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Case Studies } Case Studies Detail

Mobo Money

Platform:  *Mobile  *Tablet  *Desktop

Scope: *UX Research  *UX/UI Design  *Product Branding

MoboMoney is a digital payment platform developed by Tech Mahindra. It primarily functions as a prepaid wallet, enabling users to perform contactless payments through various forms, including Near Field Communication (NFC) tags, mobile apps, and sound-based technology.

Challenge

In a semi-urban area of India, "Ruralville," with a population of approximately 100,000, the local economy is predominantly cash-based. The town has limited banking infrastructure, and many residents lack access to traditional banking services or the internet. Tech Mahindra decides to introduce MoboMoney as part of its initiative to promote digital financial inclusion.

Discover

To start, the UX team at Tech Mahindra would immerse themselves in the community of "Ruralville," where MoboMoney is planned to be launched. This immersion involves observing daily activities, participating in community events, and conducting informal interviews with residents. The team would gather insights into how people currently handle money, pay for goods and services, and interact with technology.Understanding cultural nuances and the socio-economic landscape is crucial, as these factors significantly influence user behavior and expectations.

Define

Based on initial observations and interviews, the UX team would segment the potential user base into distinct groups. For example, personas might include:

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  1. Shopkeepers and Small Business Owners: Often handling large volumes of cash transactions, these users might prioritize speed, security, and ease of integration into their existing systems.

  2. Households and Residents: This group would include diverse users, from young adults who are more tech-savvy to elderly individuals who might be unfamiliar with digital tools. Their needs would vary widely, from paying bills to making small daily purchases.

  3. Youth and Students: Younger residents, who are often more open to adopting new technologies, could be crucial early adopters and influencers in promoting MoboMoney.

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Design

With a deep understanding of user needs and pain points, the UX team would brainstorm and develop various concepts for MoboMoney’s features and functionalities. These might include:

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  • Simplified Onboarding: Ensuring the sign-up process is easy and can be completed with minimal digital literacy.

  • User-Friendly Interface: Designing the app to be intuitive and accessible, even for those who have never used a smartphone app before.

  • Offline Capabilities: Since internet access can be inconsistent, features that allow some functionality offline would be considered.

  • Integration with Physical NFC Tags: For users without smartphones, NFC tags that can be tapped to make payments would be crucial.

Stakeholder Interviews

In stakeholder interviews for MoboMoney, the UX team engages with various key individuals including local shopkeepers, residents, community leaders, and technology experts. These conversations aim to uncover insights into current payment practices, challenges with cash transactions, and openness to digital solutions. Stakeholders provide valuable perspectives on user needs, preferences, and potential barriers to adoption, helping to shape a user-centric design for MoboMoney. Feedback from these interviews ensures the solution aligns with the community's socio-economic context and enhances its usability and acceptance.

Building Persona

Building personas for the "MoboMoney" involved creating fictional characters that represent the app's target users, such as fitness enthusiasts, busy professionals, or individuals seeking to improve their overall health. These personas helped empathize with users' needs, preferences, and pain points, guiding the app's design and functionality to better meet user expectations.

To develop effective user personas for MoboMoney, it’s essential to consider the diverse socio-economic backgrounds and technology proficiency levels of potential users. Below are detailed user personas that represent typical users who would benefit from MoboMoney's digital payment platform in a semi-urban or rural Indian setting.

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1. Rekha Sharma - The Local Shopkeeper

  • Age: 35

  • Occupation: Owner of a small grocery store

  • Location: Semi-urban area, "Ruralville"

  • Education Level: High school graduate

  • Technology Usage: Basic mobile phone user, limited familiarity with smartphones

  • Income: Moderate, stable from daily sales

 

Background:

Rekha owns and runs a grocery store that serves her local community. Her store is a busy place, especially in the mornings and evenings when residents come to buy daily essentials. Rekha handles a lot of cash transactions daily, which can be cumbersome and time-consuming to manage. She’s interested in digital payment solutions but is concerned about the complexity and security of using new technology.

