Creating an atypical investor experience
In short
Atypical Partner are an alternative investment firm with an abundance of talent and an aspiration to bring alternative investment funds to retail as well as institutional investors. I led a team to define what that meant, and design a digital platform that could deliver on it.
Finding simplicity in the complex
The starting point for the work, the investor platform itself had to facilitate a range of complex user journeys, including onboarding, KYC, as well as host the funds themselves and provide a full view of the users portfolio including drawdown and exit, as well as the full detail of the companies that made up each individual fund. We had to find a balance between a product design that felt approachable and modern, whilst also reinforcing the credibility and seriate of the brand and its constituent funds.
An added layer of complexity came in the form of a layered brand, with Atypical being a house of brands each with their own identity and audience. We experimented with various ways for these to be manifested, to ensure there was clear signposting when transitioning from one to another, and to make sure the overall experience felt connected and consistent.
Having identified the priority journeys we undertook a series of research activities including SME and stakeholder interviews as well as primary user research, although our access to the end user was restricted somewhat due to the sensitivity of the client relationship.
From here we undertook our usual product design methodology, prototyping, testing and refining with a combination of internal and external users.
Impact
Through the course of our work with Atypical we delivered not only a prototype best in class investment management platform, but also a renewed sense of brand presence. We fund ways to express difference and disruption but balanced with credibility and trust, and we found solutions to a wide range of complex design and user experience challenges that left the client in a strong position to deliver a market leading experience for a new type of investor, as well as serving their existing audience.
