Finly

Helping people to learn the basics of investing

Key contributions — Research, UI/UX Design

Cover-1

Overview

In recent years, young people have increasingly viewed the stock market as a promising way to grow their wealth. Yet despite their motivation, many feel overwhelmed early on—challenged by unfamiliar terminology, an overload of information, and a wide range of strategies that lead to confusion and frustration.

Research

Research plan • User interviews

To understand the habits, motivations, and frustrations of young people interested in the stock market, I developed a research plan that included 1-on-1 remote interviews. These sessions explored investment behaviors and decision-making, with key insights synthesized into an affinity map to uncover patterns and user needs.

research-1
research-2

Definition

Empathy map • Definition matrix

To define a user-centered direction, I created an empathy map to capture users’ thoughts, feelings, and pain points around investing. In parallel, I used a feature matrix—based on popular investment services—to assess value versus implementation effort, helping prioritize features for a minimum viable product (MVP).

user_persona

Framing the problem

To define the design challenge, I framed a problem statement based on James’s core needs and frustrations. This led to the creation of several How Might We (HMW) questions, three of which were selected to guide concept development based on their potential for innovation and addressing unmet market needs.

HMW-1
HMW-2

Testing the concept

A basic landing page was created to showcase the core value proposition and key features. Its effectiveness was tested through five remotely unmoderated interviews with participants matching James’s profile, assessing product understanding, ease of download, and product name recall.

concept

The app

Designed for passionate investors, the platform delivers stock trading tips and lessons that make learning practical and engaging, empowering users to start trading with confidence.

app-mockup
leesons
badge-1

Visuals and User interface

The app’s visual design follows a casual, clean, and simple style to make learning about investing feel approachable and easy. It uses generous spacing for readability, a dark UI to convey a premium look, and an accent color to highlight next steps and guide navigation.

finly
app-icon
icons
type
colors-1
user_interface

Usability insights

Usability testing revealed issues in navigation and lesson flow, including unclear labels and hesitation during first steps. These insights helped refine the experience for a more confident learning.

improvement_1
improvement_3
improvement_2
improvement_4

The outcome

An app with stock trading lessons and tips for beginner investors, offering short, easy-to-understand content to help users learn at their own pace. With a focus on simplifying complex terms and concepts, it aims to make investing more accessible and less overwhelming.

final-solution

Onboarding — quick tutorial that sets expectations, highlights key features, and builds user confidence to start exploring right away.

james

Lessons —  break down of complex stock trading concepts into short modules, with clear explanations and practical tips.

Quiz — after each set of lessons, a quiz lets users test what they’ve learned and reinforce their understanding.

vocabulary_1

Hints — provide accessible explanations directly within each lesson card, helping users better understand the content as they learn.

finly_3_screens-1

Feel free to get in touch

hello@mpaulinoz.com

Barcelona © 2026 Mauricio Paulino

Barcelona © 2026 Mauricio Paulino

Back to top Arrow