Pluto.

I conducted a competitive analysis of Revolut and Reddit using the S.W.O.T. framework — two products that younger investors were already using, albeit for different purposes. The goal was to identify market gaps and understand what was already working.

Further research confirmed a growing interest in investing among younger generations, alongside a clear frustration with the complexity and inaccessibility of mainstream financial tools.

I ran a survey with participants aged 25–40 — a fast method to collect quantitative data and validate early assumptions. Three themes emerged clearly from the responses:

Based on research findings, I developed two personas — Sara and Matt — to anchor design decisions in distinct but representative user needs.

Keeping both personas in mind, I mapped out key user flows — outlining the paths and functions needed to achieve specific goals, and surfacing user expectations and feelings at each step.

I ran a hybrid card sorting exercise — combining open and closed methods — to understand how users naturally grouped the platform's features. The results directly informed adjustments to the sitemap.

From there, I created a sitemap to organise the platform's hierarchy: main sections, subdivisions, and filters. This became the structural foundation for all subsequent design decisions.

With the site structure in place, I began sketching initial interface ideas — translating the information architecture into screen layouts and exploring how the key interactions would work at low fidelity.

I ran usability testing with 6 participants aged 28–40, all familiar with UK online banking. Sessions were conducted remotely via Zoom using a structured test script. Findings were organised using a Rainbow Spreadsheet and rated with Jakob Nielsen's severity scale, then mapped into an affinity diagram to surface patterns.

Six critical issues were identified:

Using a combination of pen, paper, and Figma, I iteratively increased prototype fidelity. Through user testing and peer reviews, I gathered enough signal to refine the design and establish a brand identity that is simple but recognisable.

I also ran a preference test on the landing screen naming. Of 13 participants, 8 preferred 'Home' over 'Pluto' as the header — a small but meaningful change that reduced confusion about where users were in the app.

The original wireframe included multiple sub-sections and a header navigation with controls — adding unnecessary complexity at this stage. I explored different content organisations and simplified the structure to reduce reliance on sub-menus.

Users were unclear about the purpose of the Feed — it combined social activity, group discussions, and news in a single space without clear hierarchy. I resolved this with two changes: