Simplifying the Irish Tax Filing Experience: A UX Approach to Reducing Digital Anxiety
This project was undertaken during my MSc in UX & Service Design as part of a multi-phase academic brief focused on addressing real-world problems through user-centered design. The aim was to apply a structured UX process — from research to problem framing — on a topic of our choice.
We were given general problem spaces to explore. I selected the theme of digital public services and the area of online tax filing in Ireland.
Desk Research - Exploring the area online tax filing in Ireland
Managing taxes online through Ireland’s Revenue platform is convenient in theory, but in practice, users often feel overwhelmed by the complexity of the system. Desk research revealed several pain points: unclear language and terminology, poor guidance, scattered information, and a general lack of educational support on how to claim entitlements or submit returns.
User Research - Exploring the area online tax filing in Ireland.
Affinity Map - Data from User Interviews - "What are the main challenges experienced by people in Ireland with managing their taxes online?"
Emerging Themes
The findings from the Thematic Analysis of the interview transcripts and Affinity Mapping have formed three key themes:
Financial Education - lack of literacy, lack of financial education support.
Emotional Response - frustration and anxiety around managing ones taxes.
System complexity - time consuming, lack of accessibility.
Based on the research insights, users consistently struggled with the complexity of tax language, lack of step-by-step guidance, and an overwhelming user journey on Revenue’s website. Some expressed uncertainty and resorted to costly third-party services despite being eligible to file or claim independently.
Guiding Question:
How might we support Irish taxpayers who feel anxious about online tax management by providing step-by-step resources that break down the filing process, helping them feel informed and secure in using digital tax platforms?
Based on the identified user pain points—lack of financial education, emotional stress, and system complexity—I proposed an e-learning app that provides short, step-by-step tax tutorials. The goal was to create a simple, friendly platform that improves tax literacy, builds user confidence, and demystifies the Revenue process
User Person
To keep the design user-centered, I created a primary persona based on common themes across interviews — someone anxious about tax management but motivated to learn if given the right tools.
Customer Journey Map
This journey map illustrates the typical steps a user takes when attempting to file taxes online suing the proposed e-learning app.
User Flow Diagram
To translate the persona’s goals into a functional experience, I created a user flow showing the intended interaction with the app—from onboarding through tutorial completion.
UI Brainstorming
UI Brainstorming
The moodboard is designed to convey a modern aesthetic with a color palette that evokes trust, relaxation, and comfort. The Noto Sans font is highly legible and has a universal appeal, offering a familiar feel that resonates with a broad user base. Rounded buttons and cards further enhance the soft, calming atmosphere while aligning with current industry trends, fostering ease and familiarity for users.
UI Wireframes
UI Screens
Low-fidelity wireframes created to outline content hierarchy and step-by-step navigation for users managing tax processes. High-fidelity mockups reflecting a clean, calming interface with a neutral color palette aimed at reducing anxiety and improving focus for users unfamiliar with tax terminology.
Log in options: Users can use email or social options to create an account.
Course Library (Courses): This section is divided into two parts: Courses and Revenue Tutorials. Here, users can browse, save, start, or resume courses that teach various aspects of the Irish tax process. Users can easily switch using the “Courses” and “Revenue Tutorials” button.
Saved Courses: Courses can be saved by users. From here they can also be removed.
Notifications: From the dashboard the user can access relevant notifications which serve as reminders of important dates and activities.
Onboarding screen: Brief messages to a new user about how the app can help them.
Course Library (Revenue Tutorials): This is the other side of the Course Library offering step-by-step walkthrough tutorials for the revenue website. As users learn about taxes they will need to pay and file them on Revenue.ie.
Settings: Here the user is able to log out of their account and find necessary information needed like contacting support, turning off notifications, accessing privacy data, terms of use and downloading relevant tax forms as PDFs which they can fill and file to the Revenue. Having these forms in the in app ensures the user has everything in one place without having to spend time looking online.
Completed Courses: From the dashboard screen the user can access all of their completed courses.
The final design was guided by insights from user interviews, which revealed that financial anxiety stems from both a lack of education and a fear of making errors. This informed our decision to build a tutorial-first interface focused on clarity, support, and micro-interactions to build user confidence.
An example of a loading screen for an existing user launching the app.
Selected Course: When a user taps "Start" or "Resume," they are directed to a screen that provides a preview description of each step in the course. To help users track their progress, a "Play" button activates as each section is completed, accompanied by a percentage display. The "Resume" button will go to the exact step where the user left off. The course window also features a traditional progress bar (blue gradient), showing the overall completion status of the course.
Course Complete: After a user has completed every section of a chosen course they are greeted with a congratulations screen and a brief revision message, this could potentially enhance retention of the material covered in the course.
UI Walk-through
Log in/Sign up: New users sign up and existing users can log in.
Dashboard: This is the home screen, displaying key information for the user. It includes an unfinished course section with a "Resume" button, allowing users to pick up where they left off. Additionally, it shows completed courses, recommended courses, a simple tax calculator for quick calculations without leaving the app, and relevant notifications to remind users of important dates and activities.
In-Course Screen: The idea is that the courses are in video/animation/motion graphic form with short interactive elements.
Simple Calculator: From the dashboard a calculator is available for convenience.