THE CHALLENGE
The objective of this project was to develop an app that provides time-sensitive financial news articles for my persona, Theraune Casey, in a consolidated format. The target audience is young professionals who aim to receive the latest financial and investment news. By accessing this information, my persona seeks to capitalize on investment opportunities that can strengthen his financial portfolio. In summary, the goal of this app is to improve the timing of financial information so users can leverage opportunities to their benefit.
My Approach
As a solo Product Designer, I designed and developed InvesTime with a clear purpose: to deliver the latest financial and investment news through a blend of minimalistic design and interactive functionality. Every element of this app is thoughtfully designed to ensure that users receive the latest updates on investment opportunities with minimal friction. The mid-fi prototype not only captures attention but also engages and inspires. Whether you're a solo trader or a growing investment firm, InvesTime provides a flexible and dynamic platform that showcases your work in the best possible light.
Usability Testing Insights
For this project, I had one participant, Theraune, a 29-year-old male from Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, New York. He is a tech-savvy young professional who enjoys learning about current events in the financial markets. He spends time reading the Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, NerdWallet, CFO Journal newsletter, Coinbase, and Experian credit bureau.
The tools used to interview Theraune included Zoom, the instant messaging platform Slack, and the interface design tool Figma. During the first interview round, I asked Theraune 10 questions regarding his interests, lifestyle, and more to understand who he is as a person. Once I collected that data, I generated another 10 questions to further investigate his interests in financial and investment news. From the additional details and insights gathered, I developed a wireframe prototype in Figma to experiment with.Sketches
Persona
Identifying Unique Challenges
Financial professionals often face the challenge of retrieving relevant news that is cohesive, compelling, and specifically tailored to their interests in a timely manner. InvesTime addresses this challenge by offering a modular design that allows users to organize and select their interests with clarity and impact. The Settings page enables users to tailor the newsfeed, ensuring they receive the latest information to make the best financial decisions.
Resolving Complex Problems
Balancing aesthetic appeal with functionality can be difficult, but I knew I could excel in this area. The app's smooth horizontal scrolling, video player, and photography slideshow features make navigation intuitive and engaging, allowing my audience to explore their newsfeed with ease. Whether they are browsing through a detailed case study or a dynamic investment opportunity showcase, I aimed to ensure that InvesTime offers users a seamless experience that keeps them engaged and focused on important investment opportunities.
Positive Findings
The user found that the time-release feature was valuable for staying updated without feeling overwhelmed. Theraune appreciated the consolidated view of financial news and media in a newsfeed format. The articles were categorized according to the latest news and the user's chosen interests. For example, when the user selected crypto and stocks as interests, the wireframe newsfeed displayed articles related to these topics. Another positive finding was that he could easily bookmark articles to review later. Theraune also found it easy to scroll between articles and noticed that the topic title bar changed, helping him understand the focus of each article.
Challenges Observed
Some of the challenges I observed were related to navigation. Theraune struggled to understand the navigation system due to the use of incorrect icons, which gave him the impression that certain features would be available, but they were not. Another issue was the lack of clarity on how to set the timing for notifications (e.g., daily, hourly, or custom). Regarding the comments section for articles, Theraune highlighted that the format could be improved to better display how users were responding to each other. Additionally, when viewing media like photos and videos, he struggled to understand the length of each piece of content. As mentioned during the interviews, he strictly manages his time and needs to know the length of media in advance. Finally, when it came to expanding media (e.g., photos and videos) within an article, the navigation buttons to return to the article were unclear.
Mid-fi Prototype
Click the image below to walk through the prototype:
Detailed Pages and Features
Home: A vibrant and dynamic introduction to the newsfeed, featuring interactive elements that immediately capture attention.
Custom Settings: A user-friendly page designed to help users find, select, and customize their interests for the newsfeed. Users can also set the frequency of notifications for the latest news.
Full-screen Media: Flexible and detailed layouts that allow users to view each video and photo with clarity and impact.
Accessibility and Optimization
InvesTime is fully A11y optimized, ensuring that this revolutionary tool is accessible to a wide audience. If brought into high-fidelity (hifi), I would ensure that features like screen reader compatibility and keyboard navigation support are seamlessly integrated, making the app usable for all. Additionally, this prototype would be equipped with web fonts, sticky scrolling, and smooth slider features, all optimized for a smooth and responsive user experience.
Takeaways from Usability Testing and Prototyping
My final discoveries and iterations from usability testing and prototyping revealed three key insights:
Usability vs. Complexity: Theraune appreciated the power of the wireframe app but struggled to navigate it. For example, he did not realize he could scroll down to the next article instead of returning to the newsfeed to access the next one. He also expected the profile page to host biographical details, but it instead displayed a settings configuration. This revealed that labeling could be improved.
Customization: Theraune suggested that a slider option with a node would be better suited in the profile section. When it came to selecting the type of interests, he was able to interact with it easily. Through our conversations, he intuitively understood that reconfiguring it would result in a completely different newsfeed.
Iteration and Feedback Loop: The iterative process and feedback loop between the client and me played a critical role. Regular feedback on newly implemented features and testing helped shape the prototype, leading to multiple iterations aimed at improving Theraune's understanding of the time-based features.
CONCLUSION
The key outcomes from usability testing included improving the navigation system, properly labeling media (e.g., photos and videos), and ensuring smooth transitions between frames. Through this project, I developed valuable skills and insights in user research via interviews and in developing a functioning prototype for clients.
InvesTime is more than just a financial news aggregator — it's a powerful tool that transforms how users discover investment opportunities to secure their financial future. With its blend of bold design and dynamic functionality, InvesTime empowers users to receive the latest and most relevant news based on their personal interests.
Whether you’re a designer, photographer, or investment firm, InvesTime provides the foundation for an impactful and profitable financial portfolio. Let InvesTime illuminate your portfolio and unlock the full potential of your financial vision.
