1
Uber drivers are aware that they have to pay taxes every quarter.
Project Details
Project: Track App
feature: App Design, Branding
role: UX/UI, App Designer, Researcher
The track is a startup company that handles self-employment taxes every day. They aim to provide Track services for Uber through this project. This application extensively provides tax management services for Uber drivers.
Track Company provides Tax services for Uber drivers Track through a partnership with Visa company. This allows drivers to benefit from using Visa check card.
2019
Year
16
Interview
20
User testing
520
Sticky Notes
WHAT TRACK DO
Track handles your self-employed taxes every day,
giving you a clear picture of what you've earned and what you owe.
giving you a clear picture of what you've earned and what you owe.
Calculate
Track scans your bank accounts for new 1099 incomeand dynamically calculates how much you owe in taxes.
WITHHOLD
Track automatically withholds enough for taxes into a dedicated FDIC insured account, so you never spend what you owe.
SUBMIT
Each quarter, Track will submit your estimate payment and paperwork with the IRS and your state tax authority.
REFUND
Instead of waiting until next April, Track gets you your tax refund each quarter when you deduct your business expenses.
FILE
Track makes filing your annual tax return a breeze by exporting your Schedule C & SE tax documents in one click
BUSINESS GOALS
• Partner with NBKC to allow users to leave their withheld taxes in their checking account
(National Bank of Kansas City)
• Earn the trust of users to so they will use Visa's(our partner)Uber driver debit card
(National Bank of Kansas City)
• Earn the trust of users to so they will use Visa's(our partner)Uber driver debit card
PRODUCT GOALS
• Accurately and efficiently calculate the amount of taxes owed by the user based on their earnings
• integrate the tax payment process into the current uber driver app so drivers need not download an additional app
• Provide an experience for users to pay and withhold their taxes seamlessly
• integrate the tax payment process into the current uber driver app so drivers need not download an additional app
• Provide an experience for users to pay and withhold their taxes seamlessly
BUSINESS RISKS
• Uber drivers might not trust our service upon launch because it is new to them, leading to hesitance to allow us to access their financial information
• Uber drivers might end up with a large tax bill despite using our service because they have insufficient funds to pay their taxes
• Uber drivers might be apathetic toward tax payment, and ignore our service completely
• Uber drivers might end up with a large tax bill despite using our service because they have insufficient funds to pay their taxes
• Uber drivers might be apathetic toward tax payment, and ignore our service completely
hypothesis
The Track tries to provide convenient services for drivers by building an application that allows self-employed people to easily and automatically report their taxes. the UBER drivers assume that there is already a service that can handle their taxes.
UNVALIDATED Problem
UBER drivers are unaware of Track, a tool that can automatically withhold a sum of money from their paycheck to pay their taxes quarterly
UBER currently does not have a system for their drivers to pay their taxes
Some UBER drivers calculate their taxes incorrectly
Uber drivers may have insufficient funds to pay their taxes
Current tools available to Gig Economy Workers to handle their taxes are either expensive, not user friendly or both
Persona 01
I need more money in addition to social security benefits
About
• Age: 40• Works approx. 60 hours a week
• Drives mostly within San Francisco
• Driving for Uber is his main source of income
NEEDS AND GOALS
• Needs more money than what social security is providing• Wants to make enough money to spoil his grandkids
• Needs something to fill his free time
• Needs reminders to pay his taxes
PAINS AND GAINS
• Unfamiliar with managing his finances virtual• Tends to forget to pay his taxes from his
• Uber income
• Enjoys the flexibility of schedule when driving for Uber
Persona 02
I need to make sure I have enough money set aside for taxes
About
• Age: 29• Driving for Uber weekend,
(working on a retail company on weekdays)
• Driving for Uber is another source of his income
NEEDS AND GOALS
• Needs to be able to quickly check how much she can spend from her Uber paycheck so she can pay her bills on time• Needs to be disciplined in not spending what she owes in taxes
• Wants to worry less about the tax payment process (ie. the calculation, saving, reminded of the amount deducted) and focus more on making money
PAINS AND GAINS
• Sometimes has insufficient funds to pay her taxes• Cannot help but feel bitter upon seeing the amount deducted in taxes when receiving her paycheck
• Able to cashout from Uber whenever she needs
interview
- Ice-breaker questions:
