Building Calculators on the Web

As a Software Developer, I have the pleasure (though not always!) of building a wide variety of applications and features that many people actually use. One such feature is the calculators featured throughout the PSECU website.

A "Wee Bit" of History

Before my arrival, all the calculators were hosted through a third party (some still are), and PSECU redirected users to this external site whenever they clicked a calculator link. For some reason, either the developers weren’t capable of—or weren’t trusted with—building calculators in-house. As a result, users were sent to a third-party website to access these tools. The problem? Users didn’t use the calculators./p>

The Problem with the UI and Static Data

From a user experience perspective, any visible transition from the intended website to an unexpected third-party website is a bad experience. It’s difficult—if not impossible—to hide such a transition because the URL visibly signals the shift.

The issue was compounded by the fact that the third party made no effort to align the calculators with the PSECU brand. The interface was a stark, pale screen with calculator options and the vendor's logo prominently displayed in the top-left corner. It was as "white-labeled" as it could possibly be.

On top of the poor UI, static data posed another challenge. Calculators often need dynamic elements to make them relevant to the user in the context of where they're being used. For example, in the context of a bank, dynamic interest rates are essential for accurate calculations. While some calculators allow users to input this information manually, we could do better by automatically providing up-to-date rates.

At PSECU, dynamic rates are displayed throughout the website, particularly on the rate tables found on product pages. However, our third-party calculators relied on manually updated rates, leading to discrepancies and inefficiencies. It was time for a change.

My Arrival

This is not an effort to toot my own horn, but within my first couple of months at PSECU, I immediately recognized the need for a different approach. I took the initiative to build a calculator prototype based on prior discussions and demoed it to the team. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with excitement about the future possibilities.

The Start of Homemade Calculators

Requests for new calculators began pouring in, ranging from event-driven input calculators to simple "push-and-result" tools. These calculators now come in various forms tailored to each product PSECU offers, and they are all dynamic—updating automatically whenever we push out a new rate value!

As I completed these calculators quickly, PSECU began tracking their usage across the website. The data revealed that usage rates skyrocketed compared to the previous system. It became clear that keeping the calculators on the same page as the associated product significantly boosted user interactivity and interest in the page.

The Future of Calculators

I am now receiving requests to give the calculators a "facelift" for a more modern appearance. I wholeheartedly agree, as the current designs are largely adapted from the vendor’s outdated templates. This evolution feels like just the beginning—moving from features once deemed “not worthwhile” to creating tools of greater complexity and value—all starting with the calculators.

Closing

The growing interest in these calculators has sparked my curiosity about exploring opportunities in consulting. There seems to be a market for this expertise, and I believe I have the experience to tap into it. You’d be surprised at how much third-party calculators cost...