Objective
Time
Role
Tools
Impact Metrics
Our design is projected to drive:
About
Vestra
What began as a standard finance app prototype evolved into a story-driven investing experience. By introducing Vestrarious, a finance wizard who guides users through missions and challenges, Vestra shifted from a look-alike product to a distinctive, gamified learning platform for beginners.
Discovery
Nabulé specializes in branding, product design, marketing, and social media, helping businesses build strong, impactful identities and digital experiences.
Nabulé specializes in branding, product design, marketing, and social media, helping businesses build strong, impactful identities and digital experiences.
Design & Strategy
Nabulé specializes in branding, product design, marketing, and social media, helping businesses build strong, impactful identities and digital experiences.
Nabulé specializes in branding, product design, marketing, and social media, helping businesses build strong, impactful identities and digital experiences.
Nabulé specializes in branding, product design, marketing, and social media, helping businesses build strong, impactful identities and digital experiences.
Outcomes & Impact
Nabulé specializes in branding, product design, marketing, and social media, helping businesses build strong, impactful identities and digital experiences.
Chapter 1
The Fear Factor
Uncovering the emotional barriers that stop users before their first trade.
The Challenge
For many beginners, investing doesn’t feel like an opportunity — it feels like a trap. During my research, I heard the same themes again and again:
What Beginners Have Told Me
Despite the rise of beginner-friendly apps like Wealthsimple or Robinhood, these platforms often prioritize transactions over education, leaving new investors overwhelmed and disengaged.
The Fear Gap
From interviews and competitor reviews, I mapped out three blockers that consistently stopped users from even making their first trade:
1
Jargon Overload
2
Fear of Losing Money
Without a way to “practice,” users felt like they were gambling instead of learning.
3
No Guidance or Motivation
Current apps lack a friendly, step-by-step guide or incentives to keep learning.
Chapter 2
Listening and Learning
Understanding users’ fears, habits, and motivations became the foundation for Vestra’s design.
Through interviews, expert insights, and competitor analysis, we uncovered the emotional barriers behind financial decisions.
Research Methods
Our research combined four methods:
User
Interviews
Purpose: Discover habits & barriers.
Outcome: Fear, jargon, and low trust stopped users early.
n= 3
45 min
Expert
Insights
Purpose: Study how AI and education build trust.
Outcome: Users valued trust over automation.
n= 3
Competitor
Testing
Purpose: Compare learning experiences.
Outcome: Most apps simplify actions, not understanding.
n=4
Empathy
Mapping
Purpose: Translate findings into needs.
Outcomes: Defined two personas - Sophia and Sandra.
n=2
Competitor Analysis
To understand the landscape, I analyzed leading investing platforms — Wealthsimple, Questrade, Moka, and BMO Invest.
While most focus on transactions, few teach or motivate users. This gap revealed an opportunity for Vestra to combine learning and confidence-building.
Wide investment options (stocks, ETFs, options)
Customizable advanced platform
Steep learning curve for beginners
Overwhelming UI, lacks handholding
Clean, beginner-friendly UI
Fractional shares + no commission trades
Little integrated education
Limited guidance for deeper learning
Very low barrier to entry
Easy to understand auto-investing
Limited control or transparency
Minimal educational content
High trust, bank-backed
Broad account options (RRSP, TFSA, etc.)
Dense, outdated UI
No motivational or gamified learning
The Personas
Building on our research, we created two personas that represent Vestra’s emotional spectrum — the cautious beginner and the strategic planner.
Chapter 3
Introducing Vestrarious
From Character to Companion
Vestrarious isn’t just a mascot — he’s a mentor woven into Vestra’s flow. His soft palette and rounded form make finance feel friendly and human. Through gentle prompts and celebrations, he turns confusion into confidence.
Mint Glow — Guidance
Lavender — Calm
Lilac — Playfulness
From Insight to Identity
The first version of Vestra simplified finance with an AI chatbot — but it felt impersonal. Users didn’t need faster answers; they needed reassurance. That’s when Vestrarious was born — a coin wizard who turns fear into curiosity, guiding users with patience and play.
Chapter 4
The Gamification Layer
Building on Vestrarious’s presence, this layer transforms financial learning into an interactive experience. Each task, milestone, and reward reinforces curiosity — helping users grow confidence through play, not pressure.
From Static to Interactive
The first Vestra focused on data, not direction.
Users wanted to learn before risking real trades.
We introduced missions and simulated tasks that make trading feel safe, achievable, and rewarding — always guided by Vestrarious.
After
Chapter 5
From Wireframes to Final Flows
Early testing showed that users wanted more guidance and confidence before trading.
We responded by transforming static wireframes into interactive missions, guided tours, and a dashboard that celebrates learning through progress — not pressure.
Mission Flow: From Setup to Sandbox
Each mission begins with curiosity and ends with confidence.
Vestrarious turns onboarding and first trades into clear, bite-sized steps — guiding users from curiosity to confidence.
Interactive Tour: Learning by Doing
To reduce intimidation, users can take an optional Trading Dashboard Tour.
Vestrarious explains each section — from stock metrics to price charts — in plain language.
First Mission: Buy Your First Share
Users complete their first sandbox trade — selecting an order type, reviewing costs, and confirming the purchase.
Next Steps
Designing for behavior. Designing for impact.
Next
Project