-
Q. How long have you been driving?
Q. Can you tell me more about your daily routine?
Q. How many days a week do you work ?
Q. How many hours do you usually drive a day? - Find out how Uber drivers file their taxes:
-
Q. How do you get paid?
Q. How often do you get paid?
Q. Does Uber take the money out for you? - IF YES:
-
• Does Uber tell you that you need to file your taxes?
• Do you know how much they take out?
• Does it affect your taxes? - IF NO:
-
• How did you know you had to file your own taxes?
• How do you handle your taxes?
(If yes, how do you deposit money?)
• What’s the most challenging part about filing your taxes as an Uber driver?
• How do you wish Uber could help you with your taxes?
ASSUMPTION & LEARNING GOAL
All drivers pay taxes once a year. Most drivers are unaware of the information they need to pay for every quarter.
2
Uber drivers do their best to save on tax.
Uber drivers pay funds or get mileage deductions to save taxes. But this is only a very small number of people, and most drivers do not know about it.
3
Uber drivers do not know about the Tax Penalty.
Uber drivers are required to pay taxes every quarter, but this is not properly practiced. Also, they were not very aware of the penalty payouts.
4
Uber provides Uber drivers with information for tax purposes.
Uber drivers receive 1099form from Uber via email. But the drivers just sign and send it back. And they do not get any other information about taxes. Uber provides drivers with information about the distance they are driving and income earned from driving.
5
Uber drivers want to save money to pay taxes.
Most Uber drivers do not save for tax purposes.But when they think about the taxes they will pay at the end of the year, they want to save for taxes and pay taxes on savings accounts.
The Synthesis
Sketches
The group sketching
wireframe
user testing
LEARNINGS & FINDING
1
Uber drivers are aware that they have to pay taxes every quarter in order to avoid tax panalties.
None of the drivers knew that they had to pay their taxes quarterly in order to avoid incurring a penalty at the end of the year. All of them only paid their taxes once a year.
2
Uber drivers do their best to save on tax.
We found that there are some Uber drivers who do put aside some funds for taxes, while there are also others who do not even save for this, and would rather pay from their savings accounts. For the Uber drivers who do save for taxes, they simply put aside some money. However, they are often unsure if this sum would be enough to cover their taxes at the end of the year. One interesting finding was that one of our interviewees deliberately withholds more money at his W2 job to cover some if not all of his taxes owed for his Uber income.
3
Uber provides Uber drivers with information for tax purposes.
By providing Uber drivers with information such as how much they have earned, and how many miles they have driven in that year, Uber assists drivers in allowing them to calculate their taxes more easily.
4
Uber drivers are unaware that they are independent contractors.
Only one driver was under the impression that they were employees of Uber and was unaware that they were an independent contractor.
5
Uber drivers are unaware that they have to handle their own taxes (1099).
The majority of the drivers that I spoke to are aware that they have to handle their taxes independently, being independent contractors. One of them learned this after his first year of driving, as he thought Uber would handle his taxes the way a W2 job would.
WHAT WE LEARNED
Uber drivers tend to pay their taxes annually, rather than quarterly.
Depending on the individual, Uber drivers either save to pay taxes, or pay from their savings account.
Uber assists their drivers with paying their taxes by providing personalized information.
Most Uber drivers are aware that they are independent contractors.
The majority of Uber drivers know that they have to handle their own taxes.
Depending on the individual, Uber drivers either save to pay taxes, or pay from their savings account.
Uber assists their drivers with paying their taxes by providing personalized information.
Most Uber drivers are aware that they are independent contractors.
The majority of Uber drivers know that they have to handle their own taxes.
Final Design
