Context
Ramo Africa helps communities access loans more easily through verified loan agents. But the original process was entirely manual. Loan records were paper-based, agent registrations were slow, and user data lacked structure.
Ramo Africa helps communities access loans more easily through verified loan agents. But the original process was entirely manual. Loan records were paper-based, agent registrations were slow, and user data lacked structure.
Ramo Africa helps communities access loans more easily through verified loan agents. But the original process was entirely manual. Loan records were paper-based, agent registrations were slow, and user data lacked structure.
I joined the team to help design and digitize a complete web-based experience, from agent onboarding to loan disbursement, with tools for admins to verify and manage operations.
I joined the team to help design and digitize a complete web-based experience, from agent onboarding to loan disbursement, with tools for admins to verify and manage operations.
I joined the team to help design and digitize a complete web-based experience, from agent onboarding to loan disbursement, with tools for admins to verify and manage operations.
Problem
The company relied on agents to distribute loans, but had no digital tools to support registration, monitoring, or communication. Customers also had no visibility into their loan status, and the admin team had no way to vet or verify agent activity at scale.
The company relied on agents to distribute loans, but had no digital tools to support registration, monitoring, or communication. Customers also had no visibility into their loan status, and the admin team had no way to vet or verify agent activity at scale.
The company relied on agents to distribute loans, but had no digital tools to support registration, monitoring, or communication. Customers also had no visibility into their loan status, and the admin team had no way to vet or verify agent activity at scale.
Common painpoints include
Common painpoints include
Common painpoints include
> Slow loan approvals due to manual registration and disbursement
> Limited agent accountability and no backend visibility
> Difficult tracking of loan repayments and activity
> Slow loan approvals due to manual registration and disbursement
> Limited agent accountability and no backend visibility
> Difficult tracking of loan repayments and activity
> Slow loan approvals due to manual registration and disbursement
> Limited agent accountability and no backend visibility
> Difficult tracking of loan repayments and activity
Goal
Build an accessible, easy-to-use web app that empowers loan agents, supports community borrowers, and gives the admin team full visibility and control over loan operations.
Build an accessible, easy-to-use web app that empowers loan agents, supports community borrowers, and gives the admin team full visibility and control over loan operations.
Build an accessible, easy-to-use web app that empowers loan agents, supports community borrowers, and gives the admin team full visibility and control over loan operations.
Success would be measured by:
Success would be measured by:
Success would be measured by:
> Improved agent registration and approval rate
> Faster, more trackable loan disbursements
> Centralized platform for admins, agents, and users to manage accounts
> Improved agent registration and approval rate
> Faster, more trackable loan disbursements
> Centralized platform for admins, agents, and users to manage accounts
> Improved agent registration and approval rate
> Faster, more trackable loan disbursements
> Centralized platform for admins, agents, and users to manage accounts
Discovery & Research
I started by understanding the user types. The platform should cater for
I started by understanding the user types. The platform should cater for
I started by understanding the user types. The platform should cater for
> Community Agents — tech-limited users needing a low-barrier, mobile-accessible experience
> Borrowers — often first-time users of digital platforms
> Admins — needing a dashboard to verify agents, monitor disbursements, and manage the system
> Community Agents — tech-limited users needing a low-barrier, mobile-accessible experience
> Borrowers — often first-time users of digital platforms
> Admins — needing a dashboard to verify agents, monitor disbursements, and manage the system
I mapped out these roles in a user journey, identifying friction points and aligning flows around clarity, trust, and ease of use. The following insights were generated
I mapped out these roles in a user journey, identifying friction points and aligning flows around clarity, trust, and ease of use. The following insights were generated
> Agents struggled with long paper forms and poor feedback loops
> Admins had to manually verify data without any real-time visibility
> End users didn’t understand loan terms or repayment breakdowns clearly
> Agents struggled with long paper forms and poor feedback loops
> Admins had to manually verify data without any real-time visibility
> End users didn’t understand loan terms or repayment breakdowns clearly
Ideation & Design System Setup
I designed a 3-part responsive platform for:
I designed a 3-part responsive platform for:
I designed a 3-part responsive platform for:
> Customers – view loans, repayment plans, and balances
> Agents – register users, manage disbursements, track performance
> Admins – approve agents, monitor system health, oversee financial flows
> Customers – view loans, repayment plans, and balances
> Agents – register users, manage disbursements, track performance
> Admins – approve agents, monitor system health, oversee financial flows
> Customers – view loans, repayment plans, and balances
> Agents – register users, manage disbursements, track performance
> Admins – approve agents, monitor system health, oversee financial flows
Core UX decisions included:
Core UX decisions included:
Core UX decisions included:
> Role-based dashboards with task-focused flows
> Progressive forms for onboarding to reduce overwhelm
> Visual summaries of loan activity and repayment history
> Role-based dashboards with task-focused flows
> Progressive forms for onboarding to reduce overwhelm
> Visual summaries of loan activity and repayment history
I also built a design system to support consistency across modules, with scalable components for future growth.
