Stride
Leading the research, design, and product strategy for an AI-based social finance app for young women
why i chose this topic
My dad is a stockbroker, and my mom has a degree in finance — yet, managing money makes me anxious.
As a computer engineering student, I was surrounded by male classmates who openly discussed their investments and credit scores. On the other hand, I couldn't recall the last time my female friends and I talked about our finances. I noticed this was a trend among most women — and it was affecting how we handled our money.
background
2 out of 3 women don't feel confident about investing money. [source]
There have been long-standing stereotypes about women being bad with money — misconceptions that influence women's financial decision-making even today.
CHALLENGE
How can I help young women be more confident about taking action towards their financial goals?
solution
Personalizing the Experience
Money is personal, and everyone starts at a different place. Stride adapts to each user’s starting points and mindsets, asking intentional questions and helping define goals that actually feel relevant.
Breaking Down Big Goals into Actionable Steps
Big financial goals can feel overwhelming. Stride breaks them down into a clear, step-by-step roadmap that progresses with the user. Each step explains the reasoning behind it, while giving users the autonomy to choose what feels right for them.
Learn from Trusted Sources and Others’ Experiences
Strides makes financial learning more inclusive by offering bite-sized resources from trusted experts alongside a judgment-free community, where users can learn from others who’ve been through similar experiences.
Encouraging Action
Taking action is often the hardest part. Stride helps users stay motivated through milestone unlocks, weekly community challenges with rewards, and shared goals they can set with friends or family, making it easier to stay accountable and celebrate progress together.
initial exploratory research
I began by conducting a preliminary round of generative research with young women aged 20 to 27.
My research objectives were:
Deep diving into personal relationships with money
Understand cultural and familial influences on their financial mindset
Explore the emotional aspects of financial decision-making
Explore different ways they consume financial information and identify barriers to implementing financial advice
The methods used were:
Social Listening (a.k.a. living on Reddit & Instagram)
Explored challenges and motivations for becoming financially literate.
User Interviews
Interviewed 7 young women (ages 20-27) about their financial mindsets, habits, goals, and family influence.
Diary Study
Analyzed real-time financial decision-making and emotional responses of 6 young women daily for 1 week.
problem & user needs
Women today are learning about managing finances, but they struggle to implement it in their lives.
When it comes to learning, women in their 20s have access to 3 main sources - all of which fall short of their needs.
Translating these user needs into design requirements…
brainstorming features & concept testing
Since this was a solo project, I made it a point to bring in diverse perspectives early on. I hosted brainstorming sessions with peers from my cohort, target users, and non-designer friends with a focus on quantity over quality to spark fresh ideas. I kept looping back with users through ongoing research to test concepts and narrow down on the final app idea.
Once the vision was clear, I used a feature prioritization matrix to scope the MVP, mapped out the information architecture, and designed low-fidelity wireframes to gather one last round of feedback before diving into high-fidelity designs.
giving the brand a personality
To build Stride’s brand personality, I focused on creating an empathetic and encouraging tone that resonates with Gen Z women navigating their financial journeys. Every design decision - from the bright, modern color palette to the approachable visual assets - was rooted in these values.
The name Stride reflects the confidence and momentum I wanted users to feel as they take ownership of their finances.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
1 - Keeping users engaged during onboarding
approach
Using Progressive Disclosure to build trust with the user
2 - Designing the AI's Tone of Voice to be empathetic yet professional
approach
Mapping users' emotions and talking to SMEs in the AI+Finance space
final prototype
Take confident strides towards financial growth
