CoPoint - Bachelor's Thesis

CoPoint - Supporting Entrepreneurs in Collaboration with Accounting Firms

Many small businesses choose to hire accounting firms to oversee tasks related to accounting, auditing, or payroll processing. The underlying reasons vary, but the most common are lack of knowledge, interest, or time among business owners. For businesses' finances and operations to proceed without problems, it's crucial that the accounting firms' work is carried out correctly. This requires well-structured collaboration and effective communication between the parties.

The Problem

Poor communication can have negative consequences for the accounting firm's work and ultimately affect the financial health of businesses. The majority of digital tools currently used by accounting firms in collaboration with their clients are designed with the firm in focus, meaning business owners need to adapt to tools that weren't designed for them.

Our Research Approach

This project, conducted together with Hogia, investigated optimal collaboration between businesses and accounting firms. We conducted a comprehensive needs study, including 26 interviews with business owners and various types of accounting firms. The collected data was analyzed alongside a literature study, and the identified needs were categorized for business owners and accounting firms respectively.

The CoPoint Solution

CoPoint was created to put the business owner in focus, filling a gap in the market by offering a solution that functions as a tool for accounting firms but is also designed to meet business owners' needs. The concept offers a smooth communication path and several value-adding features that simplify collaboration between business owners and their accounting firms.

Key Features

• Förfrågningar (Requests): Central feature where bank accounts are connected to automatically create requests based on transactions
• Three Communication Levels: Informative communication, document-based communication, and dialogue
• Easy File Management: Streamlined document sharing and storage capabilities
• Task Overview: Clear visibility of remaining tasks and deadlines
• Personalized Communication: Direct messaging functionality between business owners and accounting firms
• Continuous Submission: Ability to submit documents continuously rather than in batches
• Professional Interface: Clean, trustworthy, and professional design

Design Process & Methodology

The project followed a comprehensive design process starting with a preliminary study and market analysis. Based on the needs study, requirements were formulated and prioritized using pairwise comparison. Multiple ideation methods were used to generate a wide spectrum of ideas, which were combined into three different concepts. These concepts were evaluated both formatively and summatively with users, leading to the selection and refinement of CoPoint in Figma.

Results & Evaluation

A summative evaluation was conducted with users upon completion of the concept. The feedback was generally very positive, with many of the functions in the concept being appreciated. The interface was perceived as professional, elegant, and trustworthy - three qualities the interface aimed to achieve. The usability testing confirmed that most of the interface is intuitive, with only a few areas needing clarification.

Impact & Potential

CoPoint has the potential to improve communication and collaboration between businesses and accounting firms. The study had a unique starting point since most digital tools used by accounting firms in collaboration with their clients are currently designed with the firm in focus. CoPoint fills a gap in the market by offering a solution that works as a tool for accounting firms but is also designed to meet business owners' needs.

Thesis Paper

The complete research, methodology, and design process are documented in the bachelor's thesis paper, available through the Chalmers University repository.