FinTech SAAS Platform
Building design foundations for a pre-launch fintech product
I joined an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) platform team as the sole designer, three months before its pilot launch. My role was to transform a functional but fragmented admin interface into a cohesive, scalable experience. Over 3 months, I conducted systematic usability analysis, built a comprehensive design system from scratch, and designed 50+ screens (including modals, multi-step forms, and various state scenarios) for fund managers and investors while establishing design foundations that accelerated future development.
Duration
3 months
Role
UX/UI Designer
Tools
Figma, FigJam
SKILLS
Design Systems, Problem Solving, Developer Handoff
The journey
01
Learning
Immersing myself in AIF terminology and mapping user workflows
02
Discovery
Systematic heuristic evaluation uncovering 50+ usability issues
03
Foundation
Building core design system elements from typography to forms
04
Decisions
Research-driven Ul solutions that evolved through collaboration
05
Reflection
Key learnings from designing under constraints
Learning phase
Immersing myself in financial terminology and user workflows
Before I could analyze the interface, I needed to understand what I was looking at. I spent my first week researching AIF, studying the existing platform, and mapping out user journeys.
This learning phase was crucial. I couldn't evaluate usability without understanding what users were trying to accomplish and what information they needed at each step. With this foundation, I was ready to systematically evaluate the interface.
Domain Research
I researched AIF basics, investment types, regulatory requirements, and the Indian financial landscape. I studied competitors both in India and internationally to understand industry standards and user expectations for investment platforms.
Platform Exploration
I systematically went through every screen of the existing platform, documenting terminology I didn't understand. Each unfamiliar term became a research task. I needed to know not just what words meant, but why they mattered to fund managers and how they fit into larger workflows.
User Flow Mapping
I mapped out priority task flows for each user type. What would fund managers need to accomplish daily? What information was critical for decision-making? How did different portals connect? Understanding these flows helped me grasp where design inconsistencies would cause the most friction.
This learning phase was crucial. I couldn't evaluate usability without understanding what users were trying to accomplish and what information they needed at each step. With this foundation, I was ready to systematically evaluate the interface.
With domain knowledge established, I began a comprehensive usability audit using Jakob Nielsen's 10 usability heuristics. This wasn't a quick review. I analyzed all 12 admin portal screens, documenting every violation I found.
