The document describes the process taken by the author to redesign the alerting system for a trading platform. This included gathering requirements, analyzing user data, running workshops to get stakeholder consensus on priorities, developing wireframes through an iterative process including user testing, and collaborating with developers. The outcome of testing the initial alert receiving functionality was positive, but it was too early to know the impact on user interactions and dealing activity.

1. I was hired in August 2015 as a senior member of the UX design
team designing IG’s new web trading platform. I joined at the
tail-end of a design vision phase. Development had already
commenced. I was tasked with identifying problems and to lead
improvements on the alerting system. A core part of a client’s
trading strategy used as a proxy for actual trading.
Clive G Hughes | Case study
IG international
Digital product: New web trading platform

2. 1. Business goals & user needs
Various business requirement documents were
supplied by the business. They all needed
scrutinising, validating and translating into real user
needs. A series of story maps were then produced to
piece together the user journeys, map user needs
and identify business goals.
2. Analysis
Evidence gathering was needed to understand the
level of assumptions. The research team supplied
outdated findings. I worked with them to accumulate
additional quantitative and qualitative evidence -
interviews, database log files, Oracle database
reports, forum questions, customer service reports
were all analysed.
Action

3. 3. Consensus workshop
Because of the contentious nature of alerts, strong opinions
were held amongst the many stakeholders so I ran a
workshop to iron out and prioritise user needs. The outcome
was successful - the original business requirements were
rewritten into a prioritised list of problem statements that
everyone agreed upon.
4. Ideation workshop
With clear design priorities worked out, I facilitated an
ideation workshop held using a cross-functional group of
stakeholders, developers, UX/UI designers and product
owners to generate ideas and collapse down early
contentious thinking. The outcome was a shared
understanding and buy in of the design vision.

4. 5. Wireframe deliverables
I worked up detailed wireframe specification documents
which served to communicate the solution back to
stakeholders, the UX/UI team and the developers for
critical review.
6. User testing
Testing was critical due to a high level of assumptions. I
build a series of prototypes. Initially paper prototypes were
used to gauge usefulness then later clickable Axure
prototypes were tested in a lab to iron out usability
problems. The wireframe specifications were iterated on.
7. Development
Ongoing collaboration with developers and UI designers
was had throughout. Further user testing was conducted
on real code.

5. Market centric view (Alerts tab within the market)
Initial concept sketches, ideas consolidated generated
from the ideation workshop

6. Alert centric view (Alerts hub)
Initial concept sketches, ideas consolidated
generated from the ideation workshop

7. Notification
appears with
count on the right
On mouse hover or
another growl appears
the notification stays
in view.
Notification fades
after 5 seconds of
inactivity
Badge remains with
notification count
Another notification
appears
Count increases with
every notification
Maximum of 99 are
counted
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 8.7.
2. 3. 4.
Feed opens over the workspace
Click on the notifications link
in top right of App
Feed closesToggle notification
categories
Clicking‘more’icon
opens filter
options
Clicking anywhere outside the
feed closes the feed
Persistence
Closing the feed or ending a
session resets the notification
badge count back to zero.
Keep the badge count for
- My flagged items
- Pinned items
Remember always
- My filter options
1.
Extract (part 1) from the specification document
This document described interactions/user journeys and was a
throw away communication tool to facilitate development.

8. Toggle categories
on or off
Filters closedFeed closed Filters opened
Open filters
Close
filters
Extract (part 2) from the specification document
Depicts an evolved layout for filter options

9. Extract (part 3) from the specification document
Setting price level or price change alerts
Daily Brent Crude (Dec) x
1 %
Alert me every time the mid price changes by
daily
Alert setup
Set alert
Price levelPrice change
Add notes
Notify me by mobile, desktop and email
Enter a short message or reminder
Price level options x
OnFrequency
Price type
Once
Every time
Sell
Mid
Buy
Notification options x
Adjusting these options will affect all
the price alerts you've previously set.
Mobile
Desktop
Email
Price change Price level
Alert setup
FTSE 100 x
Add notes
Notify me by mobile, desktop and email
Set alert
Enter level eg 12345
Enter a short message or reminder
Alert me once the mid price hits

10. Receiving alerts
Tested positively during user testing of the alpha release with no
issues reported, some minor enhancements were noted for further
investigation. Too early to know if click through rate on notifications
and subsequent dealing activity increased.
Setting alerts
Tested positively during early prototype user testing some minor
interaction problems were spotted and the wireframes iterated on.
Development is in progress (release due in February 2016).
Managing alerts
Planned for release in May 2016, early wireframe concepts due for
testing. Outcome unknown.
Outcome