Overview

While IG, a leading global trading platform, excels in execution, user loyalty was low due to its focus on transactions. Despite offering valuable trading resources like morning call emails, videos, dailyFX analysis, and client sentiment data, the information was fragmented and underutilised.

Our hypothesis: By increasing user engagement with content, we could foster stronger client relationships and boost long-term retention. To address this, IG formed a dedicated user-centric team comprising a Product Manager, Tech Lead, Designer, developers, QAs, and UI designers.

Discovery: Validating the Opportunity and Building Team Alignment

The team first evaluated the potential for improved content engagement by delving into existing research: internal insights library, customer service interactions, and industry reports. It quickly became apparent that there was a significant opportunity to enhance the user experience.

To ensure everyone was on the same page, we conducted workshops:

• Clarified team objectives.
• Summarised existing client needs.
• Involved everyone in competitor research.
• Established a strong foundation for understanding our users.

Define: Understanding the Problem Space and User Needs

Given IG’s complexity, we needed to ensure internal alignment on project goals and underlying principles. This graphic effectively communicated our approach to stakeholders.

To gain a deeper understanding of user behaviour, I conducted user interviews with screen sharing to witness how traders interacted with the platform. Additionally, I analysed data from various sources, including Tableau, Google Analytics, Optimizely, and past customer service and UX research insights.

Develop: Prioritising User Needs Through Product Principles

As a team, we collaboratively developed a set of product principles to guide our final product design. These principles prioritised user needs while mitigating potential future conflicts and ensuring alignment with technical constraints and business goals.

Deliver: Exploring Solutions and Stakeholder Alignment

Our exploration phase involved a wide-ranging brainstorm to generate a multitude of ideas. We collaborated closely with the Product Manager and Tech Lead to assess the feasibility of each concept and develop thorough testing strategies. However, IG’s vast size presented a unique challenge in bringing these ideas to life.

Different teams, focused on various aspects of the user experience with independent goals, needed to be brought on board. The web platform, being the primary revenue driver, demanded space for exploration and A/B testing, while the mobile platform primarily catered to monitoring needs. Additionally, team skillsets varied, with the mobile team leaning more towards monitoring functionalities.

Navigating these complexities became a crucial part of the exploration process. We facilitated discussions to ensure all stakeholders understood the unified vision and set of design principles. By fostering collaboration, we were able to prioritise concepts that aligned with user needs, technical constraints, and business goals.

North star design to aim for as we learn