
Conducted remote moderated testing with 8 co-parents (4 dads, 4 moms)
Task 1: Add a new expense with receipt
90%
2m 14s
“The receipt upload made me feel more confident my EX wouldn’t question it. Super easy!”
Task 2: Review and approve an expense
100%
1m 40s
“I love seeing the receipt right there. No more back and forth asking for proof.”
Home Screen 1 – V1
❌ Problem Identified
Users had to scroll repeatedly to view their current balance, pending payments, and dues. This forced them to mentally calculate what was incoming, what was pending, and what they owed, leading to frequent back-and-forth scrolling and a confusing, frustrating experience.
Add Expenses -V1
❌ Problem Identified
Users cannot see the calculated split amounts before proceeding. They must mentally calculate or wait until the next screen to understand how much each parent will owe.
Upload Receipt – V1
❌ Problem Identified
Users dropped off at Step 2 because the upload flow was slow and only allowed selecting receipts from the photo gallery, causing incomplete submissions.
What We Changed Based on Testing:
Home -V2
✅ Placed balance and pending amounts prominently at the top with clear labels for instant visibility—no scrolling or mental math needed.
Add Expenses -V2
✅ Added split calculator preview
Upload Receipt – V2
V3
✅ Simplified built-in camera capture option
(Users can now take a photo instantly, attach it in one step)
Deliver
Experience both user flows firsthand. Navigate through Michael’s journey of adding expenses and Sarah’s journey of reviewing and paying.
Key Screens — Dad Flow (Michael)
Highlights from the User Journey
Key Screens — Mom Flow (Sarah)
Highlights from the User Journey
Impact
80%
Reduction in Expense Disputes
5 min
2X
Faster Reimbursements
100%
Receipt Documentation
What I learned –
- Trust is Everything: In co-parenting apps, transparency and documentation aren’t nice-to-haves—they’re essential for adoption.
- Mobile-First Matters: Most expense entries happen in real-time (at the store, doctor’s office, etc.). Optimizing for mobile is critical.
- Balance Visibility: Users constantly check “where do we stand financially?” Making this always-visible reduced anxiety significantly.
- Receipts Prevent Disputes: The #1 feature request in testing was receipt attachment. This single feature eliminates most conflicts.
- Two-Sided Design: Must design for both perspectives—the person adding expenses AND the person reviewing them.
Next Steps –
- Bank Integration: Auto-import expenses from credit cards/bank accounts
- Receipt OCR: Automatically extract amount and date from receipt photos
- Calendar Integration: Link expenses to custody calendar dates
- Budget Alerts: Notify when approaching monthly expense limits
- Tax Export: Generate year-end reports for tax deductions
- Multi-Child Support: Track expenses per child separately
- In-App Payments: Direct Venmo/Zelle integration for seamless payment
The Bottom Line
This project demonstrates how thoughtful UX design can reduce conflict in emotionally-charged situations. By focusing on transparency, documentation, and clear communication, we created a system that helps co-parents focus on what matters most: their children’s wellbeing.
The mobile-first approach, combined with features like receipt uploads, real-time balances, and automated invoicing, transforms a pain point into a streamlined, professional experience.
Open to new role, open to relocate, No sponsorship required.
Your feedback & critiques are welcome!