Caden
2022
Overview
Caden, a ventures initiative, aims to create a new ethical data marketplace where users are compensated for their anonymized data and gain valuable insights from their own and aggregated information. The platform envisions a future where individuals have full ownership and control over their personal data, fostering a more equitable and beneficial data ecosystem.
Roles & Responsibilities
I led UX/UI design, developed the visual identity, and conducted user and stakeholder interviews. I collaborated with a cross-functional team to align the business proposition with user experience development.
Challenge
Is to build a transformative platform that provides trust and empowers users to anonymize their personal data and get paid for it. The goal was to stand out in a new yet competitive market by crafting a clear and compelling value proposition and differentiating Caden in a competitive market.
Solution
The frog team helped Caden address these challenges by developing a multi-faceted approach. We helped Caden build an intuitive and accessible mobile app, prioritize user privacy and control, enhance user engagement, and define a go-to-market strategy for to prepare for their beta launch.
This collaborative effort, including conducting quantitative and qualitative design research with consumers, defining the target audience, value proposition, and creating detailed designs for the MVP of Caden’s consumer app, led to the development of Caden's unique value proposition and a Beta App that allows users to easily connect their favorite online services, such as Netflix and Amazon, and gain compensation and insights for their data.
Process
User Research Participants
We interviewed 10 research participants over the course of several weeks and many design evolutions. Those sessions challenged our own assumptions and in some cases, served as “tie-breakers.”
Within each sprint we asked our participants if they would be up for providing feedback on the designs and flows we created. Conducted A/B testing on design on look and feel and experience of the platform.
Design Concepts
The CEO of Caden, was open to any and everything from look and feel to feature explorations. We workshopped our way down from 10 concepts to 3 that were then further refined with Design for more extensive user testing.
Beta
In the end, we moved forward with the compensation model as planned with a secondary value prop of behavioral insights based upon the user’s actions on their connected platforms.
Conducted an in-depth analysis of Caden's primary competitors to understand their marketing strategies, user experiences for data input, and the types of insights or rewards they promote.
Key Findings:
User experience models ranged from manual data entry with dashboard monitoring to automated "set-it-and-forget-it" solutions like browser extensions.
Competitors employed diverse data collection methods, including direct input, indirect methods, and passive background tracking.
Interface styles varied from playful and interactive to functional and utilitarian.
Companies faced strategic decisions between fostering frequent user engagement or providing seamless, passive interactions.
These insights guided strategic recommendations for Caden’s design principles, helping differentiate the platform through innovative data collection and reward experiences validated by user interviews.
Competitors Analysis
User Research
We conducted user research with a targeted group to explore their data behaviors, privacy concerns, and preferred data protection methods. This included investigating their interest in gaining self-insights, including comparisons to others' habits. We presented conceptual features for collecting anonymized data, exploring potential approaches such as "backdoor," "side door," and "front door" data collection methods. Finally, we tested potential value propositions for Caden's services to determine which resonated most with users and built trust.
Onboarding
We designed an onboarding flow that allows users to join a waitlist before the platform's official launch. This enables them to begin their onboarding journey by adding their data to start creating their profiles. During this pre-launch phase, users can connect their email accounts, complete a brief demographic survey within Caden's Vault, and even refer a friend. We have designed a streamlined process to ensure a smooth and efficient onboarding experience for all waitlist members.
What we learned from our participants
Participants emphasized the importance of transparency in how their data is used and the need for Caden to avoid bait-and-switch tactics. Clear communication about onboarding, providing inputs, and offboarding data is essential, with well-articulated offboarding procedures as a priority. Early adopters who conduct more research will be motivated by Caden’s mission if its values are communicated effectively.
To build trust, Caden should demonstrate security and thought leadership through published materials, blog posts, and visible actions. Smaller companies face inherent trust challenges, so corporate partnerships or celebrity endorsements can help establish credibility. While consumers generally offer companies the benefit of the doubt, regaining lost trust is challenging. They expressed a preference for advanced security measures, such as biometric, voice, or enhanced password protection, to safeguard their data vault.
Dashboard, Connections & Cash Out
The Caden Dashboard serves as a centralized hub for users, offering a dynamic display of key insights into their habits and data through insightful visualizations. This interactive platform empowers users with transparency and control over their data by allowing them to easily view and manage all connected apps. Users can also effortlessly connect or disconnect apps within other navigation pages, tailoring the platform to their specific needs. Finally, a streamlined and smooth earnings tracking system, coupled with secure bank account integration, enables users to receive their earnings seamlessly, providing a comprehensive and user-friendly experience.
What we learned from our participants
Consumers seek a one-stop shop for identity verification and data management, particularly after major life changes. Parents are more concerned about protecting their children's data than their own, while clear guidance on data control builds trust. Life events present key opportunities to introduce Caden. Users prefer low-touch, set-it-and-forget-it tools that save time through features like auto-login and form autofill. They only want alerts for critical privacy issues and generally have ad fatigue, with younger users skipping terms and older users reading them carefully.
“Selling your own data: I think the investment of time in that kind of setup – if I could generate money from it... would be very much worth it.”
– Richard L., MD & MBA student
“I like the way this looks, because it’s all under one umbrella. We all personalize ourselves physically and mentally, but I’ve never done it online.”
— Marcelino N., Banking Industry
Story-style Insights
The Story-style feature allows users to delve deeper into their data insights, exploring their personal habits and trends. It also provides valuable context by allowing users to compare their behaviors with those of the broader Caden community. Additionally, users can share their insightful findings on other social platforms, fostering engagement and connection with friends and family.
What we learned from our participants
Consumers value insights that are accessible at-a-glance, actionable, and offer clear next steps to support habit changes, such as current trends in spending, screentime, or sleep quality. Misaligned or irrelevant recommendations undermine trust and diminish perceived value. Transparency into the origins of insights—how conclusions are drawn—builds credibility. While many consumers are skeptical about the value of data-driven insights, they appreciate tools for setting goals, tracking progress, and receiving tailored recommendations. Comparing their progress to others in areas like fitness or finances also adds motivational context.
“Recommendations from my peers make a bigger impact on me than some ad on the subway.”
— Erin H., Public Health PHD Student
“I’d be interested in an app that showed me how I compare. We’re always growing and knowing there are new things out there to try why not?”
— Marcelino N., Banking Industry
Design System
For the Caden Beta launch, we developed a UI Kit and foundational Design System, guided by principles of Playfulness, Trustworthiness, Clear and Differentiated. Voice of customer feedback and A/B testing from design sprints informed our decisions, resulting in a unique and engaging user experience that differentiates Caden from competitors.
We delivered the UI Kit, including component templates for efficient development. Collaborating with the product manager, we documented all use cases, enabling Caden's development team to seamlessly transition to the build phase.
