Empowering investors through greater financial literacy
As part of a Dow Jones initiative, our goal was to demystify investing by breaking financial concepts into clear, bite-sized content that's easier to read, understand, and act on.
OVERVIEW
For many people, anything related to finance and investing seems complex and unclear.
Most people avoid learning about personal finance because it feels overwhelming, unless it's made simple, relatable, and easy to follow. New investors don't want to feel like they need a finance degree just to get started. They look for information that meets them where they are.
PROCESS
Stage 1 — Logo & Brand Identity
The first step was establishing a foundational logo and visual identity for Dow Jones Smart Money. The goal was to create a mark that felt credible and trustworthy. Reflecting Dow Jones's authority in finance was key, but should also feel warm and helpful. Early exploration centered on the user, designing a brand that felt trusted and upbeat without overwhelming readers just starting their financial journey.
Stage 1:
Logo & Brand Identity
The first step was establishing a foundational logo and visual identity for Dow Jones Smart Money. The goal was to create a mark that felt credible and trustworthy. Reflecting Dow Jones's authority in finance was key, but should also feel warm and helpful. Early exploration centered on the user, designing a brand that felt trusted and upbeat without overwhelming readers just starting their financial journey.
Stage 2 — Brand Identity System
Once the logo was finalized, the identity was scaled into a full brand design system — documenting the color palette, typography, iconography, layout guidelines, components, and patterns. The system was built to scale across a wide range of touchpoints and use cases, with accessibility guiding every decision. We paid close attention to color contrast and typography to ensure readability across all devices.
Stage 2:
Brand Identity System
Once the logo was finalized, the identity was scaled into a full brand design system — documenting the color palette, typography, iconography, layout guidelines, components, and patterns. The system was built to scale across a wide range of touchpoints and use cases, with accessibility guiding every decision. We paid close attention to color contrast and typography to ensure readability across all devices.
Stage 3 — Content Page Design
With the brand system in place, I led the design of early-stage content pages in Figma, turning dense financial topics into something people could follow. We broke longer topics into bite-sized sections, added visual cues like icons and callouts, and let readers move through material at their own pace; no finance degree required. Templates were built to flex and scale, so the editorial team could keep creating content without ever losing that sense of the user.
Stage 3:
Content Page Design
With the brand system in place, I led the design of early-stage content pages in Figma, turning dense financial topics into something people could follow. We broke longer topics into bite-sized sections, added visual cues like icons and callouts, and let readers move through material at their own pace; no finance degree required. Templates were built to flex and scale, so the editorial team could keep creating content without ever losing that sense of the user.
Stage 4 — Development Collaboration & Launch
Throughout the build phase, I partnered closely with the development team through regular check-ins to ensure design fidelity from Figma to production. This collaborative process was critical to catching responsive and interaction issues early, align on edge cases, and maintain the integrity of the brand system. The result was a smooth, well-coordinated launch that stayed true to the vision.
Stage 4:
Development Collaboration & Launch
Throughout the build phase, I partnered closely with the development team through regular check-ins to ensure design fidelity from Figma to production. This collaborative process was critical to catching responsive and interaction issues early, align on edge cases, and maintain the integrity of the brand system. The result was a smooth, well-coordinated launch that stayed true to the vision.
Results
Dow Jones Smart Money launched as a free hub for personal finance and financial literacy. Users can now turn to one trusted place for guidance on everyday topics like budgeting, credit scores, debt, taxes, and investing. Today, Dow Jones Smart Money helps people build financial confidence and learn on their terms.
Results
Dow Jones Smart Money launched as a free hub for personal finance and financial literacy. Users can now turn to one trusted place for guidance on everyday topics like budgeting, credit scores, debt, taxes, and investing. Today, Dow Jones Smart Money helps people build financial confidence and learn on their terms.
Role: Creative Lead
Industry: Financial Literacy
Duration: 2 months
Role
Creative Lead
Industry
Financial Literacy
Duration
2 months
Interested in connecting?
Interested in connecting?
Interested in connecting?
© 2026 Tina Simpkins. Think deeply. Design clearly.
© 2026 Tina Simpkins. Think deeply. Design clearly.
© 2026 Tina Simpkins. Think deeply. Design clearly.