Platform overview
Taos is a robust software solution designed to support accountants and their clients. The main goal of the platform is to make the tax filing process simpler and more accessible, providing a lighter and less stressful experience. This premise is reflected in a clean and intuitive design.
Developing Taos required a deep immersion into the accounting world. Understanding the routines and specific needs of accountants and taxpayers was essential to create personalized experiences for each user profile.
The design process
The design process began with a detailed exploration of how different users experience the tax filing process. Early on, we identified the need to create two distinct experiences in the MVP (Minimum Viable Product): one for end clients and another for accountants.
Throughout the project journey, we maintained constant validation with stakeholders, ensuring that design decisions were aligned with both business and user expectations.
My role in this project
I was responsible for studying and mapping accountants’ workflows, conducting client interviews to understand preferences and behaviors, creating the UI/UX design for both versions of the system, and developing interactive prototypes in Figma.
Client Portal
The client-facing version was designed with end users in mind, who are responsible for submitting documents and tax information. Since this process is naturally complex and tiring, we opted for a lighter visual style, using soft colors and friendly illustrations. The goal was to reduce cognitive load and provide a more welcoming interface, making the experience less intimidating and more fluid.
Accountant Portal
On the other hand, the portal for accountants was developed based on Taos’ more sober brand identity, using darker tones. This aesthetic choice reinforces the tool’s seriousness and professionalism, highlighting the importance and sensitivity of the information accessed by accountants. The layout was designed to provide efficiency and clarity, supporting the management of multiple clients and large volumes of tax data.
What I would do differently
Reflecting on the project, if I had the opportunity to revisit it, I would prioritize more active participation in the research phase, especially in direct interactions between founders, accountants, and clients. For security and privacy reasons, many of these conversations were conducted exclusively by the founders, which created gaps in the design process. Being present in these moments would have provided deeper insights into user pain points. Additionally, I would have conducted tests with real users using the final prototypes, ensuring that the solution met their needs and expectations even more precisely.
