THE PROJECT
COUSE
COUSE
The AI Workspace for Finance.
OpenBB Workspace is a platform focused on developing advanced tools for investment analysis and research. Designed to be a flexible, customizable, and collaborative product, it offers a range of features: modular dashboards, widgets integrated with financial data, and an AI assistant to support decision-making.
INSDUSTRY
Finance
DATE
2021 — Current
ROLE
UI/UX Designer
I joined OpenBB team at a very early stage, when all that existed was OpenBB Terminal, an open source command line tool for financial analysis. The vision was clear: to transform that technical base into a more visual, intuitive and collaborative platform.
Starting from scratch, I helped build what is now OpenBB Workspace. We defined the brand's visual identity, shaped the interface and designed the entire experience: focused on flexibility, customization and integration with data and AI models.
CHALLENGE
Financial data and tools are scattered across multiple platforms, forcing analysts to spend extra time gathering information. Using AI for deeper insights can add complexity and security concerns, and the lack of transparency in its processes makes its results difficult to trust.
SOLUTION
OpenBB unifies diverse financial data and tools, bringing multiple sources together in one place. Customizable dashboards let users view all the information they need at a glance. An integrated AI agent provides deeper insights without adding complexity or raising security concerns, while clearly explaining its reasoning and data sources to build trust.
PROCESS
Discovery
During the research phase, we conducted interviews with financial professionals and analyzed existing tools on the market. This gave us valuable insights into the diverse contexts and needs of different users in the financial sector.
Based on this research, we mapped the journey from the first contact with the product to its adoption. This process allowed us to identify the key priorities of each user group, the challenges they face, and potential areas for workflow improvement, ensuring that we are developing a solution that truly meets their needs.
Methodology
We follow a methodology based on biweekly sprints to organize and distribute tasks between team members. Each sprint begins with a planning session, where we set priorities, assign responsibilities, and align expectations. Throughout the two weeks, we track progress with daily meetings. At the end, we hold review sessions to present the work done and retrospectives to identify improvements and adjust processes.
Documentation
Every mockup is documented with: dark and light mode version, the state of the task, context notes, interaction flows and visual guidelines. The goal is to make each decision clear and accessible, facilitating the transition to development and ensuring consistency throughout the process.
Video analysis — real cases
An essential part of our design process is reviewing videos of real users interacting with the product: by observing these interactions, we uncover flaws and opportunities for improvement that might otherwise remain hidden. This information leads to continuous improvements, ensuring that the product evolves to meet users’ needs.
DESIGN SYSTEM
Morpho it’s OpenBB Design System, created to bring structure to how design and development work together.
In the early stages, the focus was heavily on building a functional, profitable product. User experience naturally took a back seat and like many startups, we didn’t have a design system in place from the start. It just wasn’t the priority at the time, and with limited resources, the effort needed to build one felt hard to justify. Over time though, that gap became more noticeable. Inconsistencies started to emerge, which affected both the user experience and the overall feel of the product.
To resolve this, we created Morpho, the OpenBB design system. It brought structure to how design and development worked together: made our process faster, and helped ensure everything we shipped felt polished and cohesive. Morpho gives us a shared language and a clear set of guidelines, so we can build in a way that’s consistent, scalable, and aligned with the brand.
Components Library
Figma is our daily workspace and where the design system evolves. From defining typography and color styles to building interactive components, everything begins here. We use Figma not only to design screens but to explore interactions, iterate on ideas, and collaborate closely with developers.
Documentation
To keep the design system accessible across teams, we document everything in Zeroheight: a central source of truth for visual guidelines, usage rules, and development specifications
FEATURES
Widgets
Widgets are interactive modules that display specific data, graphics, or functionalities within a dashboard. OpenBB offers a comprehensive library of widgets, all built with a unified structure that ensures consistency and delivers a reliable user experience across the platform.
Dashboards
Dashboards are customizable interfaces composed of various interactive widgets, such as charts, tables, and notes, that enable users to analyze financial data in an integrated way. Each user can belong to an organization, making it easy to share dashboards and tailor them to specific needs.
AI Agent
The platform features an AI Agent that makes data analysis more efficient and interactive. Users can explore data, ask questions, generate automated analyses, and create widgets within a single environment.
Admin Portal
Administrators can use the Admin Portal to manage user roles and access, aligning with the organization's structure or investment strategies. They can define roles (e.g., analyst, trader, manager), adjust permissions and monitor activity, ensuring that each role has the appropriate access.
