A major US financial institution needed to understand how self-directed retail investors were making investment decisions and what was shaping their engagement with digital investment platforms before committing to a product development direction.

What we did

We recruited active self-directed investors in the United States who were managing their own portfolios through digital platforms, screening for genuine investment activity and decision-making independence rather than occasional or passive engagement. The research required participants who could speak to the actual experience of navigating investment decisions without professional intermediary support.

What it enabled

The product team was able to test assumptions about investor behaviour, platform preferences, and decision-making drivers with precisely the audience its proposition needed to serve. The findings provided a direct read on where self-directed investors were underserved and what would drive meaningful engagement with a redesigned product.