Hymdal

Establishing a Brand Identity and Design of a FinTech Web App

Establishing a Brand Identity and Design of a FinTech Web App

Project Details

Project Details

Timeline: 4 weeks

Customer: Hymdal (Early Stage Startup)

Industry: Financial Technology

Tools Used: Figma

Timeline: 2 weeks

Type: Client Project

Industry: Media

Tools Used: Figma, Notion


My Team

My Team

Me (UX Designer, UI Designer)

Eilam Meinster (UX Designer, UI Designer)

Adam Rossi (Founder and CEO)

Goal

Goal

Investors encounter multiple challenges in conducting thorough due diligence on startups while searching for potential investment opportunities. Limited deal flow, valuation uncertainties, and access to reliable information hinder their ability to evaluate the viability and potential of startups for investment. Likewise, startups also struggle to connect with the right investors due to difficulties in navigating the investment landscape.

Outcome

To address the challenges faced, we designed a investment web app that automates deal sourcing and the due-diligence process. The app features targeted onboarding processes, dashboards, and comprehensive profile pages for both startups and investors to connect. We also redesigned the landing page and implemented the first iteration of a design system to ensure consistency and scalability across the platform. Through these efforts, we aim to bridge the gap and create meaningful connections in the investment landscape.

My Role

My Role

  • Reviewed existing data (user inputs and competitor analysis) to inform content and to incorporate industry best practices for the design of dashboards and profiles

  • Defined platform requirements by identifying and documenting essential features and functionalities, and also mapped out user flows for the onboarding process

  • Contributed to the development of a style guide, defining guidelines for typography, color palettes, iconography, spacing, and components

  • Wireframed and developed high fidelity prototypes of multi-user interactions for the onboarding experience of the platform

  • Redesigned the landing page to align with the established brand identity and to effectively communicate the platform's value proposition

About the Customer

Hymdal is a startup venture capital investment platform that provides AI-supported venture scouting and due-diligence for investors seeking the best startups in foreign geographies. It's mission is to become the number-one globally trusted partner in helping investors source high-quality early-stage deal-flow from foreign markets.

Creating a Distinctive Brand Identity

The name 'Hymdal' was inspired by god 'Heimdall' (from Norse Mythology). Driven by strong values of trust, growth and abundance, the client envisioned the brand to reflect a magical aura, similar to that of the northern lights. Naturally, we chose colors inspired by this phenomenon.



View the rest of the style guide here.

Personalized Dashboards

Personalized Dashboards

Personalized Dashboards

We created customized onboarding pathways for investors and startups, resulting in AI-driven personalized dashboards informed by onboarding inputs and outcomes.


In response to stakeholder preferences, we implemented a toggle feature allowing users to switch between 'Highlights' and 'Full Due Diligence'. Consequently, we devised a List and Column view (shown below) to accommodate their needs effectively.

Key Features of Dashboard

1

A concise display of promising startups/investors in both list and column views, with the ability to filter results or start a new search

1

A concise display of promising startups/investors in both list and column views, with the ability to filter results or start a new search

2

Cards offering a concise glimpse of the most critical details about startups/investors (gathered through user inputs)

2

Cards offering a concise glimpse of the most critical details about startups/investors (gathered through user inputs)

3

Navigation bar that can be hidden to enlarge the dashboard view

3

Navigation bar that can be hidden to enlarge the dashboard view

A well-designed landing page should communicate the product's unique value proposition, and compel its users to delve deeper into its offerings. This is crucial as it significantly impacts customer conversion rates.

Designing for an Investor - Making every detail of a Startup count!

We developed a startup profile with a focus on meeting the specific needs and preferences of investors, prioritizing elements they consider essential for evaluating startup opportunities from their perspective.


Key priorities for an investor:

  • A comprehensive profile of the startup, including sector, stage, funding details, traction metrics and background details on the founders and investor involvement

  • Hymdal AI's assessment of how the startup matches investor portfolio, including in-depth reports

Creating Designs for Startups - Helping them Find the Right Investors!

From the perspective of startups, we designed investor profiles to enable them to assess whether the investor is a suitable match for their needs.


Key Priorities for a startup:

  • A comprehensive profile of the investor, including funding, other investments and portfolio mix

  • Hymdal AI's assessment of the investor, categorized into green and red flags

Redesign of the Landing Page

To align with our established brand identity, we redesigned the landing page to make it more elegant, and to integrate industry-leading practices. Additionally, we addressed various UX and UI issues to improve the overall user experience.

Measuring Success

While I did not have the opportunity to conduct testing at this stage, the next steps would involve A/B Testing and Qualitative Studies to ensure the creation of a strong user experience.

  • A/B Testing can help to answer if the majority of the conversions are happening at the beginning or ending of the landing page. This can shed light on the need for refinements in the hero section to enhance its descriptive nature.

  • Conducting qualitative studies can provide insights into user comprehension of the product's value proposition and the effectiveness of feature explanations.

Enhancements for v2

To further enhance the website, it would be great to


  1. Include Animations: To highlight key features and to showcase user interactions

  2. Include Testimonials (After release of MVP): To instill a sense of credibility amongst users

What this Redesign Taught Me

  1. The Importance of Constant Communication and Collaboration with Developers: Frequent calls and detailed explanations were necessary to ensure a smooth translation from design to development.


  2. Responsive Design Considerations: Designing for different laptop, mobile and tablet sizes and ensuring responsiveness across various devices was a significant challenge. It required us to conduct frequent testing on different screen sizes and resolutions.

Measuring Success

At this stage, we weren't able to conduct testing on our designs. However, given the opportunity, I would be eager to gauge the following metrics:


  1. Task Success Rate: This would enable us to assess how many individuals successfully navigate through the onboarding process. It would provide insights into whether the onboarding experience is overly lengthy or streamlined.

  2. Feature Adoption Rate: By measuring the preference for either a list view or a column view, we can determine which layout resonates more effectively with our user base.

  3. Heat Mapping Analysis: Utilizing heat mapping techniques, we could evaluate the significance of AI-generated results (such as green and red flags) to our customers. This data would offer insights into which aspects of the results hold the most relevance and importance to our users.

What this Project Taught Me

What this Project Taught Me

This project had a significant learning curve since I had to familiarize myself with numerous fintech concepts. Additionaly, the desktop layout offered ample room for experimentation. This encouraged me to deviate from my usual mobile-first mindset and develop a deeper understanding of responsive design principles. This project also gave me a chance to experiment with glassmorphism, a contemporary visual design trend that is gaining traction.

© 2024 Meenakshi Shyamsundar

© 2024 Meenakshi Shyamsundar

© 2024 Meenakshi Shyamsundar