Stockwise

An Investment Research and Planning Platform

Vishnu K | 176330006

IDC IIT Bombay

Design Brief
Investment research and planning platform

What does it do? How does it help the users?

Simplifies complicated financial terminology and Users will become comfortable and confident in
concepts used to evaluate stocks, mutual funds making their own investment choices and decisions
and other personal investment options
Secondary Research
Investor Education

Process: Synthesis:

Studied Investor Education Program provided by Educational materials are not tailored for common
SEBI, ICICI, NSE, HDFC and ShareKhan man

Observation: Technical terms and jargons are unexplained in most

of the cases
Education is in the form of videos, free or paid
courses, workshops, documents explaining dos No or less attempt at conceptual level educational
and don’ts etc. solutions
Primary Research
Investment Research and Planning

Interview: User Demographics

9 users: Semi structured interview with 4 users, Users are graduates or postgraduates and are
telephonic semi-structured interview with 5 users employed

2 experts: Telephonic interview with 1 Users have tried investing in stock or have tried to
Investment Analyst, 1 co-founder of an learn about it or have thought about investing in
investment planning app future

Age 23 - 28 years old, low financial literacy

Primary Research
Key Findings

Social circles influence investment decisions
Majority of the users lack concrete understanding
of investment
Use of WhatsApp for investment related news
and ideas
Strong inclination towards stocks at some point of
time, but decreased eventually due to lack of
knowledge, fear of losing money etc.
Some of the users follow a friend who is good at
investment, but agreed that they lost money in
some cases

Virtual money trading platforms is a beginning No formal education about investment in schools or
step colleges
Analysis

Investment research and planning is complex to
understand
Complexity cannot be avoided in most of the
cases because in investment, ‘ half information is
bad information’
Investors who are not experts generally follow
advice of investment gurus, expert friends or partial
fundamental analysis
Becoming an expert at investing is a difficult
process, but the initial

My initial assumption that data can be simplified

for common man is wrong.
Analysis
The problem:
Investing in stocks, mutual funds is a complex
process which involves lot of data which layman
cannot understand easily. All the models are
predictive and there is no single equation that fits
all in technical analysis and no single theory that
fits all in fundamental analysis.
Most of the investment research and planning
solutions therefore provide all the data available.
This is essential from a providers point of view
because presenting partial data creates biased
information. For a user who is proficient with the
process of investing, all the data is required.
Analysis
Analysis

Existing Solution: The Problem in the Solution:

Some of the companies working in the domain User lacks the skills to confidently invest in stocks
have come up with easy solutions that own his own.
recommends stocks or mutual funds based on the
requirement of the user. This has simplified the User will stick to the investment provider only if he
process so much that a common man without gets consistent profits
knowledge of investment can start investing in
stocks.
Analysis
Analysis

The Challenge:
The challenge is to help common man understand
the process of investing and make him confident
about evaluating stocks and making investment
decisions. In this case, the challenge is to identify
what in
In this case, the challenge is in identifying the flow
of information, the information that helps user
understand the conceptual model of investment
stock etc.

The challenge is in conveying the relevant

information, instead of hiding all information.
Defining the Problem
Who, What, Why

Who: Why:
Age- 23 - 35, employed, literate but financially
illiterate Understanding fundamental analysis in evaluating
stocks can be first step for a common man to
become an expert in investment.
What:
Investment Education, Research and Planning
Solution which focuses on acquiring Fundamental
Analysis skills
Ideation
Initial concepts - Investor Education
A social network of investor friends
Interactive story exploring investment concepts,
terms and their meaning
Board game of investment
Layered question and answers
Simple T-Rex game to understand risk and returns
in investment
- Faster game - more risk, more scores
(returns)
- Slower game - less risk, less scores
(returns)
Ideation
Initial concepts - sketches

T-Rex game Board game

Final Concept
Stockwise

Web + app based card game Rationale for choosing a game:

Roleplay in which user is given stocks and cards Complex terminology cannot be simplified in
are shown after each move, based on which user investing as it loses it meaning and can cause
has to make investment decisions financial losses.

Web based investment platform Contextualising complex concepts and terms can
enhance the understanding of the user.
Suggests stocks based on user requirement and
gives information related to fundamental analysis(
and very basic technical data)
Final Concept
Stockwise
Web + app based card game
- User is given sample stocks
- After one move, a card is shown which has
some investment event. E.g. market crash,
P/E ratio change, stock value change
- User can either sell, hold or buy stocks in
response to the event
- Feedback is given to the user based on the
decision.
- The decision also reflects in the invested
money.
- The game can be played in either browser
or mobile device
- If users fails a level, the game adjusts by
analysing mistakes. The new game would
focus on mistakes.
- Once the user clears certain level, he can
move to investment platform
- A version of game is available in physical
form; board game, which can be played in
offices during breaks
Process Flow
Flow Diagram
Prototype
Future Scope

Financial Education in India

- Physical form of the game can be used to impart financial education in schools

Scaled up version to teach Technical Analysis

- Similar attempt to contextualize technical analysis skills can be tried. Further study needs to be
done in this case.
References

1. https://investor.sebi.gov.in/
2. http://hdfcfund.com/InvestorEducation/
3. https://www.nseindia.com/invest/content/domestic_investor.htm
4. http://content.icicidirect.com/Idcampaign/cfp/index.asp?trk=profile_certification_title