Case Study
Designing a Fintech App for the next billions users in India
Vahan (India) is set to move at godspeed, on a journey to build a product for the next billion users. This Y-Combinator backed company is already on the path of transforming financial lives of gig-workers / blue collar workforce in india via Mitra (means ‘friend’ in hindi) app which is geared to solve their financial management woes in the kind of work they do.
The development of the Mitra app faced challenges due to the target audience's low literacy levels, requiring a design that prioritized visuals and icons over text for easy navigation. Simplifying financial terminology and optimizing the app for older devices and poor connectivity were key considerations. Incorporating bilingual support in both English and Hindi demanded careful management of screen space and language clarity. The team focused on a clear visual hierarchy with one action per screen to reduce cognitive load, while building trust through an effective onboarding process that highlighted the app's benefits.
To address the challenges of designing the Mitra app, the team focused on a visual-centric approach, using icons and illustrations to accommodate users with lower literacy levels. Bilingual support in English and Hindi ensured clarity, while performance optimization allowed the app to function smoothly on older devices and in low-connectivity areas. Simplified navigation with one call-to-action per screen minimized user overwhelm, and extensive user research ensured the app effectively met the needs of gig workers and blue-collar employees.
Based on extensive user testing, the Mitra app improved task completion rates by 25%, thanks to simplified navigation, clear visual cues, and optimized performance on low-end devices.
The Mitra app effectively met the financial management needs of gig workers and blue-collar employees with a user-friendly design that prioritized visuals and minimized text, making it accessible to users with lower literacy levels. By including bilingual support in English and Hindi, optimizing performance for older devices, and simplifying navigation, the app became highly usable and accessible. Informed by extensive research, its thoughtful design significantly improved users' financial management experience. Great work on delivering such an impactful tool!
The Mitra app effectively transformed financial management for gig workers and blue-collar employees by using intuitive visuals, bilingual support, and performance optimization. Its user-friendly design and thorough research-driven approach made it a valuable tool for its target audience.