GreenPe : A mobile app revolutionizing investment in green projects!
Have you ever wondered if you could invest in green energy or contribute to a sustainable cause efficiently without the hassle of getting into the quintessence of the stock market? GreenPe is a mobile application that revolutionises investment in sustainable projects. It facilitates users with a simplified investing platform that encourages people to invest in green energy, learn about its potential and harness its benefits in a greener future.
OVERVIEW
NA
CLIENT
1 product manager
2 designers
1 developer
TEAM
4 weeks
DURATION
Figma
Photoshop
Forms
TOOLS
Research
(primary & secondary), ideation, sketching, prototyping, usability testing & evaluation
RESPONSIBILITIES
UI/ UX Designer
MY ROLE
In today's ever-evolving financial landscape, there's a growing emphasis on sustainable investing. The global consciousness regarding environmental responsibility has spurred an increased interest in supporting green initiatives. However, despite this burgeoning interest, the investment landscape in sustainable projects remains complex and challenging for many. There is a need for a platform with an easy-to-use and engaging interface that helps users invest and learn in individual green sustainable projects rather than companies.
CONTEXT
01 Background
Investing sustainably can be complex, dissuading potential investors with its intricate processes and lack of user-friendly platforms. We need a simple, user-focused platform that not only makes investing easier but also educates users about the potential of green projects and their returns.
Incorporating the Stanford Design Thinking process into the project’s design methodology adds a structured approach. Here's how I followed this process:
02 Design Process
The interview findings led to themes for the design direction
The ideas from the brainstorming session were organized under common themes aligning with the product's goals
03 Research & Discovery
During the research phase, my objectives were clear: validate my hypothesis ,understand user preferences, pain points, and market trends in sustainable investing. I dove into existing platforms and market reports, analyzing user behavior and emerging trends to anticipate the direction of sustainable investments.
SECONDARY
Recruiting a diverse array of users, ranging from novices to seasoned investors and environmentally conscious individuals, enabled a comprehensive exploration. Engaging in one-on-one interviews allowed an in-depth understanding of users' experiences, challenges, and expectations in sustainable investments. These interactions uncovered nuanced insights, shaping our understanding of user motivations and pain points profoundly.
PRIMARY
Utilizing insights gleaned from data analysis, I developed detailed personas encapsulating diverse user segments' motivations, pain points, goals, and behaviors pertinent to sustainable investing. This process involved crafting comprehensive profiles that vividly represented various user groups, offering a nuanced understanding of their distinct needs and preferences within the sustainable investment landscape. The user personas helped in defining user expectations and motivations for the target audience.
PERSONA DEVELOPMENT
I identified opportunities through thorough market analysis, user research, and trend tracking, highlighting unmet user needs and market gaps. By synthesizing insights from persona development, user feedback, and iterative testing, specific areas for improvement and innovation were pinpointed, aligning with users' unaddressed pain points.
04 Opportunity Identification | MVP
05 Design Ideation
Post opportunity identification, I put together a site map to understand a user's journey through the product and its key features. This helped me in understanding how the key features could be designed for a smooth user experience.
SITE MAP
I began by sketching the app screens to establish a design concept. These initial sketches underwent guerrilla testing, a process that helped refine design choices. Valuable feedback from this stage highlighted issues of visibility, clarity, and redundancy, guiding improvements. Subsequently, low-fidelity wireframes were crafted using Figma and subjected to user testing through task-based assessments. Employing the think-aloud protocol, users vocalized their thoughts throughout the process, unveiling crucial navigation and inclusivity enhancements.
USABILITY TESTING
During the usability testing I also enquired users about the importance of colours in the app and asked them to jot down three keywords. I took guidance of these keywords to select the colours- green ( symbolic of renewal), orange (symbolic of energy) and a serif font- Poppins for the app.
06 Style Guide
07 Final Design Screens
The app’s home page contains elements that keep the user engaged. The interactive portfolio highlights, upcoming offers and relevant brief news summaries make this page imperative.
HOME PAGE
The final prototype of the app is a culmination of iterative design and user-centric refinements. It encompasses an intuitive interface allowing direct investment in green projects, accompanied by educational resources for informed decision-making. Users navigate seamlessly through various sections, including project exploration, personalized portfolios, and an engaging learning hub. The incorporation of gamification elements keeps users engaged, offering incentives like discounts on utility bills. The prototype emphasizes transparency, enabling users to track their investments and project impact. Its design prioritizes accessibility and clarity, ensuring a user-friendly experience for both beginners and seasoned investors.
Final Prototype
This page helps users explore projects around the country they can invest in and provides data regarding their status and availability.
DISCOVER PAGE
This page acts as a dashboard for the user to look at his investment portfolio. It also helps users analyse investment returns and sell project units.
PORTFOLIO PAGE
The learn page focuses on spreading awareness and encouraging users to educate themselves about green projects, their viability and potential.
LEARN PAGE
This feature is a new take on gifting that would help with increased user engagement. This easy card gifting system encourages users to invest in green projects on the platform.
GIFT CARD PAGE
This page helps the user to customize the account according to his or her needs. It also shows the user’s rewards earned card.
PROFILE PAGE
As part of the reward system, gamification and earning points alongside the investment journey helps users claim discounts for paying electricity/ gas/ fuel bills.
REWARDS PAGE
The journey of creating GreenPe was driven by a commitment to simplify sustainable investments. The app's final prototype embodies user-centric design, offering an intuitive interface for direct project investment and educational resources. Its emphasis on transparency and gamification ensures an engaging and informed investing experience.
08 Conclusion
Interactions with users highlighted time constraints as a major hurdle. Usability tests played a pivotal role in shaping the app's journey. Future steps entail improving user engagement strategies and expanding business avenues for small-scale green projects across the country.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Moving ahead, the focus lies on refining the funding method, fostering user engagement, and extending GreenPe's functionalities. Enhancing opportunities for smaller green projects and integrating bill management within the platform remain key priorities.
GOING FORWARD
I began by sketching the app screens to establish a design concept. These initial sketches underwent guerrilla testing, a process that helped refine design choices. Valuable feedback from this stage highlighted issues of visibility, clarity, and redundancy, guiding improvements. Subsequently, low-fidelity wireframes were crafted using Figma and subjected to user testing through task-based assessments. Employing the think-aloud protocol, users vocalized their thoughts throughout the process, unveiling crucial navigation and inclusivity enhancements.
SKETCHING & LOW FIDELITY SCREENS