Yahoo Finance · 2022 - 2023

Reimagining the discovery experience

Context

Yahoo Finance is a key platform for discovery, research, and analysis of investment opportunities, yet the Search and Markets tabs on the app were underutilized, signaling limitations in supporting effective discovery.

By spending a lot of time understanding the problem and our investor habits, one thing became clear: while the app excelled in the Analysis stage, it fell short in the Discover phase. Unless users already knew exactly what they were looking for, the app provided little value in uncovering new opportunities. This gap became the core focus of our solution, shaping our vision to bridge it effectively.

Solution

Screeners

To bridge the gaps in discovery, we leveraged screeners to create an experience that aligned with what diverse investors value, based on our initial research. These screeners were curated to reflect specific investment strategies, provide timely insights, and deliver meaningful context, ensuring they resonated with different investor types.

With the data already in place on the backend, we could easily toggle criteria to generate the right lists for each strategy. From this, we curated 54 screeners, tailoring them to different security types and approaches.

Screeners

These screeners became the foundation for the discovery experience, directly addressing the gaps identified during our research, providing curated entry points, making it easier to find and understand opportunities, whilst also giving them quick access to strategies that they could then filter and prioritize what is worth their attention.

These screeners were designed as interactive cards on the discovery page, offering users a teaser of the curated content before diving deeper. Each card provided a snapshot of the strategy or criteria it represented. This gave users a quick sense of what they could explore further, helping them decide which screeners aligned with their interests or goals before fully engaging with the detailed view.

Once inside a screener, users could customize their exploration even further by using filters to narrow down their search even further. This gave them control over their discovery process, enabling them to zero in on the opportunities that mattered most to them. This empowers users to take control of their research while still providing them with a clear starting point to guide their exploration.

Navigation

The navigation structure was intentionally designed around security types, reflecting how 75% of investors already think about their investments from there—whether they focus on equities, bonds, or mutual funds. By aligning with this mental model, we made it easier for users to start their discovery journey in a way that feels intuitive and familiar. Each tab serves as a clear entry point, helping users quickly locate the types of opportunities they’re most interested in.