A Delecious Investment
Pocket Pie
At-A-Glance
Pocket Pie is a mobile investing app designed for young adults taking their first step into the world of finance. With playful visuals, flavor-themed portfolios, and a guided tier system, it turns small investments into engaging progress. The experience removes complexity and builds confidence—making money management feel approachable, visual, and satisfied.
Gamified Playful Investing for First-Timers
Role
Type
Time
Tools
UX research, user flows, wireframing, interaction design, high-fidelity UI
Case Study
15 days
Figma
Figjam
Framer
01. Discovery & Research
1.1 Intro & Concept Origin
Why this project matters?
Where it came from?
What draws me to fintech design?
What made me choose this specific direction?
What’s behind the metaphor?
Initial Observations & Assumptions
“There’s no lightweight entry into investing — it feels all-or-nothing.”
“First-time investors often don’t know how much money to start with.”
“Apps focus on charts and performance, not emotional reassurance.”
“Most platforms assume users already have financial literacy.”
‘’Investing feels intimidating to beginners due to jargon and complexity.”
1.2 Problem Discovery
1.3 User Research
GenZ digital natives
GenZ digital natives
GenZ digital natives
• Half (54%) of Gen Z holds some kind of investment.
• About a quarter of Gen Zers in our survey hold cryptocurrencies and stocks, and 1 in 10 own NFTs.
• Nearly a third of Gen Zers feel they have just a beginner's knowledge of financial management basics like paying taxes and managing debt.
• Gen Zers who have an income of more than $50,000 are more likely to be confident in their financial knowledge (57%) than those who make less than $50,000 (39%).
• 44% percent of Gen Z who are not investing say it’s because they don’t know where to start.
FINRA/CFA Study (2023): 56% of U.S. Gen Z non-investors cite “lack of knowledge about investing” as a primary barrier, with complex terms like “diversification” and “yield” causing hesitation. Gen Z relies on social media (48%) and internet searches (47%), often encountering jargon-heavy content.
https://www.finra.org/media-center/newsreleases/2023/finra-foundation-cfa-institute-research-focuses-gen-z-investors
1.4 Competitors Audit
Lacks emotional reinforcement or playful engagement
Flat monthly fee ($3–$12) can eat into small balances
Low $5 minimum to start investing
Extra features: IRA, banking, educational content
Beginner-friendly, mobile-first UI
User interface and onboarding still feel financial-first, not emotionally motivating
Lacks features that reinforce daily habit-building or user encouragement
Flat subscription fees (≈ $3–$9/month) eat into small balances, reducing actual gains
Wide range of investments: ETFs, individual stocks, themed portfolios, and fractional shares
Beginner-friendly interface with educational content integrated
ACORNS
STASH
https://www.investopedia.com/acorns-review-8601348?
https://www.investopedia.com/acorns-review-8601348?
https://www.luxwisp.com/pros-and-cons-of-stash/
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/stash-review/
https://moneywise.com/investing/reviews/stash-invest?
Social layer can add pressure or distraction — not ideal for users who want low-stress, focused financial
Feature limitations for deep investors — basic tools, many advanced features behind premium paywall
Doesn’t support mutual funds or retirement accounts — may inconvenience long-term planning users
Sleek, mobile-first design that feels approachable and clean
No account minimum to open; fractional investing starts at $1 — accessible to absolutely anyone
https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/investing/brokers/public?
https://www.reddit.com/r/stocks/comments/wjjvdt/is_anyone_investing_on_public/?
https://www.investopedia.com/public-review-5201034?
📌 Pocket Pie — Research Summary Insight
Through analyzing leading competitors like Acorns, Stash, and Public, one insight became clear:
Most beginner-friendly investing apps focus on automation or social features — not emotional clarity or habit-building.
• Acorns makes investing automatic, but it’s too hands-off and cold.
• Stash mixes education and investing, but feels overwhelming with jargon and “DIY” energy.
• Public introduces a social layer but can feel noisy, competitive, or confusing.
Despite targeting new investors, these platforms often assume users have money, time, or confidence — which isn’t the case for many Gen Z users with tight budgets and financial anxiety.
Pocket Pie is not just an investing tool — it’s a money mindset companion:
• It helps users start with tiny, guilt-free amounts.
• It encourages a sense of progress, habit, and optimism, not fear or confusion.
• It skips hype and focuses on realistic, emotionally supportive design.
📌 What Pocket Pie Does Differently
1.5 Problem Statement
Many Gen Z users feel caught between social media's promises of instant wealth and the reality of tight budgets and rising costs. Traditional finance apps either complicate things with jargon or sell unrealistic dreams. What’s missing is a grounded, emotionally supportive way to build investing habits — one that makes small steps feel like real progress, not failure.
“Money apps feel cold — like they’re made for people who already have money.”
