Satyajit Das

Mobile Stock Portfolio Manager

This mobile application aims at making the process of selling and buying stocks via a broker transparent by allowing the user to get the latest rushes and tickers of the stock market performance. This system also allows the user to manage his portfolio with trading details and transaction summary synchronized with an online system.

Role: Mobile UI designer, System design.

Duration: 2 Months

Done at: IIT Guwahati

Tasks: Field Study, Contextual Inquiry, User Survey, Information Architecture, Task Flow Diagrams, Low Fidelity Prototypes, Wireframes, Walkthrough, Mobile Interface Design,

Introduction

Mobile computing integrates computation into the mobile environment, rather than having conventional computers which are distinct immobile objects. Since its inception, trading of Stocks has been one of the important and fastest growing areas where a common man can generate income. Its popularity is evident by the ever increasing local and foreign investments in this sector. After the successful introduction of internet based online stock trading in India, we, here tried to take a step towards mobile based stock trading.

In this research project we devised a system and interfaces for mobile based personalized stock trading and management system for local investors. Thorough analysis of a typical investor was done to identify the critical tasks and notes were taken to capture the entire process of stock trading.

Design Process

In this group project of two we analyzed the roles of various entities involved in trading and their interaction by the approach adopted by actually becoming a part of the system. From our contextual inquiry we found out that brokers can influence the thinking of investor. Our main purpose to design this the Mobile stock portfolio was to reduce the reliance of the investors on the brokers. By receiving the latest rushes the investors would have a better knowledge about the shape of market and thus in a better decision making capacity.

The complex stock trading experience is made easy through the intuitive workflow for the mobile interface. A module of the application is designed to assist the investor in understanding the basics of stock trading/ investment.

The system is designed and the final prototype implemented on a Symbian OS in 3rd Generation Mobile Set using Flash Lite 1.1.

Figure: – Interaction Block diagram of a stock trading process.

Analysis of Share Market System
Entities

• SEBI- Securities and Exchange Board of India
• Stock Exchange
• Finance Ministry
• Company

Download the detailed analysis of various entities

Figure: Simplified scenario of the stock trading process

Figure:  Present stock trading process – Scenario & problems

Ways of trading with shares
For all of the below mentioned methods, broker is always a part of it. Broker is the person who is authorised to make all transactionsin stock exchange, on behalf of customer.
a. Direct interaction with broker in person
b. Broking firms
c. e-broking
d. Through phone

Analysis of Web-Based Applications: – (sharekhan.com)

User needs
a. Daily update of price of his stocks
b. Sensex/Nifty
c. 10 top gainers/losers in market
d. Mutual Funds
e. Portfolio Management
f. Instant order/trade confirmation
g. Online transfer of funds through credit card/ bank
h. Update through phone/sms
i. latest research reports, daily market dairy
j. Regular update of potential customers for buying/selling shares
k. Reduced headche or time in interacting with boker
l. Clean and easy to browse interface                                Figure:- Online e-broker (sharekhan.com)
m. Secured transactions
n. Analysis of daily events in the country which may affect market mood

Ergonomic evaluation

• Too much information on a single page: Large amount of information can confuse customer who is already fearing of investing money. So with proper navigation and site mapping, this problem can be reduced.
• Personalised account: Most of the online websites lack this stuff, personalisation makes person feel more comfortable while browsing information.
• Editable font sizes/colors: This helps in highlighting the important information, colors give personal touch to the layout.            Figure: – Typical share trader screen
  
• Add/remove options: For example: Software shows compnay’s standing’s both in BSE and NSE, while perosn is interested in BSE, so he can remove NSE’s by selecting ‘edit layout’ option.
• Company’s information: User can always browse through the concerned company’s annual report, condition he has access to internet.

Data Collection sources

• Financial Newspapers (Economic times)
• Stock Exchange website(finance.yahoo.com/marketupdate)
• e-Broking websites (sharekhan.com)
• Brokers (Panbazar Stock agency, Guwahati)

Methodology

• Contextual inquiry was conducted to analyze the typical behavior of an investor, the points of contacts he has and the essential information required by him to make a decision to invest in shares.
• All the processes and the roles of external/internal entities are studied to identify the potential issues during different scenarios and the metaphor close to  real world trading was  incorporated in the system.
• Important information pertaining to decision making in buying and selling stocks is provided on the mobile based interface.
• The final design was evaluated and validated through user testing.

Feature Set of the UI on mobile phones

• The mobile application helps the investor customize the shares he wants to deal with and view their performance in the market. The interface also provides personalized rushes and market news based on the share/company choices made by the user.
• The application  maintains and helps to manage the investment portfolio of the user which makes it easier to make quick decisions with regard to trading in the market.
• Get stock quotes wherever and whenever required
• Keep tracks of the profits and transactions wirelessly
• Easy to use portfolio manager
• Calculate profit/loss, dollar balances and total portfolio value
• Easy to use quote timer that automatically fetches stock information regularly
• The system will save latest quote data for easy review after internet is disconnected

Figure: Typical Mobile interaction through softkeys.

Features of the system

• Easy to manage and monitor stocks anytime anywhere within mobile service provider’s range.
• Increased ability to take independent decisions regarding stock buying and selling.
• Much more information than ever would be viewable through mobile phones regarding stock’s performance & statistical ratios necessary to predict future performances etc.
• Increased user experience and self-satisfaction due to regular monitoring of stock prices without directly communicating with the broker.
• We have not provided the stock trading feature directly in the mobile application due to technological constraints.

Design Issues

User context recognition:
phone status, user activity, environment properties
power consumption, recognition methods, S/W architectures etc.

Connectivity:
information from devices & people nearby, available services and networks
personal profiles with context

User interface:
input/output modalities and presentations styles & methods are based on context

Social Barriers

Mobility of people
Comfort for everyone
Safety of privacy
Hesitation of interaction
Improving awareness
Improving relevance
Minimizing disruption
Reducing overload