akshayathiyadath

CALMCHARTS

WHAT IF AI COULD MAKE TRADING SIMPLE AND LESS OVERWHELMING?

INITIAL ASSUMPTION

I BEGAN THIS PROJECT ASSUMING THAT RURAL USERS PRIMARILY STRUGGLED WITH TECHNOLOGY COMPLEXITY. I EXPECTED THAT SIMPLIFYING SCREENS AND REDUCING STEPS WOULD SOLVE MOST OF THE APPOINTMENT-BOOKING ISSUES.

MEETING THE USERS

TO UNDERSTAND REAL BOOKING BEHAVIORS, I EXPLORED THE EXPERIENCES OF RURAL PATIENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND LOCAL HEALTH WORKERS. DUE TO LIMITED ACCESS, I CONDUCTED AI-ASSISTED INTERVIEWS GROUNDED IN PUBLIC HEALTHCARE RESEARCH TO SIMULATE REALISTIC SCENARIOS.

One recurring pattern emerged early: most users didn’t start with apps — they started with people.

EARLY OBSERVATIONS

DURING SIMULATED WALKTHROUGHS, USERS OFTEN PAUSED AT THE SAME MOMENT: ENTERING PERSONAL DETAILS. FEAR OF “DOING SOMETHING WRONG” CAUSED HESITATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN MEDICAL OUTCOMES FELT URGENT.

KEY INSIGHT

THE CORE PROBLEM WASN’T DIGITAL LITERACY — IT WAS RISK.

FOR USERS MAKING HEALTHCARE DECISIONS, CLARITY AND REASSURANCE MATTERED MORE THAN SPEED OR EFFICIENCY.

This insight fundamentally shifted my design approach. Instead of optimizing for faster bookings, I prioritized confidence-first interactions — voice guidance, confirmation steps, and human fallback options.

BOOKING IS AVOIDED BECAUSE CERTAINTY MATTERS MORE THAN CONVENIENCE.

The patient does not “book” appointments because booking does not guarantee the doctor’s presence. Traveling far without certainty causes physical pain, wasted money, and emotional frustration.

2. APPS TRIGGER FEAR, NOT EMPOWERMENT.

Apps feel dangerous because the patient fears irreversible mistakes — losing money, damaging the phone, or being blamed. Sudden screen changes and English text increase anxiety.

3. VOICE CREATES TRUST; TEXT CREATES DISTANCE

Calls allow clarification, reassurance, and human tone. Messages require guessing, reading accuracy, and confidence the patient doesn’t feel.

4. HUMAN INTERMEDIARIES ARE THE REAL INTERFACE

The village health worker is used as the primary point of coordination because she explains slowly, speaks the local language, and confirms details verbally.

~80%

of low-literacy users avoid health apps due to fear of costly or irreversible mistakes.

~70%

of rural patients delay care when doctor availability is uncertain after long travel.

~75%

of users prefer calls over messages because they allow reassurance and clarification.

IDEATION

CLARITY OVER COMPLEXITY

Users felt overwhelmed by charts and terminology, so the product focuses on simplified explanations instead of advanced technical tools.

GUIDANCE WITHOUT PRESSURE

Many users hesitated or panic-sold, which led to AI insights that explain and suggest, rather than push real-time decisions.

RELEVANCE OVER VOLUME

Users didn’t want more data — they wanted to know what actually mattered, shaping features around contextual insights instead of constant updates.

CONFIDENCE OVER SPEED

Since fear of making mistakes was common, the experience was designed to help users understand why something matters before acting.

PORTFOLIO INSIGHTS

HMW HELP USERS CLEARLY AND CALMLY UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR PORTFOLIO IS DOING AND WHY?

The goal is to clearly show how a portfolio is doing, explain why in simple terms, and guide users on what to do next—without feeling overwhelming or technical.

IDEA 01: INLINE INSIGHTS LABEL IN PORTFOLIO LIST

Inline news labels surface relevant market updates directly within the portfolio list, allowing users to identify affected stocks without leaving the primary view.

Made relevance immediately visible by attaching insights directly to affected stocks.

Allowed quick access to context without leaving the portfolio screen.

Added decision friction to a screen meant for quick reassurance.

Difficulty assessing the urgency or priority of a insight at a glance.

IDEA 02: PORTFOLIO-LEVEL INSIGHT BANNER (GROUPED SIGNALS)

Instead of attaching insights to individual stocks, AI signals appeared in a top banner summarizing portfolio patterns (e.g., high sector exposure or recent negative news). Tapping revealed a brief explanation and the affected holdings.

Provides quick context on portfolio performance before deeper review.

Felt abstract when users wanted immediate, stock-level clarity.

FINAL FEATURE: DEDICATED AI INSIGHTS SCREEN

The AI Insights feature is implemented as a dedicated screen in the bottom navigation, separate from the portfolio and watchlist views. This screen aggregates AI-generated insights derived from market news, portfolio composition, and watched stocks, allowing users to explore insights intentionally rather than encountering them during quick portfolio check-ins.

Separates performance tracking from insight consumption, reducing cognitive load.

Scales to include both portfolio and watchlist insights.

Relies on clear navigation and cues to remain discoverable.

AI-ASSISTED CHART UNDERSTANDING

HMW HELP USERS READ AND INTERPRET STOCK CHARTS IN A WAY THAT BUILDS CONFIDENCE INSTEAD OF URGENCY?

The goal is to help beginners and casual traders understand stock charts without needing technical analysis knowledge.

IDEA 01: CONVERSATIONAL AI CHART COMPANION

The chart stays clean while AI appears upon clicking the floating icon, where users can ask questions like “Is this a good price to buy?” or “Why did the stock drop here?” The AI responds in plain language, using the chart context to guide understanding.

Encourages learning through user-driven questions. Feels safe and beginner-friendly

Relies heavily on user initiative. Less effective when users don’t know what to ask

Slower to surface insights in time-sensitive moments

IDEA 02: AI CHART SUGGESTIONS

Beginners get guidance without needing to know what to ask.

You can’t ask custom questions, which oversimplifies a complex trading decision.

FINAL FEATURE: AI SUGGESTIONS AND CHAT ASSISTANT

When users open a stock chart, CalmCharts first shows AI suggestions to highlight important price levels and risks. If users want deeper understanding or have specific doubts, they can then open the AI chatbot to ask custom questions about the chart.

Gives beginners quick guidance without forcing them to ask questions.

Still allows deeper, custom understanding through chat when needed.

SMART MARKET INSIGHTS

HOW MIGHT WE EXPLAIN MARKET NEWS SO USERS UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS AND WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR?

The goal is to help users understand market news in simple language, without needing financial knowledge, and clearly see potential opportunities and things to be careful about.

FEATURE: NEWS FEED WITH MARKET SIGNALS

A general news feed where AI explained the headline and added forward-looking predictions about possible outcomes.