UI/UX | Shaquille Comrie

Product Thinking

I design systems that facilitate structure, scalability, and clarity in complex digital products.

This process involves mind mapping flows and relationships: user-centered modules and testing that help shape the UI and overall user experience. This guides visual design and instructs brand cohesion, ensuring a seamless user journey.

Case Studies

End-to-end product: research, UI/UX, notifications, multi-screen flows, and a modular feature system built for real traders.

Standard Client Website Design.

Case Study

FX Sesh

Trading Companion App

FX Sesh is a mobile application I designed to help traders operate with more structure, awareness, and consistency.

Many retail traders rely on fragmented tools: switching between charts, news platforms, and journaling apps, which often leads to disorganized workflows and inconsistent decision-making.

I set out to design a unified system that simplifies this process, bringing key tools into a single, intuitive experience.

Problem

Through research and observation, I identified several recurring issues:

Lack of structured journaling for tracking performance
Poor awareness of trading sessions and optimal timing
Fragmented access to news and learning resources
Overly complex platforms that overwhelm newer traders

Approach

To address these challenges, I focused on designing a system that prioritizes clarity, speed, and usability without sacrificing functional depth.

My approach centered on reducing friction in daily workflows while encouraging consistency and informed decision-making.

This approach informed both the structure of the app and the features I prioritized.

Key features

Journaling system

I designed a structured journaling system to help traders track and evaluate their performance over time.

By integrating metrics such as win/loss ratio and average returns, the system encourages reflection and reinforces disciplined trading habits.

Session notifications

To improve market awareness, I implemented session-based notifications that alert users during key trading periods and session overlaps.

This helps traders align their activity with high-volume market conditions.

News integration

Due to the high cost of financial data APIs, I opted for an RSS-based solution: a deliberate trade-off that maintains relevant information while keeping the product lightweight and sustainable.

Learn tab

I introduced a curated learning section to support traders who are still developing their skills, so the app works as a resource, not only a utility.

These decisions shaped how I structured the interface and what I showed first in the UI.

The interface was designed to support fast decision-making and reduce cognitive load.

I focused on clear hierarchy, consistent spacing, and intuitive navigation so users can access key features quickly without unnecessary friction.

Design logic

I organized the product as modules (sessions, alerts, journal, news, learn) that share one navigation model and brand system, so new features can plug in without breaking the whole. Primary session state reads first; depth stays one tap away when traders want it.

Color Palette

Primary
Blue

Blue
Light

Dark
BG

Surface

Light
Text

Accent
Purple

Success

Warning

Danger

Fonts

Primary: Outfit

Outfit

Regular · Medium · SemiBold · Bold

UI Elements

Bottom tab navigation (Sessions, Journal, News, Learn, Settings)
Open/closed session status badges
Digital and analog clock displays
Countdown timer components
Per-session notification toggles
Ad banner strips (non-intrusive, free tier)
Modal sheets for journal entry
Home screen widget (Android)

Companion website (also designed by me)

I designed the FX Sesh marketing site to match the app: same brand, clear value prop, and download CTAs so visitors can go straight to the store or beta.

FX Sesh system architecture

Context assets → Interface → Outputs

This diagram illustrates how FX Sesh is structured as a modular system, where information inputs, user interactions, and feedback loops work together to support continuous trading decisions. Each feature is designed not as an isolated tool, but as part of an interconnected workflow that scales with user needs.

FX Sesh system architecture: context assets, interface with Settings hub, labeled flows, outputs, and feedback loops

This system is designed as a continuous feedback loop where inputs inform decisions, actions are logged, and outcomes refine future strategies.

FX Sesh user journey map (earlier sketch)

Modular design: each major area can evolve (e.g. journal or alerts) without collapsing the rest of the system, as long as navigation and session logic stay consistent.

Intent & decision flow

Where logic branches

This wireframe shows decision paths: if the user’s intent is session check vs. reminder setup vs. trade log vs. news, the product routes them without forcing a single highway. Same system as above, shown here with explicit if/then-style branching for reviewers who read flow.

FX Sesh decision flow: branching paths by user intent

System & experience decisions

Session at a glance: Digital and analog clock views with swipe; open/closed state and countdown to next open/close (the anchor module).
Controlled notifications: Per-session toggles and optional pre-alerts; triggers tie back to session logic so alerts stay predictable, not noisy.
Progressive depth: Sessions first in the IA; journal, news, and learn are modules traders open when ready, with room to scale new tabs later.
Consistent surface: Same brand and patterns across the app and marketing site so the system feels like one product.
Modular Design: Each component can expand independently without breaking the system.

