| Online Portfolio ManagementOur client feared that the emergence of web-based portfolio management offered by companies like E*Trade and Ameritrade would erode the market for their services with the next generation of investors. They asked us to look into the needs of investors and design a Java-based application that utilized their strengths as a financial services company.
We addressed two somewhat different challenges: How should a web app present the comprehensive, highly varied, and constantly changing information that these investors need to make informed decisions? And, how should our client leverage their brand, services, and expertise in a new market? The final document depicted significant interactions in many functional areas, and gives a detailed vision for the next generation of online trading applications.
We wanted to help investors see their portfolio performance in context with market trends and important events, such as earnings report releases. At the time, investors needed to toggle between charting sites, financial software, and their online investment client, manually assimilating and acting on information. Moreover, most charting sites provided only canned charts that facilitated analysis of broad trends, but did not help investors see their investment decisions in context of market events.
The engagement was five months old when I began working on it, so I needed to quickly gain an understanding of the mechanics of the stock market, the behavior of different groups of investors, and current online trading products. During my involvement, we designed views for interactive charting, after-hours trading and NASDAQ Level 2 Quote viewing.
Every Cooper project is a collaborative effort. To learn more, about Cooper projects and design methodology, check out “How Cooper works.” I collaborated in the ideation and iteration of this design with fellow Cooper designer John Dunning. John did the artwork; I wrote and laid out the deliverable.
