Problem Statement

Before the launch of the Wahed app, ethical investment options were complex and lacked accessibility for everyday users. Most platforms were built for professional traders, making investing overwhelming for beginners.

Key Challenges

• Traditional investment platforms were too complex for first-time investors.
• Users found it difficult to understand investment options and risk levels.
• Lack of intuitive and mobile-first design in existing ethical investment solutions.
• Ensuring compliance with Shariah-compliant financial principles while modernizing digital investing.

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Research & Insights

To build a user-friendly and transparent investment experience, I conducted extensive user research across different markets. This research helped define the pain points, goals, and expectations of potential investors.

User Research Process

• Surveys & Interviews: Conducted with 300+ participants across different countries.
• Competitive Analysis: Studied UI/UX patterns in leading investment platforms like Robinhood, Wealthfront, and Stash.
• Usability Testing: Ran multiple testing sessions to refine the navigation and onboarding experience.

Key Insights

• Users wanted a simplified onboarding experience without financial jargon.
• A dashboard-first approach would improve engagement.
• Users needed risk-based investment options with clear explanations.

Solution & Strategy

Based on research, I designed a user-friendly investment platform with:

• A clean and modern dashboard for quick portfolio tracking.
• Step-by-step guided onboarding with educational elements.
• One-click investment & risk-based portfolio options.
• Accessibility-focused UI with dark mode and multi-language support.
• A scalable design system to maintain consistency across web and mobile platforms.

Process & Execution

Phase 1: Wireframing & Prototyping

• Created low-fidelity wireframes to define the core user flow.
• Conducted user testing to validate navigation and interactions.

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Phase 2: UI Design & Design System

• Developed a scalable design system to ensure consistency across platforms.
• Used Material Design principles to enhance usability.
• Designed a modular component library for faster development cycles.

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Phase 3: User Testing & Iteration

• Conducted A/B testing on different investment flows.
• Refined micro-interactions and animations for a smoother experience.
• Integrated user feedback into the final design iterations.

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Final Outcome

The Wahed app successfully launched and became a leading ethical investment platform with thousands of users worldwide.

Key Achievements

• Users could start investing in under 5 minutes with a frictionless onboarding process.
• Increased user engagement, with 80%+ users actively monitoring their portfolios.
• Expanded to multiple markets with localized UX for different regions.

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Impact & Results

• 10x growth in platform users after the launch.
• Over $300M+ invested through the platform.
• Available in 130+ countries, expanding its global reach.
• Featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, and CNN as a leader in ethical investing.

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8. Learnings & Takeaways

• User-first investment UX is crucial for engagement.
• Trust and transparency in fintech design lead to long-term adoption.
• Localizing financial products requires deep user research and continuous iteration.

(Insert Image: Key learnings from UX research & testing insights)

9. Technologies & Tools Used

• Design Tools: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD
• Prototyping: InVision, Principle
• Design System: Material Design, Custom UI Components

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