TradeUP Stock Trading Simulator

Project Overview

Client: Bootcamp Capstone
Industry: FinTech EdTech
Timeline: August 2025
Role: Product Owner · UX Strategist

As part of my Product Management bootcamp capstone, my team and I designed TradeUP, a gamified stock trading simulator that helps teens and young adults learn investing in a fun, risk-free, and educational environment.

We noticed that while Gen Z wants to grow their financial literacy, most existing platforms are either intimidating, overly technical, or tied to real money. Our goal was to bridge fintech with game-based learning, using design to make investing accessible, safe, and empowering.

The Problem

Finance is intimidating "Especially for beginners".
Our user research revealed three major pain points:

• Fear of losing money or making beginner mistakes

• Overly complex language in most finance learning platforms

• Lack of motivation due to boring or lecture-based teaching styles

There was a clear opportunity: create a simulation app that allows users to experiment, play, and learn without any financial risk - where education feels like progress in a game, not a classroom.

Discovery & Research

Step 1: Understanding User Anxiety

We conducted surveys and interviews with high school and college students who expressed interest in investing but hadn’t started.
Using Empathy Mapping and Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) frameworks, we discovered:

• They wanted a space to learn by doing, not reading.

• They desired instant feedback and visible progress.

• They needed safety and emotional reassurance before engaging with real markets.

Step 2: Competitor Analysis

We analyzed apps like Robinhood, Fedility, and Stock Market Game, focusing on UX patterns, learning features, and emotional design.
Most apps either:

• Focused on real-money trading (risk involved), or

• Offered static simulations with poor engagement.

This gap inspired our product vision - a game-based simulator with real-time data, zero risk, and motivational UX that nurtures user confidence step by step.

Ideation & Design Process

To structure our creative process, I facilitated multiple design-thinking workshops, including:

• Remember the Future: envisioning what success looks like when users feel confident to invest in real markets.

• MoSCoW Prioritization: identifying Must-Haves, Should-Haves, and Could-Haves for our MVP.

• Speedboat & Prune the Product Tree: uncovering feature pain points and mapping how improvements could “pull the boat forward.”

• Persona Development: defining three user personas based on age, goals, and financial comfort levels.

From these sessions, we mapped an experience where users unlock new levels, earn badges, and build their confidence through small, safe wins.

The Solution

TradeUP is a mobile learning platform that teaches users how to invest by playing real-time trading challenges using virtual currency.

Each level integrates financial concepts, bite-sized lessons, and missions that simulate real market conditions. Users can:

• Practice trading with real data, fake money

• Complete daily challenges to reinforce key concepts

• Track progress through XP points and achievement badges

The app creates a safe learning loop that builds financial confidence while keeping engagement high.

Low-Fidelity Prototype

Our final deliverable was a Lo-Fi wireframe prototype showcasing:

• Onboarding flow introducing the “learn by doing” concept

• Home dashboard with portfolio simulation and progress tracker

• Challenge center with tiered levels and XP rewards

• Learning hub for quick, gamified lessons

We used Miro for mapping, Google Suite for documentation, and applied Agile sprints to coordinate design iterations.

Tools & Frameworks

• Miro – journey mapping & team brainstorming

• Google Suite – documentation & presentation

• MoSCoW – feature prioritization

• Prune the Product Tree – feature mapping

• Remember the Future – success visioning

• Agile Planning & Delivery – sprint management

• MVP Definition – tradeoffs, constraints, success metrics

• Competitive Analysis & Market Research

Impact & Learnings

This project gave me hands-on experience in end-to-end product thinking — from problem discovery to early prototyping. I learned how to:

• Translate complex ideas (finance) into playful learning experiences.

• Use UX frameworks to guide team discussions and product direction.

• Balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints in MVP scoping.

Working with a cross-functional team taught me to facilitate collaboration, manage different opinions, and adapt quickly under tight timelines.

Most importantly, I saw how thoughtful design and product strategy can make intimidating topics feel approachable, fun, and empowering.

Next Steps

If developed further, our next iterations would focus on:

• Integrating AI coaching to provide personalized learning paths

• Building a community leaderboard to motivate continued play

• Testing high-fidelity prototypes with real users for usability insightsOur Project Presentation