I also built a design system to support consistency across modules, with scalable components for future growth.
I also built a design system to support consistency across modules, with scalable components for future growth.
Design System
Design System
Design System
A reusable design system built for consistency, scalability, and faster development
A reusable design system built for consistency, scalability, and faster development
A reusable design system built for consistency, scalability, and faster development
Testing & Feedback
The MVP was shared internally with the Ramo team and 5 community agents for walkthroughs. My goal was to ensure flows felt clear, not complex even for users with limited digital literacy.
The MVP was shared internally with the Ramo team and 5 community agents for walkthroughs. My goal was to ensure flows felt clear, not complex even for users with limited digital literacy.
The MVP was shared internally with the Ramo team and 5 community agents for walkthroughs. My goal was to ensure flows felt clear, not complex even for users with limited digital literacy.
> Agents said the flow “felt straightforward” and was easy to repeat
> Admins appreciated the transparency into user and agent actions
> Borrowers could now clearly see repayment terms and remaining balances
> Agents said the flow “felt straightforward” and was easy to repeat
> Admins appreciated the transparency into user and agent actions
> Borrowers could now clearly see repayment terms and remaining balances
> Agents said the flow “felt straightforward” and was easy to repeat
> Admins appreciated the transparency into user and agent actions
> Borrowers could now clearly see repayment terms and remaining balances
Overall, users felt more in control, and the platform felt more trustworthy.
Overall, users felt more in control, and the platform felt more trustworthy.
Overall, users felt more in control, and the platform felt more trustworthy.
Impact & Results
By replacing a fragmented manual process with a structured, digital one, Ramo Africa was able to onboard more agents, disburse loans more efficiently, and provide transparency across roles.
By replacing a fragmented manual process with a structured, digital one, Ramo Africa was able to onboard more agents, disburse loans more efficiently, and provide transparency across roles.
By replacing a fragmented manual process with a structured, digital one, Ramo Africa was able to onboard more agents, disburse loans more efficiently, and provide transparency across roles.
> +60% faster agent onboarding using digital forms and guided flows
> Improved repayment tracking with user-facing loan summaries
> +40% increase in verified loan disbursements post-launch
> Greater platform trust across all roles due to clear dashboards and permissions
> +60% faster agent onboarding using digital forms and guided flows
> Improved repayment tracking with user-facing loan summaries
> +40% increase in verified loan disbursements post-launch
> Greater platform trust across all roles due to clear dashboards and permissions
User Onboarding
User Onboarding
User Onboarding
User Dashboard
User Dashboard
User Dashboard
Loan Management & Group Interaction
Loan Management & Group Interaction
Loan Management & Group Interaction
Help, Referrral & Settings
Help, Referrral & Settings
Help, Referrral & Settings
Agent Dashboard
Agent Dashboard
Agent Dashboard
Reflection
Designing for trust and simplicity was critical. In financial tools, especially for underserved communities, clarity isn’t just nice to have, it’s essential.
Designing for trust and simplicity was critical. In financial tools, especially for underserved communities, clarity isn’t just nice to have, it’s essential.
This project taught me how to translate offline, paper-based systems into digital experiences without losing the human touch. As a founding designer, it was also a chance to lay down UX foundations that could grow with the product.
This project taught me how to translate offline, paper-based systems into digital experiences without losing the human touch. As a founding designer, it was also a chance to lay down UX foundations that could grow with the product.
This project taught me how to translate offline, paper-based systems into digital experiences without losing the human touch. As a founding designer, it was also a chance to lay down UX foundations that could grow with the product.
Monday, Aug 11, 2025
6:13:52 PM
© 2025
Made with Love ❤️
Monday, Aug 11, 2025
6:13:52 PM
© 2025
Made with Love ❤️
Monday, Aug 11, 2025
6:13:52 PM
© 2025
Made with Love ❤️