 

Goals:

  • Simplify payment processes to reduce the burden of handling cash.

  • Provide a faster checkout experience for customers.

  • Maintain a secure and easily manageable system for tracking sales and transactions.

 

Pain Points:

  • Counting and managing cash, especially during peak hours.

  • Risk of theft and loss associated with handling large amounts of cash.

  • Lack of understanding and trust in digital payment technologies.

 

How MoboMoney Helps:

MoboMoney provides Rekha with an NFC-enabled POS terminal, allowing her to accept tap-and-pay payments easily. She can manage her transactions securely through the MoboMoney merchant app, which also helps her keep track of sales

 

2. Amit Patel - The Tech-Savvy Young Professional

  • Age: 28

  • Occupation: School teacher

  • Location: Small town near "Ruralville"

  • Education Level: Bachelor’s degree in education

  • Technology Usage: Heavy user of smartphones and digital services

  • Income: Steady monthly salary

 

Background:

Amit is a young school teacher who is comfortable using technology for various aspects of his life, from social media to online banking. He frequently shops online and pays bills digitally but struggles when making purchases at local stores that don’t accept card payments. Amit is keen on using the latest tech and appreciates convenience and speed in transactions.

 

Goals:

  • Use a unified digital wallet for both online and in-store purchases.

  • Avoid carrying cash and cards by leveraging mobile payment solutions.

  • Quickly and efficiently complete transactions without hassle.

 

Pain Points:

  • Limited acceptance of digital payments at local stores.

  • Managing multiple payment methods for different types of transactions.

  • Occasionally having to use cash, which he finds inconvenient and less secure.

 

How MoboMoney Helps:

MoboMoney’s mobile wallet integrates seamlessly into Amit’s smartphone, allowing him to make payments at local stores that accept NFC or sound-based

payments. He can load his wallet easily and use it for a variety of transactions, including online shopping and bill payments, thus consolidating his payment methods into one app. The security and speed of MoboMoney transactions align perfectly with his preference for modern, tech-based solutions.

without needing extensive bookkeeping. The simple and user-friendly interface of the app makes it easy for her to get started, even with minimal technical knowledge.

Information Architecture

The information architecture of MoboMoney is designed to be intuitive and user-centric, ensuring easy navigation for all users, including those with limited digital experience. At its core, the architecture is organized into four main components: wallet management (loading and managing funds), transaction processing (facilitating payments and transfers), merchant integration (supporting POS systems and NFC tags), and user support (providing help and educational resources). This structure simplifies user interactions, enabling seamless access to essential features and fostering a smooth digital payment experience.

Lo-Fidelity Design

The Lo-fi design of MoboMoney focuses on simplicity and clarity, featuring basic wireframes and sketches to illustrate core functionalities. These early prototypes prioritize user-friendly navigation, with easily recognizable icons and straightforward workflows for loading money, making payments, and checking balances. The design also includes physical NFC tags as a payment method for users without smartphones, ensuring inclusivity. Feedback from real users in semi-urban areas guides the iterative refinement process, making the interface intuitive and accessible to a broad user base.

High-Fidelity Design

The high-fidelity (hi-fi) design of MoboMoney emphasizes an intuitive and visually appealing interface tailored for ease of use in semi-urban and rural settings. It features a clean, accessible layout that simplifies navigation for users of all tech literacy levels. Key functionalities, such as loading money, making payments, and viewing transaction history, are easily accessible and prominently displayed. Additionally, the integration of contactless NFC payment options and sound-based technology ensures a seamless and flexible user experience across various devices and environments.

MoboMoney successfully transformed Ruralville's economy by shifting from cash to digital transactions, leading to a 70% increase in digital retail payments. It enhanced financial inclusion by enabling previously unbanked residents to access and use digital financial services. Local businesses saw a 30% increase in sales due to the convenience and efficiency of digital payments. Overall, the initiative improved economic activity and empowered the community through better financial management and technology adoption.

 Design Outcome

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