Beta testing process

I ran a focused beta-testing phase by reaching out to 15 testers and asking them to use the app in real trading scenarios, then share opinions on clarity, ease of use, and overall usefulness. Their feedback directly shaped the next round of updates: I refined UI details, improved screen clarity, and fixed bugs and functionality issues that surfaced during real use. That process helped move FX Sesh from a concept that worked in theory to a product that felt more stable, more intuitive, and more aligned with how traders actually check sessions, manage reminders, and navigate the app day to day.

Tech stack

Languages, frameworks, and tools used to ship the FX Sesh mobile app, integrations, and the companion marketing site.

Languages

JavaScript
JSX

Mobile app

React Native
Expo

Integrations

Google Mobile Ads (AdMob)
RSS feeds (market news)
Push notifications (Expo)

Companion website

HTML, CSS, JavaScript
GitHub Pages (static hosting)

Tooling

Git & GitHub
npm
Expo CLI / EAS

Design

Figma

Throughout development, several constraints influenced key decisions and shaped the final product:

Prioritized cost efficiency by replacing expensive APIs with RSS-based data
Chose rapid iteration over early test coverage to accelerate development
Leveraged Expo for speed, while accepting limitations in advanced testing
Balanced monetization with usability through non-intrusive ad integration

Core challenges & trade-offs

Shipping FX Sesh meant choosing under real limits: cost, time, what the stack can do, and how the product should feel day to day. Each row below is the problem as it showed up, then what I gave up or kept instead.

API cost vs feature depth

Challenge

I wanted richer economic and market data (similar to “red folder” style news depth).
Commercial APIs such as Financial Modeling Prep were too expensive to sustain at my stage.

Trade-off

Dropped deep paid economic data integration. Shipped a lightweight RSS-based news flow so users still get relevant updates without raising operating cost.

Testing vs development speed

Challenge

Features shipped quickly while the product was still finding fit.
Formal test coverage intentionally lagged during that burst of iteration.

Trade-off

Lower initial automated coverage in exchange for faster validation loops. Room to add structured tests and hardening once core flows stabilized.

Expo limitations vs development simplicity

Challenge

Expo simplified builds and deployment.
It also caps some native depth and certain advanced testing setups.

Trade-off

Less flexibility for edge-case native control and deepest test harnesses. Much faster iteration and a smoother pipeline for iOS and Android from one codebase.

Monetization vs user experience

Challenge

AdMob supports a free tier but ads can erode focus if placement is heavy-handed.

Trade-off

Some risk of interruption in exchange for a free, accessible product with revenue potential.

Feature scope vs focus

Challenge

Many directions were possible: journal, notifications, learn tab, news, widgets, and more.
Risk of a bloated “everything app” without a clear anchor.

Trade-off

Accepted breadth only where it stayed tied to one trader workflow. Centralized complementary tools instead of shipping unrelated feature silos.

Security (journal encryption) vs delivery priority

Challenge

Journal data could eventually warrant stronger encryption.
That work competes with time on core flows and stability.

Trade-off

Deferred advanced encryption to ship a stable, usable journal and session experience first.

Real-time features vs technical complexity

Challenge

Reliable session alerts depend on push infrastructure and backend behavior.
That stack adds moving parts and failure modes.

Trade-off

Higher implementation and ops complexity. High value for traders who depend on timely session awareness.

Reflection

This project reinforced the importance of balancing usability, performance, and sustainability when building real-world products.

It also highlighted the value of designing systems, not just interfaces, that support long-term user behavior and decision-making.

Outcome

FX Sesh in beta testing on the App Store and Google Play, with a companion website for discovery and support.
Built with Expo/React Native (iOS + Android from one codebase) and a static marketing site for fast, reliable presence.
Freemium model: ad-supported free tier in beta; premium subscription features (journal, widget, pre-alerts, overlap notifications) in beta.

Visit website → Android (beta)

Case Study

Grant Stewart Phillips & Co

Visual refresh for a Jamaican law firm. 44 years of legal services, with a clear, trustworthy site for practice areas, attorneys, and contact.

Color Palette

Navy

Navy Light

Navy Bright

Gold

Gold Light

Cream

Gray

Gray Light

Fonts

Headings: Libre Baskerville

Libre Baskerville

Regular · Bold · Italic

Body: Source Sans 3

Source Sans 3

Regular · Medium · SemiBold · Bold

UI Elements

Header contact bar (phone, email) with subtle background
Main nav with logo, hamburger on small screens, and clear Practice Areas / Attorneys / Contact links
Page hero with serif headline for trust and readability
Practice Areas: filter buttons (All, Civil & Commercial, Arbitration, etc.) and card grid
Attorneys: profile cards with photo, name, title, bio preview, and “Learn More”
Footer with logo, contact details, and office hours

Outcome

Clean, professional site that reflects the firm’s credibility and makes practice areas and attorney bios easy to browse.
Responsive layout so clients can find information on any device; navy and gold palette and serif/sans pairing keep the tone authoritative and approachable.

Visit website →