from me, to you
Hi! My name is Monica.
I am a postgraduate student, studying Service Design, at the Royal College of Art. I'm in the final stretch of my programme working on my thesis. When I chose my area of focus, I reflected on what's important to me as a designer and themes that were presenting in my craft.
I've always been inspired by 3 things in life; good samaritans, Wonder Woman and underdogs. When I took these factors into consideration, I realised my project would be in service of others, foster gender equality and inclusive design.
I landed on Women + Finance as my area of study. I was over the moon to be selected to participate in the Future of Finance Lab at the Royal College of Art led by industry veteran, Kam Chana - who will also be my Tutor.
Thank you for taking a moment out of your day to learn more about my project. I hope you enjoy the overview and I'd love the opportunity to connect with you and discuss how the future of women's financial experiences are,
'More than Pink.'
'Til then,
"study the past if you would
dIVine the future."
- Confucius
Where She's Been
Women have come a long way in establishing equity in financial services and much of it has happened in recent history.
It wasn't until 1975 and the Sex Discrimination Act that a British woman could open a bank account in her own name, albeit this was largely in theory.
Bank accounts were one thing, mortgages another. Though law, it wasn't until the late 70's that the requirement to have a male guarantor on a woman's mortgage application ceased to be a social norm.
Honouring the past enables us to
dismantle systems with RESPECT AND
DESIGN a future with mindful intention
HER FUTURE
So, what does tomorrow's woman need most in financial services?
How do we create inclusive experiences?
My exploration is digging into what the woman of 2030 needs and what her world looks like.
What role technology will play and how to ensure it's delivered in an inclusive and equitable proposition.
Designing for tomorrow, today, is our responsibility.
"design can help improve our lives
in the present.
design thinking can help us chart a path
into the future."
- Tim brown
interview RECRUITMENT
I'm reaching out to individuals identifying as women for interviews, across all generations, to share their financial journey on a 1-hour Zoom call.
We can meet as a group with your peers for a round table discussion, or individually. Whatever you prefer!
We'll discuss;
- What worked, what didn't?
- How did it differ from your parents generation?
- What are your hopes and fears for the next generation of women?
Rich insights can be gleaned from lived experiences.
and all information will remain strictly confidential.
panel RECRUITMENT
I'm also recruiting subject matter experts to build a supporting research panel. If you have professional experience in finance, inclusive design, DE+I or technology, I'd love to catch up with you.
The format would be a 1-hour Zoom conversation to get your perspectives. As the project continues, I'd be happy to share preliminary hypotheses and prototypes for feedback.
LET's CONNECT!
If you are interested in participating in this research project, thank you!
Feel free to reach out by email, and we'll arrange a catchup at your convenience.
Know someone who might be interested? Share this link.