JPMorgan & Chase institutional trading
PROJECT SUMMARY
JPMorgan Chase & Co. Institutional trading platform is a critical component of asset management of leading financial institution, to revamp their Institutional trading platform.
The primary goal of this project was to modernize the UI/UX while retaining user familiarity within the traditional investment process. Despite limited scope for altering the user journey, we successfully addressed key issues. By restructuring the information architecture and adopting a dashboard approach, we improved usability. The outcome was a modern, user-friendly trading platform in sync with the company's client services ecosystem.
MAIN CHALLENGE
The primary challenge of the project was the imperative to modernize the UI/UX while maintaining user familiarity with the traditional investment process. The platform boasted a long history and a user base deeply entrenched in established workflows. Striking a balance between introducing modern design elements, preserving user comfort, and minimizing disruptions was a delicate challenge
MY ROLE
As a solo UX consultant, my primary focus was on thoroughly understanding the domain and the existing platform and enhancing the platform's UI while following established UX methodologies. Additionally, effective communication and the expeditious resolution of client inquiries and concerns were of paramount importance. This collaborative approach played a pivotal role in driving the project to successful completion.
PROCESS
Given the stringent project timelines, my strategy centered around rapidly identifying the platform's shortcomings. I employed heuristic evaluation methods to swiftly assess the system's usability issues. Analyzing the task flow, I aimed to uncover gaps in the user journey and restructure it effectively, all the while ensuring that the familiarity with the existing processes was retained. The UX process encompassed the following steps-
01 EVALUATION
We identified key issues through a heuristic evaluation process, applying established principles of usability. An example illustrating the identified issues can be observed in the fund holdings analysis page-
-
User control and freedom: Absence of breadcrumbs makes it difficult to navigate. Everypage is a single route destination
-
Consistency and standards: Similar interaction points provide different interaction options
-
Flexibility and efficiency of use: Interactions are not intuitive, requires user familiarity
-
Aesthetic and minimalism: Information and interactions are crowded without having any negative breathing space
-
Help and documentation: No difficult interactions are explained for ease of use
02 JOURNEY MAPPING
Due to the combination of both simple and complex steps within the task flow, it was necessary to map the complexity to the user journey. This approach helped identify key improvement areas for each step. An example illustrating this process is the red route journey mapping of trade activity-
03 INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
After completing the user journey mapping, the content was reorganized to ensure that relevant information and links were placed in the appropriate sections. This restructuring aimed to reduce mental effort for users, making it easier for them to navigate and access the information they needed.
04 IDEATION
To address the challenges and enhance the platform's user experience, we adopted a dashboard approach for ideation, a standard design choice for financial management platforms. This approach aimed to streamline user interactions and simplify complex processes. We began by creating wireframes for discussion and feedback, ensuring alignment with our UX improvements.
05 DESIGN
Subsequently, visual designer used the branding guidelines of that time to develop high-fidelity mockups, such as the example shown here from the 'Balance' page. These mockups provided a visual representation of the proposed changes, aligning the platform with modern design standards and improving user engagement.
