valor:
one-stop platform to source, raise, and manage debt.
overview.
Company
Timeline
Dec 2022 - Mar 2023
Team
— Me (Product Designer)
— Saurabh Parashar (PM, Co-Founder)
— Harshit Garg (Co-Founder)
— Gouse Mohammed (Senior Designer)
— Aakriti Mehra (Front-end Developer)
opportunity.
The opportunity is to provide lending companies and debt investors with a platform that can provide the visibility of possible portfolio and business risks associated with the company.
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Note: This project was under NDA. To comply I have omitted certain parts. The screens presented are just a small part of my work at Valor.
the challenge.
My journey at Valor began with a challenge:
carve out a wireframe for the Investors.
Picture this: "As an Investor, I should effortlessly track my deal's status and keep a vigilant eye on them."
the process.
The scope of the task was vast. It was a challenging experience, which made me realize the importance of working with product managers (PMs). Guided by the Product Manager's PRD, research laid the foundation.
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I brainstormed the basic UI/UX of the app with my senior and subsequently moved on to the low-fidelity wireframes. After a few iterations, I got in touch with the PMs, and it was in those meetings, I realized the importance of communicating across teams.
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This newfound wisdom became my guiding light through Valor's ever-evolving realm. The stage was set for innovation.
documenting a design system.
Joining Valor's ranks, I found an onboarding flow in motion but a system amiss. With a unified vision in mind, I embarked on crafting a design system. Amidst the clamor for new elements, a decision was made.
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Introducing the 'sticker sheet' version – an innovation enabling designers to seamlessly replicate elements.
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This tangible guide then laid out a perfect path on which I'll put together a design system for the ever-evolving Valor platforms.
stakeholder management.
Just weeks into my journey, Valor's co-founder summoned me to shape a secondary platform. The stakeholders, recognizing the market's financial upheaval, sought to broaden their audience's horizon.
I collaborated with the executive team, orchestrating a re-brand that mirrored this pivotal shift, reflecting professionalism and accessibility.
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Valor was about to see a major product shift. The leadership team decided to broaden their service reach and we collaborated to make this happen without disrupting the whole page that was already at place, thereby also reducing developer’s work.
a no-budget research.
Presenting the MVP (by the executive team) to the potential investors, shed light on the nuances we had otherwise missed.
A new quest arose – crafting a compelling narrative for customers and stakeholders.
1. About Us page
We derived that the potential customers and stakeholders would like to see more of a story about our company, and the ones they were investing in, see the team, etc. The about us and key people section fell weak in this regard.
2. Key people cards
I reiterated the key people section while keeping in mind the previously allotted real estate. The aim was to make forging connections intutive.
enhancing user experience.
1. Progress bar
We had a pretty generic progress bar when I joined. I was asked to iterate upon it to improve its usability, so I came up with a few versions and we narrowed it down to the one we are finally using for the platform.
2. My portfolio page
The "My Portfolio" page information was a playground for scattered attention. The iterations that will follow, aim to guide focus and make the interaction seamless between the investor and the borrowers by making all the relevant requirements available in one place.
Iteration 1: Easily find what you need.
— The information on the page was stripped down to reflect the most important data. To reflect this I made use of contrast and hierarchy.
Iteration 2: Empathizing with the user.
— A Calendly link section alongside the profile was added to the table to let the investors effortlessly schedule meetings with the key people on the borrower’s side.
the "invite flow".
The objective of the invite flow was to let the borrower invite investors to visit the platform and access the deal information via email.
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Time was not on my side. I had a few hours to come up with something tangible. My first focus was to start researching for inspiration from other virtual experiences to understand best practices and what we could potentially achieve. I also studied the objective thoroughly from all angles.
Valor had its branding personality, so I had to consider that too.
At Valor we majorly bet on trust and I made sure whatever I built, I reflected this vision. So, I came up with a version that felicitated ease whilst keeping in mind privacy.
The primary action on the page was changed to “Share”, making it obvious to people how they can share their documents.
To protect the user's privacy the flow allows them to retrieve access anytime and keep a record of the invitees.
the "reserve deal" flow.
The "Reserve Deal Flow" focused on precision, leading users through a journey of clarity and purpose.
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We deployed clear CTAs, and feedback to provide direction. I made sure that leaving the loop was as intuitive as the entry. It is so clear and more than one exit was crafted to close the loop.
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This minor yet crucial journey exemplified orchestrating user paths with precision and finesse.
accessibility.
1.
I added descriptions to alleviate the learning curve and clear labels for interactive elements that can be read by screen readers.
3.
Clear cues were presented to the user through text ornaments (like stars), icons, and color psychology.
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I used landmarks to help users navigate the site, including users who rely on assistive technologies.
4.
I used headings with different-sized text for a clear visual hierarchy.
5.
Used overlays to dictate attention and avoid distractions.
reflections.
— Push the comfort zone.
Initially, it was overwhelming working for a fintech considering I had zero background in the industry and knew practically nothing of the user base.
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— It’s okay to ask for help.
Ask for help when stuck. By talking openly and frequently I was able to avoid major hiccups and stay on track.
Working together not only added value but ultimately built a superior solution as a whole.