Goals
02. Empathize
2.1 Persona
Name:
Occupation:
Income:
Tech use:
Lea, 24
Entry-level graphic designer
~€900/month
Active on TikTok, IG;
uses Revolut, Spotify, Duolingo
Background:
Lea is a 24-year-old graphic designer earning just enough to get by. She sees money advice and investment hype all over TikTok but feels disconnected from it — it’s too extreme or unrealistic for her current lifestyle. She’s not looking to get rich fast; she just wants to feel like she’s building something stable. Most money apps either overwhelm her with data or feel boring. Lea needs a low-pressure, emotionally supportive way to start forming real habits with her money — something that feels light, doable, and motivating.
🎯
Needs
Frustrations
😖
💡
• Wants to feel like she’s doing something smart with her money
• Wants financial progress without sacrificing her lifestyle
• Curious about investing but doesn’t know where to begin
• Most money apps are dry, complicated, or make her feel “behind”
• Feels overwhelmed by crypto/finance hype online
• Doesn’t think €10–€20/month matters — feels pointless
• A low-stress way to start building financial habits
• A system that feels good emotionally, not just logically
• A clear picture of what small steps can realistically do over time
“This first time investing, felt like me ”
2.2 Journey Map
Curious/download
Step
Action
Thought
Feeling
Pain point/
Opportunity
Onboarding
First Micro-Save
Progress Tracker
Mini Celebration
Lea finds Pocket Pie via social media and installs the App
Lea adds
€25 funds
She sees visual growth and engages with the concept of growing the pie
Frienfdly Ui guiding investing in unpredictable way by baking a pie?
After a few saves, the app celebrates a small milestone unlocking new features.
‘’Maybe this is finally something made for me..’’
‘’That’s it? That actually felt..doable.’’
‘’I actually want to come back tomorrow.’’
‘’Look at me-- investing like a real adult.’’
‘’Oh wow -- this doesnt feel intimidating at all.
it seems fun’’
Hopeful, but skeptical
Surprised,
engaged
Calm,
proud
Encouraged,
motivated
Confident,
joyful
Afraid it’ll feel cold or full of jargon
Needs reassurance a non pressure setup.
This is the core ‘’aha!’’ moment Pocket Pie must nail.
Needs emotional rewards, not jump numbers.
Small wins build motivation and long-term engagement.
🤗
03. Ideate
3.1 Project Brief
Objective
Design a micro-investing app that helps beginners build healthy, realistic money habits — especially those who feel excluded or overwhelmed by traditional finance tools.
Scope
Focus on the early user experience:
• Onboarding
• First investment flow
• Habit-forming features (tracking, reflection, or gamification)
• Emotionally engaging UI that reduces stress and builds confidence
Success Points
Users feel calm and encouraged, not judged
It’s fun or satisfying to return daily/weekly
The product makes small investing feel worthwhile — not boring or pointless
It meets people where they are (low income, low knowledge) and grows with them
3.2 Wireframes & Flow
🧠 Why this screen?
•Lea feels:
Intimidated by traditional money apps.
•Like they’re built for people who “already have money”.
•She wants something friendly, low-pressure, human
🎯 Goal of this screen
Make Lea feel:
•Welcomed
•Safe to start
•Like this app speaks her language
•Gives a playful and personal touch right away.
•Engages user with an easy, fun choice.
•Sets up the growing/decorating pie metaphor for progress.
•Visual continuity: Including the chosen pie from Frame 1 reinforces personalization and keeps the user emotionally connected to their selection.
•Clear, inviting title: “Choose What Matters” is simple and encourages users to think about their personal values and goals, making the experience feel meaningful and less intimidating.
•Goal options as buttons: Presenting the categories as selectable buttons with emojis creates a friendly, approachable UI that reduces cognitive load.
•Selection feedback: Showing the user’s choices clearly (“You chose: 🌍, 💻, 🎓”) provides confirmation and builds confidence in their decisions.
•Navigation buttons: The “Back” and “Looks good” buttons allow users to easily correct or confirm their choices, improving usability.
•Avoids jargon: Copy is straightforward, avoiding technical investment language, which aligns with the goal to make investing accessible for beginners.
•Pie image and percentage show clear progress and motivate users.
•Different pie visuals for tiers add fun and reward growth.
•Simple language makes investing feel friendly and less scary.
•Contribution options fit different budgets and habits.
•“Pie Potential” explains how contributions add up clearly.
•Unlocking new flavours adds excitement and keeps users engaged.
•Visual progress motivates users: Showing the pie image based on the current tier reflects Lea’s progress, reinforcing the idea that even small investments grow over time — addressing the fear of “all-or-nothing” investing.
•Personalized categories keep focus: Displaying the three pie focus categories Lea chose earlier creates a meaningful connection, making the investment feel relevant and aligned with her personal goals.
