Context
Zazu was a UK- and Zambia-based fintech startup building a digital wallet to help users manage everyday financial transactions in a mobile-money-dominated market.
The product needed to support savings, transfers, onboarding (KYC), and debit card usage across a diverse user base with varying device capabilities and financial literacy levels.
My role
Senior UX Designer:
- End-to-end UX ownership
- Onboarding & KYC flows
- Core transaction flows
- Physical & virtual debit card experience
- Foundational design system
- Product marketing support (digital + print)
Worked closely with founders, PMs, and engineers.
The Problem
Design a secure, intuitive wallet experience that:
- Worked in a mobile-money ecosystem
- Complied with financial regulations
- Reduced friction in onboarding
- Built trust with first-time digital banking users
This was not just a UI challenge — it required balancing compliance, infrastructure limitations, and user education.
Key Constraints
- Regulatory requirements (KYC, identity verification)
- Varying device performance and connectivity
- Cultural trust barriers around digital finance
- Limited existing UX patterns for this specific market
Approach
- Research & Domain Immersion
Worked closely with the team to understand how mobile money operated locally and how users currently managed finances. - Friction Mapping
Identified high-drop-off moments in onboarding and transaction flows. - Progressive Simplification
Reduced cognitive load in critical flows (onboarding, transfers, savings setup). - Cross-Platform Consistency
Designed for iOS and Android, ensuring consistency across platforms.
Key Product Decisions
- Simplified KYC flows by chunking identity steps into progressive stages
- Prioritized transaction clarity over feature density
- Designed debit card onboarding to reinforce trust and security
- Established visual and interaction patterns to support scalability
Outcomes
- Successfully launched the wallet
- Achieved #1 Finance App ranking in Zambia (at time of release)
- Improved onboarding clarity and user confidence
- Established a scalable design foundation
Reflection
This project shaped my approach to regulated products. It reinforced that good design in fintech is less about polish and more about clarity, trust, and reducing cognitive friction under constraint.
