Bocce
SmartLogic and Bocce developed an eLearning app that demystifies the complexities of retirement planning, making financial literacy accessible to all workers.
- Developed a responsive eLearning app using research-based techniques to boost information retention and learning outcomes
- Implemented gamified elements to increase engagement and information recall
- Wrote custom code to integrate a JavaScript library with Phoenix LiveView, maintaining full functionality and performance
- Leveraged Elixir's scalability and real-time features to enhance app performance and reliability
Client Goals
A majority of working adults in the United States feel underprepared for retirement. The 2022 P-Fin Index reports that 60% of US workers with retirement savings accounts feel unequipped to make savings decisions, and one in four lack retirement savings. With proper planning, people can improve their future finances and reduce the stress of uncertainty. Today’s workforce urgently needs education to improve financial literacy.
The Bocce eLearning app plans to solve this problem and simplify retirement planning. The app transforms complex financial concepts into clear, manageable steps, equipping users with the knowledge to manage 401k accounts effectively. Bocce teamed up with SmartLogic to translate the vision into a digital reality.
The Search for a Software Development Partner
Bocce sought out an app development partner that could build an educational and responsive web app. After rigorous vetting of around ten candidates, Bocce Product Manager Chris Barnhill said they chose to work with SmartLogic on this project because the “responsiveness is stellar,” adding, "Every time we communicate with the broader team, we’re always looking for an elegant solution to complex problems. And SmartLogic does a good job of coming up with those elegant solutions.”
Scalable, Real-Time Applications with Elixir and Phoenix
Using tools like Elixir, Phoenix, and Phoenix LiveView, SmartLogic translated Bocce's eLearning vision into a responsive web application, focusing on the ultimate goal of building a visually compelling and user-friendly interface.
Initially, the Bocce team wasn’t familiar with the Elixir programming language. But, they were on board once the SmartLogic team demonstrated the language’s scalability and real-time performance capabilities. Chris shared, “Not a concern, but a pause - the tech choice of Elixir - our internal developer partners didn’t know what it was - they’ve evaluated it more and looked into it more in-house as well.”
Increasing Engagement with Gamification
To increase engagement and provide participants with immediate feedback, the Bocce app incorporates a variety of gamified elements including short lessons, quizzes, and rewards. As users complete lessons and achieve milestones, they earn badges.
By integrating gamified elements, personalized avatars, quizzes, and levels into the app design, educational material is more digestible and memorable than long-form articles or archives of resources.
Custom Avatar Implementation
In the Bocce app, an avatar of the user’s future self teaches the material, motivating users and increasing information retention. Customizable avatars add a personal touch to the learning experience. Peer-reviewed studies show that people are more successful in achieving long-term financial goals when they feel a stronger sense of connection and continuity with their future selves.
With this in mind, SmartLogic added customizable age-progressed avatars to the Bocce eLearning app. Leveraging the avatar builder, called Avataaars, the SmartLogic team ran into a challenge. The library was written for JavaScript and React, and we needed to integrate it into a Phoenix LiveView framework. In the end, the addition of this feature lets users visualize and interact with their future selves, aiming to enhance engagement with retirement planning and improve long-term financial decision-making.
Collaborating for Financial Education Innovation
Bocce and SmartLogic built a strong partnership on the foundations of clear communication and a shared goal. With Bocce’s wealth of knowledge in financial research and SmartLogic’s software development skills, the two teams collaborated to create a tool that illuminates the path to financial literacy in retirement planning.
Bocce’s Chris Barnhill emphasized, "The face-to-face interactions and SmartLogic's ability to stay a couple of steps ahead, essentially reading our minds, really added value to our collaboration."
Transforming Employee Retirement Readiness
Employers who adopt Bocce will provide their workforce with a fun, engaging, and educational tool that demystifies investing and retirement planning. The app offers gamified lessons, quizzes, and rewards to ensure employees remain engaged and motivated. This, in turn, can lead to better financial outcomes and increased retirement readiness among employees.
Bocce’s innovative approach not only benefits individuals but also enriches the value of group retirement programs offered by employers. By providing employees with tools to track retirement goals and earn gamified rewards, the Bocce eLearning app is poised to make a significant impact on employee engagement and financial literacy. Employers who integrate Bocce into their benefits offerings can look forward to a more financially secure and informed workforce.