ADDX


ADDX is an investment platform that offers access to private market investments with blockchain technology.

Tasks
UX UI Design
Prototyping
Visual Design
Branding
Brand Guideline

Team
1 Senior Designer (Direct Supervisor)
1 Junior Designer
1 copywriter
1 Developer
1 3D Designer
2 Project Managers
Timeline
July 2022 - April 2023
(10 months)



Overview
Private markets have always been exclusive to the ultra-wealthy and institutional investors. ADDX believes in making investing fairer and creating ways for investors to tap into wealth-generating possibilities with lower minimums, leveraging the power of blockchain technology. Its goal is to empower investors and establish itself as a global brand that offers a revolutionary investing experience.  


Our challengeInvesting can be difficult and complicated. One must be equipped with the right knowledge that is tailored to their needs in order to bridge this gap. Investors need a simple and fulfilling experience. Addressing the urgent need to introduce the private market to the public in a more accessible manner is crucial, especially as competitors are rapidly catching up with ADDX.

Project scope
In 10 months, I led the website design project remotely from Taiwan while my team worked from Singapore. As the lead designer for the website revamping project, my responsibility is to propose design solutions for the website while following the branding guidelines I have created. My scope of works encompass: 
  • Website
  • Brand Development
  • Brand Guideline
  • EDM design system

With my team's support, we revamped most of the key pages that includes 
  • Homepage
  • Investment page
  • Individual investment page
  • ADDX Advantage homepage
  • ADDX Advantage digital asset page




ResearchFinancial landscape

Analysing the visual expressions of the global financial industry helps us understand its current visual landscape and consider factors that inspire or threaten the ADDX brand. Drawing on my experience in branding, I have conducted the RDE analysis. RDE analysis observes changes in visual and experiential brand performance through exploring market trends, consumer preferences, brand performance, and design trends. It aids in examining our current situation and exploring future brand directions.




ResearchBusiness trend

Considering ADDX's ultra-wealthy audience, I explored how luxury brands communicate with their customers. While each brand has its unique voice, a commonality is observed among luxury brands targeting premium audiences in their visual expression strategy.




    ResearchUnderstanding users

    Leveraging customer surveys, interviews, and industry reports, our research gives us a clear picture of our target group in Singapore. We specifically focus on

    • Mass AI (Accredited Investors)
    • Early 30s to late 40s professionals 
    • Experienced investors in public markets 
    • Wants to enter private markets but unconfident/unaware of how it operates, and unsure how to enter

    Resource: McKinsey & Company








    ResearchIndustry opportunity

    A scan of 20 relevant companies reveals that similar brands do not provide the same offerings or use blockchain technology. We should acknowledge that our strengths lie in our non-mainstream technology.

    Resource: ADDX 2022





    We have most of the elements for success;
    we are just not presenting it well.


    ADDX website on mobile

    The platform is
    not formatted for mobile, which contributes to a very poor engagement experience, that’s our biggest problem. The current solution is to block access to the platform on mobile and automatically route to the app page or put in a notice that strongly recommends the user to use the app for the best browsing experience.





    Investment frustrations

    We discovered some misleading user experiences in the previous design of the investment page.

    • Exclusive offerings lose some of their appeal when presented in a laundry list of names.
    • Lack of functions to facilitate effective browsing (e.g., filter, sort by). 
    • Much of what is sexy about these opportunities is buried in the sub-text, actual info page or greyed out tags.





    The challenge of becoming a global brand

    We revisited the brand communication presentation since the 2021 launch of the ADDX brand and identified the following inconsistencies:

    • Inconsistent brand graphic execution
    • Unclear imagery style choice
    • Inconsistent illustration style
    • Lack of clear direction on using brand colors






    Brand experience

    We defined the brand tone of voice to determine how we communicate with our users and present our identity. The ADDX tone of voice should be a reflection of how we sound and act like as a brand. It ensures that our personality remains distinguishable at every touchpoint. Portrayed as a bold and inspiring change-maker, our brand leads the way in delivering impactful experiences to users.










    Brand guidelines

    The ADDX Brand Guidelines serve as an introduction to the brand identity of ADDX. The guide covers the brand’s concept and personality, in-depth design rules, as well as content style principles required to create a coherent visual language and brand expression. 

    I created the brand guidelines. Alongside the brand refresh process, we use the guidelines as the go-to reference when creating ADDX branded items. The guidelines are the foundation for the stories we want our brand, products, and services to tell. Here are some snippet of the guidelines.



    Why prioritising web usability

    “Users visiting a new site spend an average of 30 seconds on the homepage and less than 2 minutes on the entire site before deciding to abandon it. (They spend a bit more time if they decide to stay on a site, but still only 4 minutes on average.”

    Hoa Loranger and Jakob Nielsen, 2006


    Effective landing page narrative

    Validate with credibility - Share about existing trends and behaviour to broaden ADDX’s narrative from a self-serving pitch to matter-of-fact reality.

      • Place the top-tier funds front and center of the landing page.
      • Add video walkthrough for better user understanding 


      Simplified choices and clearer category
      Standardise a drop-down menu for all pages on the navigation bar, with a short sub-text on what that page and its sections are about. This minimises the need for people to understand the website by trial-and-error clicking.


      Investment page
      Facilitate efficient browsing through investment offerings through adding Search, Sort and Filter options and showcasing more information for each offering in listings page.

      • Offer investment recommendations 
      • Use known logos over abstract visuals to grab attention
      • Order the product shelf to begin with the popular top-tier funds and arrange three cards in a row, allowing users to skim through them conveniently.








      Individual investment page
      Add top-line information to the fund detail for easier browsing. Introduce a paywall to encourage users to sign up for an account, unlocking more confidential views.






      Integrate ADDX Advantage seamlessly with ADDX
      ADDX Advantage is tailored for institutional investors and wealth managers, boasting its own distinctive brand expression with a B2B photography style and color scheme. Users should immediately engage with informative, inspiring, and actionable elements, as seen on the aspirational landing page for ADDX Advantage.





      Key takeaway
      User-Centric Approach : Test early!
      Despite challenges like time constraints and capacity limitations, comprehensive user testing during the prototype phase was hindered. If the project continues, I suggest prioritizing homepage testing to understand user needs and preferences. Analyzing feedback post-release will allow iterative design refinements for a more user-friendly experience.

      Remote Work Challenges
      Working remotely had its own challenges. Handing off the design and prototypes to the development team became a bit trickier because I couldn't just sit with the developers to fine-tune the site's responsiveness. Luckily, my direct supervisor, Acra Koh (the Senior Designer), jumped in and teamed up with the developer to ensure the site was responsive.

      Even with some bumps in the road, our team has spiced up ADDX with a cool new vibe. I haven't given the whole website a makeover, but what we kicked off is a pretty exciting beginning. I'm pumped to keep going, jazz up the rest of the pages, and make sure users have a top-notch experience.









      Seamlessly Integrating User Experiences with Impactful Brand Identity Design.

      chofichang@gmail.com
      (886) 928-069-146

      Chofi Chan




       

      © 2024 Chofi Chang