Sinapi Aba: Banking Services for Ghanaian Entrepreneurs 

A phone displays a credit card page. There is a VISA card at the top of the screen, followed by a form. There is text beside the phone, reading "Daily UI 002"
Client

Sinapi Aba Savings & Loans

Timeline

2 weeks

Role

Visual Design, Prototyping

Project Background

As a product designer at RTI, I took over as lead designer for Sinapi Aba's mobile banking app after the MVP product was launched. I was tasked with planning iterations and revisions to the app to boost engagement and user adoption.

Many of Sinapi Aba's users live in rural Ghana, where a trip to the nearest bank may represent a lengthy journey. The MVP version of the Sinapi Aba Banking app required users to activate their mobile accounts in person, which caused friction for these users. My task was to find a solution to enable these users to conveniently and securely set up and manage their accounts while minimizing trips to the nearest branch.

Sketches of the FreeHand App are shown alongside early wireframes. The wireframes have more graphic elements in their designs.
My contributions

Working directly with Sinapi Aba's security team and Red Thread Innovation developers, I designed flows for account activation and management that empower users to access their mobile banking from their homes, while also complying with Ghana's banking security requirements.

The new flows were required within a short timeframe, which would not allow for primary user research upfront. Instead, I consulted with the previous lead designer and product manager to go through existing research, and benchmarked against flows from both direct and indirect competitors. I then consulted Sinapi Aba's security teams and other key stakeholders to ensure the designs were secure, while also keeping in mind the needs of Sinapi Aba's users.
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Many of Sinapi Aba's users come from areas with low literacy rates. To accommodate this, we focused on ensuring flows were streamlined, with diagrams and symbols to help clarify more complex tasks. Users were also provided with options to contact Sinapi Aba over the phone for additional human support if needed.

Sketches of the FreeHand App are shown alongside early wireframes. The wireframes have more graphic elements in their designs.
Impact

The new activation and management flows will be implemented to a user base of over 400,000 entrepreneurs. Sinapi Aba was excited about the impact the new flows would make on their user base, particularly those in rural areas who need the improved convenience the most.