Pocket Trader Revamp Part I: Trading
Overview
This is a revamp of the Pocket Trader trading experience. We aimed to reduce the complexity and steep learning curve associated with the forex trading experience. Pocket Trader is a social trading platform that provides users trading CFDs in forex, Indices, Commodities, and ETFs. It also incorporates social trading features, allowing users to connect, and follow successful traders within the community.
My roles
Lead designer — partners with the marketing teams to drive the overall campaign.
Team
Austin Fisher, UXW Dean Whillier, UXE Bryan Coutch, SWE Ben Whittaker, SWE Christina Lee, PM
Timeline & Status
2 Months,
Launched in January 2023
Opportunity
A transformation from a conventional forex trading app to a forex social trading platform that caters to the younger generation with an enhanced trading environment.
There is a gap between new-generation traders and large forex trading platforms. They can find it challenging to navigate the intricacies and understand how to utilize the available tools effectively. So, Pocket Trader 2.0 aimed to flip the script with a refreshing approach that speaks to new-generation traders on the path to an interactive and dynamic social trading experience.
Research
How do the younger traders feel regarding the trading functions provided by forex trading platforms today?
💩 The high barrier for novice traders.
Those platforms provide complex components such as economic indicators, technical analysis, and trading tools. Novice traders may need more knowledge and experience to understand and navigate these complexities.
💩Clumsy and confusing design
The wide range of information fails to present this information in a clear and organized manner, it overwhelms users and makes it difficult to find and interpret the necessary data.
How might we streamline the trading experience and offer valuable trading insights and updated market information so that the overall trading effectiveness and satisfaction can be promoted?
Directions
I led a design workshop where the team reviewed competitor products, highlighted key advantages or unique features using stickers, and shared their thoughts before moving on.
🧐 Personalized Dashboard
Novice traders can follow a well-informed trading strategy using an all-in-one dashboard, which allows them to track market data and access crucial financial news and expert opinions to make informed financial decisions with confidence.
🧐 Visualized trading tool:
It helps traders grasp information quickly and makes it simpler for beginners to apply these tools.
🧐 Quick access to the trader feed and news updates while actively trading.
The real-time market information enhances decision-making and enables adaptability to changing conditions.
Design Principle
Provide guidance
Help traders stay informed about market information and trends conveniently and efficiently.
Build confidence
Build it by helping users manage their risk and protect their profits
Keep it simple
Reduce the cognitive overload of information so that traders can make decisions at a glance and trade at the right time.
Design and refine
During the design exploration phase, I focused on various ways to present the card design of various tasks. The following factors were taken into account:
Task name/requirement
Reward amount
Different forms of progress bar, including showing the percentage completed or highlighting specific milestones.
Position of claim button
Expected
Users have a clear understanding of two forms of progress bars in one task card.
With specific milestones, users can keep trading until they achieve the final rewards.
Acutal
They mistakenly thought they could only claim once with the milestones design
After the first few attempts, I go back to conservative design with one form of progress bar only. With several grooming and testing, I found the following for improvement:
The display of reward amount is not dominant enough.
The checkmark can be replaced by the progress bar.
Gamify factors can be added to the progress bar design to attract users for task completion.
Solution
🤩 Personalized Dashboard:
Feed and news of users’ favorite instruments → generated trade ideas and inspiration.
Global indices → reflect the overall sentiment and direction of the broader market →align users’ strategies accordingly.
Top mover instruments → highlight instruments that are experiencing significant price movements → spot potential opportunities
🤩 Trading page Incorporating with news and trader feeds
Allow users to conveniently switch between trading activities and accessing up-to-date market information with a single click.
🤩 Visualized trading tool:
SL/TP protector
Inspired by the traditional thermometer → Open price chasing either SL/TP → Traders can know the difference between the market price to their target closed price → make timely decisionsStreamlined lot size slider with danger zone
Help user quickly adjust their unit/contract size while visualizing>80% equity amount in red to prevent a margin call
@2025 Leo Lau | “Good ideas are always crazy until they’re not.”