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Njangee

Cameroonians are familiar with the term "njangi" or "play njangi" or in French-speaking Cameroon, “tontine”. “Njangi” is a popular way for people to come together, in groups, to save money or contribute money for the mutual benefit of all participants.
Members contribute money daily, weekly, biweekly, or monthly depending on an initial agreement. These financial contributions are handed over to one “njangi” group member at every meeting.The practice fosters a sense of community and trust, as members rely on one another to honor their commitments.
Beyond its financial benefits, "njangi" serves as a social support network. Meetings often double as social gatherings where members can share news, celebrate milestones, and provide emotional support. This blend of financial and social interaction strengthens communal bonds and encourages a culture of mutual aid and responsibility.

Industry

Finance , FinTech

Project Year

2023-2024

Design Services

Mobile App, Web App, Website

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01 Challenges

Njangi” meetings have been a tradition in rural and urban areas for many years. One of the main hurdles has been figuring out the best way to visually depict the complexity of this rotational savings system in a manner that is easy for individuals with varying tech or limited literacy skills to understand and utilize the app for their “njangi” activities.

Additionally, capturing the essence of community through the app’s design required creative approaches to provide users with an engaging experience.

Another bridge we needed to cross was designing features that can be customized to meet the specific needs of different user groups. At the same time ensuring the app can scale to accommodate growing numbers of users and evolving requirements.

In essence, balancing visual appeal with functional simplicity to cater to both tech-savvy and less experienced users.

02 Solution

  • Create a user-friendly interface with easily recognizable icons and clear instructions.
  • Implement robust security measures, such as encryption and two-factor authentication. Clearly communicate these measures to users to build trust.
  • Break down processes into smaller, manageable steps. Use visual representations to explain transactions.
  • Provide multi-language support and use visual aids like icons and infographics to convey information. Use simple language and avoid jargon.
  • Regularly update the platform to ensure it remains user-friendly and secure. Keep users informed about updates and new features through clear and concise notifications.
  • Provide a comprehensive help center with FAQs, tutorial videos, and live chat for user assistance.
  • Collect and analyze user feedback to enhance interface and user experience. Encourage feedback through surveys or forms for continuous improvement.

Mobile App View

Approach

Research and Discovery

Our initial step was to understand the client’s app vision and goals.

The next step was understanding how ‘njangi’ meetings generally function and the best way to do this was to talk to people who are active participants in different ‘njangi’. meetings.

With this in mind, we carried out several personal interviews with people who were part of one or more ‘njangi’ groups. We were able to:

  • Discover the inner workings of these meetings
  • Determine the reasons behind individuals joining ‘njangi’ meetings
  • Identify pain points experienced when contributing money for each session
  • Recognize the challenges ‘presidents’ or administrators encounter in managing each ‘njangi’ group, such as handling defaulters
  • We also analyzed financial platforms to identify best practices and potential areas for differentiation.

Design & Testing

Prior to delving into the design phase, it was imperative to confirm that njangee had an established visual identity, which was already in place. Subsequently, we advanced by drafting wireframes and developing user flow diagrams to delineate the sequential steps users would undertake to complete tasks within the njangee app. To ensure that the njangee app design was easy to use with optimal user experience, we prioritised a clean but captivating, intuitive interface with clear, straightforward navigation.

Web App View

We also made use of familiar icons and terminology to minimize the learning curve. Also, we incorporated two-factor authentication which is a security measure to protect user data while maintaining a seamless login experience. We provided personalized insight for njangee group admins and members as well as tracking features to enhance user engagement and motivation. When crafting each flow, we ensured to carry out several rounds of usability testing to guarantee that no screen was overlooked and to enhance the design.

Mobile App - Tablet View

Highlight

  1. Our team was able to build an intuitive user interface and experience that allows users to easily keep track of each of their njangee activities 
  2. We also successfully designed the njangee website that provides more information to onboard new and potential users of the web and mobile application. 
  3. The njangee app is a work in progress as we are constantly working and improving the experience for the users based on feedback. 

Website View

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UX Designer
TwinHeroe
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