Himanish Goel
Robinhood
Equalizer
Train. Learn. Invest.
Your financial future starts here.
Your financial future starts here.
Role = UX Strategist & Researcher and UI/UX Designer
Tools = Figma and Photoshop
Project Type = Independent Study
OVERVIEW
Robinhood is a financial services platform to buy and sell stocks, options, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), crypto, and other investments.
The platform revolutionized investing by being the first to offer commission free trading.
BACKGROUND
A Generation on the Edge of Wealth, But in the Dark
Gen Z is defined by Pew Research Center as those born between 1997 and 2012. They are considered to be "digital natives" as they have grown up with internet being a constant in their lives.
Amidst the background, Gen Z’s are increasingly joining the work force as baby boomers and Gen X fade away into retirement. Based on a survey by TIAA-GFLEC, Gen Z is the least financially literate cohort amongst all generations.
Gen Z never opted out of finance. They were just never let in.
Amidst the background, Gen Z’s are increasingly joining the work force as baby boomers and Gen X fade away into retirement. Based on a survey by TIAA-GFLEC, Gen Z is the least financially literate cohort amongst all generations.
Gen Z never opted out of finance. They were just never let in.
THE TENSION
Gen Z feel investing is intimidating and risky and not made for them. They don’t want lengthy seminars and videos for learning investing. They long for:
● Learning through scrolling
● Creators over institutions
● Community over textbooks
● Learning through scrolling
● Creators over institutions
● Community over textbooks
The confidence to invest money is missing and they don’t want to mess it all up!
THE SOLUTION
Robinhood Equalizer
Our unique solution proposes hands-on training app to learn before investing real money. The Tool is Robinhood Equalizer. What does Equalizer do?
Key Features:
Our unique solution proposes hands-on training app to learn before investing real money. The Tool is Robinhood Equalizer. What does Equalizer do?
Key Features:
- ✨ Simulated Investing - Look before you leap! Test it to learn and grow risk-free.
- 📈 Bite-Sized Learning - Bite sized lessons for the digital natives: Swipe, scroll, and absorb on the go.
- 👥 Community Trust - Investing explained by social creators. Known faces for an unknown world.
INSIGHT
They have felt like perfect outsiders with money, that are trying to have it all figured out. But are afraid of messing it all up for themselves.
BUSINESS IMPACT
Robinhood can transform to a leading financial powerhouse with our proposed solution. With growing numbers of Gen Z in the workforce and increasing economic power, Gen Z will be the richest generation with $36 trillion in global income by 2030. Financial service companies that recognize this opportunity will be the future leaders. Robinhood cannot miss this massive shift in the economic and demographic landscape.
Besides the growing economic clout of Gen Z, they're expected to inherit $11 trillion over next two decades. Our app, could:
Besides the growing economic clout of Gen Z, they're expected to inherit $11 trillion over next two decades. Our app, could:
- Unlock $13.5B in net interest revenue for Robinhood over 20 years
- Lead the financial future by earning Gen Z's trust
STRAT LINE
Robinhood becomes the soft landing into hard finance.
Product Outcome - Robinhood Equalizer
The Robinhood Equalizer case study video walks you through a mobile app concept that helps make investing feel simple and fun for Gen-Z. It all starts by setting your learning goals, then proceeding with trying out investing with play money, exploring stocks, and comparing companies.
The app also includes helpers that explain the basics of finance for you, as well as tools for tracking the performance of stocks and seeing how these impact their prices. While also giving you the option to learn on your own through short content videos and sessions with creators.
In the end, Equalizer helps show how Robinhood can serve as a soft landing into hard finance.
The app also includes helpers that explain the basics of finance for you, as well as tools for tracking the performance of stocks and seeing how these impact their prices. While also giving you the option to learn on your own through short content videos and sessions with creators.
In the end, Equalizer helps show how Robinhood can serve as a soft landing into hard finance.
Product Outcome - Social Connect
Process & Reflection
PROCESS
Being a Gen Z myself, the process of learning about the investing world was a rollercoaster ride. Learning about the investing terms, and the financial industry will be helpful for me in future endeavors as a professional.
Given that it was an independent study project, I was involved in all pieces of the project from developing the mobile app, prototyping each screen, designing the strategy story, and bringing it to life in a case study. There were multiple iterations during the ideation process and strategy.
Being a Gen Z myself, the process of learning about the investing world was a rollercoaster ride. Learning about the investing terms, and the financial industry will be helpful for me in future endeavors as a professional.
Given that it was an independent study project, I was involved in all pieces of the project from developing the mobile app, prototyping each screen, designing the strategy story, and bringing it to life in a case study. There were multiple iterations during the ideation process and strategy.
REFLECTION
Creating product extensions of an existing brand was challenging. Given the low financial literacy of Gen Z, it presented an ideal product to immerse Gen Z in a taboo topic. I could have easily picked a consumer product with easy brand recall and product awareness. But I pushed for this project to highlight the future perils that Gen Z will face, unless they learn the basics of finance and get on the path to building wealth.
Creating product extensions of an existing brand was challenging. Given the low financial literacy of Gen Z, it presented an ideal product to immerse Gen Z in a taboo topic. I could have easily picked a consumer product with easy brand recall and product awareness. But I pushed for this project to highlight the future perils that Gen Z will face, unless they learn the basics of finance and get on the path to building wealth.
Finance is no longer just for the insiders.