•Clear value and next step: Presenting the total pie value and next contribution date breaks down abstract investing into simple, manageable chunks — lowering intimidation and improving financial literacy.
•Action-oriented CTAs: “Start Investing” and “Adjust Plan” encourage continued engagement without overwhelming. This aligns with our insight that apps should feel approachable and supportive rather than complex or intimidating.
•Intuitive Allocation UI
Using sliders makes fund distribution feel easy and visual, reducing the cognitive load for beginners like Lea who might find traditional investment tools overwhelming.
•Personal Connection to Money
Linking money to self-chosen values (like "Education" or "Planet-friendly") reinforces emotional meaning, motivating Lea to stay engaged and continue contributing.
•Home – Main pie dashboard
•Insights – See growth, timeline, past contributions
•Explore – Optional space to discover new “pie flavours” (later)
•Profile – Adjust account, goals, preferences
1.Welcome/Onboarding
3.Choose what mattes
4.1 Set Your Pie Plan
5.Your Pie Overview
6.Split your Pie
7.Pie Dashboard
4.2 Tiers
2.Set First Goal
•Simple, low-pressure language → “Even €10 makes a difference” is reassuring and accessible for beginners like Lea.
•Preset amounts → Reduces cognitive load. Lea doesn’t have to think, just tap.
•Custom amount option → Adds flexibility without overwhelming.
•Clear next step → “Keep going →” gives the sense of progress and flow.
•Pie visual (optional) → Reinforces the brand metaphor and makes it more playful and unique.
Pocket Pie uses a playful pie metaphor to bring investing to life.
Each portfolio starts as a basic pie flavor and visually evolves through six tiers as its value grows. As users invest and make progress, they unlock new pie designs and flavors — turning financial milestones into moments of delightful visual discovery. This tiered system makes wealth-building feel creative, motivating, and emotionally rewarding.
Overall Design Principles
• Kept it visual, playful, and human.
• Guide, don’t dump.
• Remove complexity from financial decisions.
6 Tiers of 'Deliciousness' to explore a pie flavor according to its value.
Pocket Pie
Pocket Pie
04. Prototype
4.1 Design System
To bring Pocket Pie’s playful yet trustworthy tone to life, I created a design system rooted in clarity, softness, and visual charm. Every element—from typography to color—was chosen to make investing feel inviting and intuitive for Gen Z users new to finance. The system balances a light-hearted identity (think pie flavors and warm tones) with enough structure and accessibility to support real financial decisions. Below are the foundations that shaped the app’s visual and interactive language.
Style
Font Size
Weight
Use
Display/H1
H2
H3
Body
Typography
Color Palette
Buttons & Icons
Logo
Small Text
36px
28px
20px
18-20px
14-16px
Bold
SemiBold
Quicksand
Aa
Regular
Soft Cream
App Background
#FFFCF7
Mint Green
Positive Actions
#34D399
Ash Grey
Secondary text
#6B7280
Deep Graphite
Main Text
#1F1F1F
Rose Red
Warnings
#FF4D6D
Tangerine
Primary Actions
#FF7A5A
Cloud Grey
Cards, input
#F3F4F6
Regular
Regular/light
Logo,titles
Section headings,pop ups
Cards, Buttons
Main copy, dashboard text
Helper text
+
?
?
Golden Grove Pie
Unlock tier 6 in any pie to unlock this flavor
4.2 High Fidelity Design
This walkthrough brings the full experience to life—from choosing your first pie to setting a plan and tracking progress. It reflects how research, design, and playful visuals came together to make investing feel approachable, goal-based, and genuinely enjoyable for beginners.
Pocket Pie in Action
What I’ve Learned?
Next Step
05. REFLECTION
#1. Designing with Emotion in Mind
#1. Expand the Experience
#2. Test and Iterate
#3. Grow with the User
#3. Building with Process and Vision
#2. Simplicity through Intentionality
Designing Pocket Pie taught me how powerful visual metaphors can be in easing complex topics like investing. Using pies, tiers, and flavors helped make money feel more approachable and less intimidating—especially for beginners like our persona, Lea.
I plan to extend Pocket Pie with features like seasonal pie upgrades, investment streaks, and more ways to track progress visually—adding depth while keeping things playful.
Usability testing will be key. I want to observe how real users engage with the onboarding, pie growth, and fund allocation—then iterate to improve clarity and motivation.
Long term, I see potential for a dual-mode experience: one for beginners (guided, goal-based) and one for more advanced users who want manual investment tools—all while keeping the warm, playful brand at the core.
I learned that great UX isn’t about stripping things down, but about designing features with purpose. Every interaction—from picking a pie flavor to setting goals—was grounded in making the experience emotionally supportive and frictionless.
Throughout this case study, I sharpened my ability to move from loose ideas to structured design—combining user research, flow logic, and visual identity to create a cohesive, guided product journey.
© 2025 Taxiarhis P.
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