Job Title: Product Design Fellow
Job Summary: The Product Design Fellow (PDF) will drive human-centered design thinking for AppLab Money’s projects. The PDF will work with the AppLab Money team to develop and execute user research and product testing strategies, track the user experience during pilots, and work with the technology team to ensure that the products are improved to meet the needs of users.
The project: Mobile money has yet to reach its full potential. Though nearly 150 mobile network operators have deployed mobile money, few have successfully reached poor consumers. Even fewer have explored the latent demand for anything other than payments products—from savings, to micro-insurance, to loans. To address this problem, the Consultative Group Assisting the Poor (CGAP) and Grameen Foundation (GF) have collaborated to create an incubator that tests innovations in mobile financial services. The incubator combines in-depth research approaches with rapid product testing to develop mobile financial services that are appropriate for the poor and move the industry beyond payments.
The Product Design Fellow will be joining a diverse team of highly motivated individuals with a passion for developing commercially sustainable products for the poor. We comprise a range of skills – from a PhD in mobile money to research experts to an IT guru who has launched mobile deployments across Africa – and we are looking for a creative designer to join us.
Essential Job Functions
Manage product design and innovation processes for the AppLab Money Incubator
Work with the AppLab team to determine product solutions that meet core needs of poor consumers through:
Planning and conducting primary research studies designed to understand user needs
Refining our process for testing to unearth key user insights more efficiently and effectively
Conducting brainstorming, requirements-gathering and design review sessions
Work with the team to develop strategies to rapid prototyping and iteration of product concepts through:
Developing wireframes and prototypes (both static and interactive) for testing with users
Facilitating the product filtering process to ensure that products chosen for testing are technically feasible, commercially sustainable, and compliant with Bank of Uganda regulations
Monitoring and reporting on user feedback from the field and sharing that feedback within the team to quickly refine the product prototypes
Document research findings in various forms (blogs, monthly updates, reports etc.)
Advocate for the adoption of human-centered design throughout GF worldwide
Provide training and mentorship in human-centered design to help junior staff integrate design principles in their work going forward
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Has a deep commitment to eradication of poverty and alignment with Grameen Foundation’s mission
Believes in the potential to leverage information and communication technology (ICTs) for the benefit of poor people
Has professional experience in human-centered design
Is able to bring creativity, innovation, and a thirst for new ideas to our team
Has strong prototyping and visual communication skills (experience developing mobile phone based products/apps preferred but not required)
Has strong written and oral communication skills
Has strong analytical and business modeling skills
Has deep knowledge of Microsoft office products (excel, powerpoint, word, etc.)
Experienced working in developing countries preferred but not required
Education and Experience
An undergraduate degree or higher in product design, engineering or related field.
3+ years professional experience developing new products through a human-centered design lens
How to Apply:
Please follow the instructions as stated below as failure to do so could lead to disqualification.
1. Send an Application letter and CV/Resume.
2. Merge these two documents into one document in either word or pdf format.
3. Do not attach or send any scanned documents, these are sometimes too large for our inbox.
4. Include the job title and/or reference number in the subject line of the email address and send your application by email to grameenjobs@nftconsult.com
5. Only successful candidates will be contacted. For all other inquiries please contact our offices directly.
Apply before:
14 Aug, 2012
