Users can build confidence in their financial knowledge, start investing with minimal funds, and feel empowered to make smart financial decisions without feeling overwhelmed..

Discovery of the problem state

Dipping my toe into investment

Despite over half of Gen Z already participating in the stock market, many struggle with understanding investing and risk management. A significant 32% cite fear of losing money as a barrier to investing, while 22% of those not currently invested express a lack of trust in the market.

• Many schools do not include comprehensive financial literacy in their curricula. As a result, young adults graduate without a clear understanding of basic financial concepts like saving, budgeting, and investing.

Due to the project’s one-day timeline, we weren’t able to conduct formal interviews. However, since all hackathon participants were young adults, they shared insights from their own investment experiences, providing valuable perspectives. Here are the key insights gathered from their discussions.

Fear of insufficient retirement saving makes individuals in their mid ages so nervous.

Choosing a persona from Gen Z as the target user for the app brings a few key insights and considerations to the design process.Gen Z, typically defined as those born from the late 1990s to early 2010s, has distinct characteristics and expectations shaped by their unique experiences growing up in a digitally advanced and often financially challenging world.

Jamie is a young professional, living on a tight budget while starting their career in marketing. They are eager to build a stable financial future but feel overwhelmed by the complex world of investing. Jamie has a few friends who talk about stocks and crypto, but they often feel left out due to a lack of knowledge. After paying rent, bills, and essentials, there’s usually only a small amount left each month, which they want to save or invest to grow over time

Demographics:

• Tech-savvy, often on social media, and has a smartphone.
• Prefers to use apps for banking, budgeting, and financial planning.

• Curious but cautious.
• Financially anxious, with a practical approach to money.
• Tech-literate and eager to learn, especially through mobile apps.

After two hours of brainstorming with the team, we refined our approach to address young adults’ investment concerns by focusing on creating a user experience that demystifies the investment process. We outlined ways to make the app feel approachable, with features that support small, low-risk investments, simplified financial terms, and educational tools to build confidence gradually.

The following user flow was created to guide users through the investment process in the app in a clear, straightforward way, directly addressing their concerns and gradually building their confidence as they proceed through each step.

To help beginners start investing small amounts with confidence by providing easy-to-understand information, low-risk investment options, and a supportive, engaging experience.

Stock Market including

• Index Funds and ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) that track the performance of major indices (like the S&P 500)

In the final hour of our hackathon journey, we needed to quickly think through the Wireframes. While the app has extensive potential, we chose to focus on just one key flow to ensure we delivered a clear, functional concept within our time constraints.

In our final minutes, we managed to create a Prototype for our application, which showcases the main user flow and highlights how the app simplifies the investment process for young adults. This prototype captures the core features that address user concerns, offering an intuitive and approachable experience tailored to their needs.

https://www.figma.com/design/CuN1njOF3k8Ir13aOuT3xT/Prototype?node-id=0-1&t=adCUmBN45Nf9Qo2z-1

Since there was no time to work on branding, the following elements are recommended for further development.

Joining a UX/UI design program just two months before the hackathon provided an exciting opportunity for rapid learning and growth. The event offered a chance to collaborate with individuals from diverse backgrounds, enriching the design process with varied perspectives. Sharing ideas in this high-energy environment boosted my confidence, refined my communication skills, and highlighted the importance of teamwork, adaptability, and resilience in UX/UI design. Overall, it was an intensive yet rewarding experience that accelerated my understanding of the creative and collaborative aspects of design.

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