Let's build a product in 4 weeks!

Our client BDO turned to us in order to support cooperation to solve the problem of processing tax returns for people who invest in cryptocurrencies. We have also been aware of the gap that needs to be filled and we have also seen the necessity for improvement. We would like to turn the tedious, demanding process into a simple and convenient product for the user, in which the tax return will be run almost on its own.

Standard Approach vs. Low-code Approach

However, building and validating a digital product is expensive, time-consuming, and almost impossible without a team of developers. A standard product journey begins with a discovery phase, which usually takes 6 to 8 weeks in order to properly shape and validate the product idea with potential users. Only after that, we can start the “real” product development and it takes another 6 to 8 weeks to release its first version to users and get the first real feedback.

We have come to the conclusion to say NO to the standard approach and thanks to the latest LOW-CODE PLATFORMS, the combination of discovery and delivery phase came into existence.

Low-code platforms are an amazing tool that gives us the opportunity to create our own digital products for non-programmers and it is especially suitable for startups in the early stages. Low-code offers the perfect combination of validation and a functioning product. Agility and unlimited API extensions are the strengths.

Having an overview of their capabilities and focuses enables us to find the fastest way of development. The most popular low-code & no-code platforms include:

• Bubble

  Bubble lets you create interactive, multi-user apps for desktop and mobile web browsers. Build out logic and manage a database with our intuitive, fully customizable platform. Offers total design freedom without any knowledge of HTML or CSS. Create mobile-friendly layouts and dynamic content. Handles deployment and hosting for you. There are no hard limits on the number of users, volume of traffic, or data storage.

• Adalo

  “If you can make a slide deck, you can make an app!” - this is the main slogan for building in Adalo. With Adalo you’re in complete control of the design. Drag and drop expert-designed components or make your own. Automatically add interactions and database configuration without any code... or if you’ve already got your API, Adalo can integrate with that. With one click you can launch a truly native version of your app on the app stores for both iOS and Android.

• Tilda

  With Tilda’s intuitive format, you can quickly build a  new website, online store, landing page, or blog. It’s like a game: simple, fun, and easy. A contemporary look and high flexibility make Tilda blocks easy to use and suitable for any type of content. All you need is great content and a good eye.

• Webflow

  The Webflow Designer lets you build any website, marketplace, blog, and much more you can imagine with the full power of HTML, CSS, and Javascript in a visual canvas.

• ZOHO Creator

  Zoho Creator is a low-code application development platform that helps you design, develop, and run any business software you need. Drag and drop elements on the web to create apps with the exact features you need and get native iOS and Android apps automatically created.

Let's build!

Correct problem grasping is the key for the next sections. During the whole creation of the product, we always have to turn back and ask ourselves the question "Does it solve the particular problem?"

Specific targeting plays an important role in this process because the logic “It's for everyone” usually gets you nowhere.

As part of the application for creating a tax return, we specified the narrow focus of people with income from employment and at the same time from investing in cryptocurrencies through the FUMBI platform. Such narrow targeting has advantages, especially in UX applications but also in marketing.

User interviews are also a key element in the research. We used them to bring together the problems of our specific target group regarding the creation of tax returns, their background, and all other relevant information.

Branding

Succeeding in the market is a challenge to differentiate yourself just on the first look. Branding should think about your target group and the possibilities of linking marketing to the product - best of all, I know what product it is.

We have chosen TAXO as the name of the application, which is also related to the entire visual identity. An avatar complements the app, and with the help of personalization, we can create a better association for the product within marketing communication. TAXO is a helper that will easily and conveniently create a tax return for you.

UX & UI

The basis for the design proposal and development was the creation of a UX flow application.

Flow helped us to understand what the users have to do and how they get to the goal they want to meet, in our case creating a tax return = created the most intuitive application interface for the user.

The next step is wireframes, where we have transformed the proposed flow into specific layouts in the application. Wireframes helped us think and communicate about the structure and layouts for the best possible user orientation. Achieving a good layout is one of the most important parts of the application.

By combining wireframes and branding, we built an application UI.

Development in Bubble

For the development of the TAXO application, we have chosen the Bubble platform based on its complexity.

APIs extension & DB in Bubble

First, we tested the integration of selected low-code tools, which provided us with the necessary functionality for processing investment and employment income documents, as well as the creation of the final document. TAXO offers the creation of a tax return in a few clicks, which means that by simply uploading the document, we can parse the data based on the integration API and thus significantly facilitate the user's work.

We can extend the power and capabilities of low-code platforms with the API integration of various other tools. Whether it's automation, data handling, payment solutions, or specific cases. Just find the right one for you and connect it with your application on the platform.

Import from Figma

For the fastest possible development, we used the functionality of Bubble, namely Import of design from Figma! 😍 By adding data from Figma, your created design will appear in Bubble in a few seconds, and then you just need to add life to it through the workflow.

Design System & Workflow

In addition to importing from Figma, their Design System will also speed up your work, where you can edit and create any styles that you can apply to individual elements in the application.

Bubble works with individual elements that you can link to dynamic content and extend its functionality through the workflow without any restrictions. A workflow is composed of an event, which is what triggers the workflow and the series of actions that run. The combination of the event and the series of actions is what defines a workflow.

Release! 🎉

It is here! The product is released and most importantly, we bring value to the user thus we have not only achieved a hypothetical direction in the future but also a REAL experience for REAL users with a REALLY functioning product in just 4 weeks!

But that's not the end of our work, the product needs continuous improvement from feedback and data from analytical tools. We conducted user interviews with the users of the application in order to obtain the best possible outputs and determine the further direction of the TAXO.