An integrated platform to invest in private alternatives
Historically there have been obstacles to widespread adoption of private assets in Canada. The Purpose Private Asset Platform provides innovative solutions that make these assets more accessible to investors
Project
Product Design
Role
Product Design Lead
UX Researcher
Brand identity
Public Link
Tools
Figma
Lottiefiles
Photoshop, Illustrator
After Effects (Motion design)
Date
2022
The problems
Discovery
Usability
As we were unable to fully integrate our platform with our partner's, we developed solutions leveraging SSO and information architecture
Product comprehension
There is always risk related to launching an unprecedented product in the market. The nature of financial products is that there are information gaps between the average person and the point of entry
Establishing trust
Releasing a unique product is additionally risky due to the skepticism that can result from a lack of understanding. Backing a new product with a strong, reliable brand is particularly necessary
50%
Ultra-high-net-worth Advisors allocate around 50% of their portfolio to Private Assets
5%
But barriers have caused retail investors to only have about 5% private asset exposure
Establish incremental user testing initiatives to verify and correct the usability, functionality, and intuitiveness of the design solutions we develop.
Does the flow of information effectively lead users to the relevant points on our platform?
Is confusion resolved consistently through the user's experience on this platform?
How confident is the user before, during, and after using the platform, and how can we consistently improve that outcome?
Guide the user's education about the products through use of key visuals, thoughtful touchpoints, and engaging content (tone, language, flow, et al)
Work closely with product experts to draw on the fundamental aspects of their knowledge, which can then be communicated to users more simply
Experiment with interactions, layouts, visual hierarchy
Research products that have overcome a similar barrier-to-entry
Using research/user insights to embody our user archetype and embed trust in the visual and conceptual aspects of the platform design.
Maintain visual consistency with the brand ecosystem
Highlight evidence of existing trust: awards, achievements, partnerships
What visual elements convey trustworthiness to our users, can we curate our 'highlight' information for our user groups
Research methods
Research methods
Stakeholder meetings
Integral to understanding the (new) product and intended audience
Competitive analysis
No precedent products existed in our market at this time, we looked to global markets and other industries for inspiration
Survey
(user testing)
Leveraging our existing audience to understand their inclinations, values, and develop strategies to position this offering
Validation user testing workshop
As we were unable to develop full integration with our partner platform, functionality and ease-of-access was a necessary area of focus
Moving to high-fidelity
Visual design
Quiet luxury
Exclusive, special
High contrast
Simulates a feeling of surprise, anticipation, and vibrance (even in the absence of colour)
Tonality
Dark mode
Context
Investors in this product trend younger and are more risk-taking than the average advisor
Restrictions
Follow PI brand guidelines (type, logo, grid, graphic language)
Professional and compliant implementation of design standards
Emulation
The finance industry is notoriously reserved in the realm of design- what are some brands that have successfully leveraged innovation to capture a market through brand positioning (design and language)
Apple, JUUL, Rolex, Four Seasons, Hermes
Methods
Dark mode creates a 'seamless' effect across designs
Intentional and liberal use of negative space, dark negative space has more depth compared to light negative space
Graphic elements
Phase II Workshop
I facilitated an in-person validation workshop to improve platform functionality and ease-of-use