Module: Design & User Experience for Fin Tech

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Design & User Experience for Fin Tech
Module Code	FBA1036 (ITS: EF612)
Faculty	DCU Business School	School	DCU Business School
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	7.5

Description

User experience (UX) is a critical component of successful FinTech innovation and draws on both design skills and neuroeconomics. This miodule covers both of these aspects in demonstrating how to implement effective UX in modern finance. The module starts by laying a foundation for understanding behavioural influences on financial decision making. We show how a behavioural perspective is different to traditional finance. Then we look at how behavioural decision making can explain the behaviour of investors, financial managers, and other financial actors. Lastly, we demonstrate how design and UX choices in FinTech can help to capture and address these financial behaviours.

Learning Outcomes

1. Recognise the value of alternative analysis paradigms based on psychological and social forces for decision making in finance
2. Analyse models of financial decision making that incorporate behavioural characteristics in order to determine suitable models for specific circumstances
3. Demonstrate an understanding of how design choices can improve user experience in finance
4. Critically evaluate perspectives of future development of financial technology based on behavioural insights

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	12	Formal classes (lecture / workshop), one hour per week delivered live online, with a recorded option available.
Lecture	12	Formal classes (lecture), one hour per week delivered in pre-recorded online learning
Assignment Completion	76	Two individual assignments and a group presentation.
Independent Study	87.5	Class related reading and activities, guided reading and further learning.
Total Workload: 187.5

Section Breakdown
CRN	10696	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Michael Dowling	Module Teacher

Section Breakdown
CRN	11943	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Michael Dowling	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Report(s)	Individual assessment: The student will demonstrate knowledge of the behavioural finance literature and how it informs financial decision making. [Submitted around Week 6 of the module]	50%	Week 24
Group presentation	Group work: Students will develop and present a FinTech application that demonstrates clear incorporation of design and user experience good practice guidelines. [Submitted end of teaching week]	50%	Week 30

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Behavioural finance
1. Journey from traditional finance: Showing how some of the assumptions of traditional finance lead to poor understanding of financial decision making.

2. Behavioural financial decision making: An exploration of the psychological theories proposed as influences on the behaviour of financial actors.

3. Investor psychology: Showing how these theories influence financial asset pricing and the movement of financial markets.

4. Behavioural corporate finance: Linking the behavioural theories to understand how corporate finance is carried out in practice.

Principles of design and UX
Overview of core principles. Demonstration of how UX follows psychological principles. Discussion of design process in practice. Link between behavioural finance and UX. Good practice examples.

Case-based UX and design in finance
Case-based analysis of good practice for UX and design in finance. In part through expert (guest speaker) guidance demonstrating best practice and showcasing practical implementation. Cases will cover gamut of personal banking, investment, b2b fintech. Leading up to group project where the students develop their own application which implements good design and UX practice.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Lucy Ackert,Richard Deaves: 2009, Behavioral Finance: Psychology, Decision-Making, and Markets, Cengage Learning, 432, 9780324661170
H. Kent Baker,Greg Filbeck,Victor Ricciardi: 2017, Financial Behavior, Oxford University Press, 658, 9780190269999
Steve Krug: 2014, Don't Make Me Think, Revisited, Pearson Education, 200, 9780321965516
Jon Yablonski: 2020, Laws of UX, O'Reilly Media, 150, 9781492055310

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None