Zíro - Credit Mobile App
Date
2025
Client
Zíro
Product
Mobile App (MVP)
Role
Product & Design Lead
Context & Challenge
Zíro provides credit and BNPL solutions to small merchants and distributors operating in the traditional trade channel. While Zíro’s web dashboards enabled back-office and distributor teams to manage credit and invoices, a large segment of end users—small shop owners—continued to rely on assisted, in-person processes to place orders and understand their credit status.
Many of these users:
Have low digital readiness
Have limited reading ability
Are 50–60+ years old
Are accustomed to face-to-face interactions with sales reps
Use low-end Android devices as their primary (and often only) digital tool
This created a core challenge:
How do we design a mobile app that enables self-service without overwhelming users who are not comfortable reading complex interfaces or navigating dense digital products?
Design Goals
The primary goal of this MVP was not feature richness, but clarity and usability.
Key design principles:
Extreme simplicity over density
One primary call to action per screen
Clear visual hierarchy with minimal text
Redundant communication (icon + color + label)
Large tap targets and strong contrast
Progressive disclosure of information
Designed for low-end devices and real-world conditions
The app needed to feel intuitive even for users who had never used a financial app before.
Users & Accessibility Constraints
The app was explicitly designed for:
Users with low literacy
Older adults (50–60+)
Users unfamiliar with digital banking concepts
Users who often rely on others to “explain” apps to them
This directly influenced:
Typography size and weight
Color contrast and status signaling
CTA placement and prominence
Reduction of financial jargon
Avoidance of hidden or secondary actions
Accessibility and usability were treated as first-class design constraints, not as an afterthought
Procces
Understanding real usage behaviour
Users want clear next‑steps rather than deep financial breakdowns.
They look for immediate cues (visuals, confirmations) rather than text explanations.
Design therefore prioritises action clarity over exhaustive information.
Defining a minimal, action‑driven flow
Core tasks: check credit status, review recent orders, re‑order or pay.
Every screen was assessed by asking: “Is it obvious what the user should do here?”
This kept the experience lean and focused on essential actions.
Component‑first UI design
Built on an Ant Design foundation customised for Zíro’s look and feel.
Ensured consistent interaction patterns, predictable behaviours, and faster iteration.
Typography, colours and spacing were tuned for accessibility and clarity.
AI‑assisted prototyping & build
Used AI tools to prototype interactive components quickly, not just static mock‑ups.
Early testing focused on hierarchy, spacing and call‑to‑action clarity rather than pixel‑perfect visuals.
This sped up validation of real‑world usability in an MVP context.
Strategic Design Decisions
Removed unnecessary navigation elements to reduce cognitive load
Emphasized primary CTAs using color, size, and placement
Standardized status communication using color + text (never color alone)
Prioritized readability over brand expressiveness when needed
Designed screens to work even if users only glance at them briefly
Outcomes
Demonstrated a mobile app tailored for low‑readiness and older users.
Showcased strong usability and accessibility decision‑making.
Validated a component‑driven, system‑aware approach and AI‑accelerated prototyping.
Provided a realistic fintech MVP built under real‑world constraints.
Overall, the project illustrates how inclusive design, system thinking and modern prototyping can coexist in a production‑oriented product
