We asked current collage students to build models that would let them tell stories about what it feels like to have student loans. 

We went into people's homes to see how their loans were impacting their lives. We asked them to do an Open Card Sort to learn about their relationships with money.

We invited parents and graduates in to our office to better understand their feelings around discussing money with loved ones.

We asked users to use other products that might be similar to something we might try to build. We learned a lot about what works and what doesn't.

I built a quick (2-ish days) web-based prototype to test look and feel, messaging content and tone, and some ideas around a tool. 

We created a case study book to show off the work. It contains the details for our approach and our findings.