Rock IQ - Web App
Opportunity: Research, UX/UI Design
Challenge: Create a dashboard, and company page for client’s first web page.
Role: Product Designer
RockIQ believes that current stock aggregation platforms are difficult for consumers to understand. They want to provide clearer market intel for the modern investors by using AI.
DESCRIPTION:
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Create an investment dashboard that allows beginner and intermediate investors to pick the right stocks without feeling overwhelmed.
I worked with a team of product designers for this project. By building a web app from zero to one, we hope to:
Develop a dashboard that has all the necessary information for the modern investor to make a clear decision
Create a company page that covers the overall performance of each investment
GOALS & METRICS:
The Design Process
Research
Competitive Analysis
The initial step of the research was to understand successful patterns in current products and missing gaps in unique values. As part of the team, I explored 14 different products, and narrowed it down to the top seven competitors. The focus were: what data stock aggregation platforms provide, and what data investors find useful in making an investment decision.
We performed comparative analysis via a component audit of the platforms and services currently in popular use.
We quickly realized that these platforms inundate users with information, making it hard for the user to scour through the data to make an informed decision. Surely there is a way to improve the user experience.
User Interviews
We interviewed 12 users who understand their goals, needs, motivations, and pain points of gathering stock information. Particularly, we wanted to know how they perceived the value of social sentiment analysis in making stock picks.
Synthesize
Insights
Base on our findings, 0 out of 11 users would invest based on what people say on social media. We went back to our client with this discovery, and decided to reevaluate the social sentiment factor.
Ideation
Features
We looked at how competitors implemented solutions to the above user stories for inspiration. Common elements that would need to be accessible throughout the dashboard would be a search bar, navigation panel, notifications and profile (settings).
We determined that RockIQ's final desktop app would comprise of a dashboard view and company view, where all the data would have to be contained. We settled on the following list of features:
Design Studio
We did a design studio session to come up with various solutions, an intensive process of sketching, presenting, collaborating, and validating amongst the team. My focuses were on the sentimental value, top 5 picks, and trending stocks.
Our clients did not want a standard dashboard. At the same time however, we were dealing with financial information, where there are visual representation standards to uphold.
Style & Branding
BRANDING
Here is the brand value we came up with: RockIQ is an easy to use stock aggregation dashboard that provides reliable stock performance information. A proprietary machine-learning algorithm is used to generate trustworthy, personalized stock investments. Information is presented in an organized manner, and gives users the freedom to see information they value most. Above all, it seeks to create a safe environment for those looking to invest in stocks.
STYLE GUIDE
Our clients expressed interest in the analogous color pairings used by companies like Stripe and Wealthfront, and the sleek but officious layout of Robinhood.
Our challenge then was to assemble a palette that communicated these values, while effectively highlighting important financial information.
In addition green and red were brought in to be used as indicators of rising and falling stock values. Blue and magenta on the other hand, allows the viewer to distinguish the different visualizations, particularly line graphs.
Lo-Fi Validation
Hi-Fi & Prototype
We delivered the final hi-fi designs below and executed the last round of validation with five other users. Feedback from that round regarded mostly with fixing minor details within visualizations. For example including axis and time period labels in the graphs. Overall, the five users understood the goals of the platform, what they can achieve on it, and pleased in terms of visual appeal.
Results & Handoff
Overall, the client was pleased with our designs. They felt it was a perfect starting point to have conversations when hiring engineers and product people. In addition, the dashboard demonstrates to investors what their potential solution could be. The client also appreciated the important work we did in the beginning by participating in user interviews. There we understood what features users would and would not value in an MVP and importantly, so the team could learn from that and pivot their strategy.