What it is
Money sent by text menu, cashed out at the corner shop. Safaricom’s M-Pesa lets people send and receive money on a basic phone. Cash goes in and out through local agents: kiosks, shops and pharmacies people already visit.
Lesson 01: design for the device in the pocket
In 2007 most Kenyans did not own a smartphone. M-Pesa ran through the SIM card on the phones they had. Adoption did not have to wait for anyone to upgrade.
Lesson 02: use the network that already exists
The hardest part of the system, turning cash into digital value and back, ran through shops people knew and trusted. The agent network was built on relationships that were already there.
Lesson 03: watch what people actually do with it
The pilot tested the service for repaying microfinance loans. Users found other uses: sending money to family, buying airtime and paying for goods. The service grew around that behaviour, not around the original plan.
The pattern
This is the ajo lesson with technology added. Fit the infrastructure people have. Build on trust that already exists. Follow behaviour, not assumptions.
Before you choose a platform
Start with what your users already have.
- What device do they carry?
- What connection can they rely on?
- Who do they already go to for help?