Product Design Fellow, AppLab Money Incubator - Uganda
Status: Full time project contractor (1 year)
Location: Uganda (based in Kampala)
Classification: Exempt
Date: July 1, 2012
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.
Reporting and relationships: The position will report directly to the Project Manager.
Availability: The PDF will be expected to work a typical work week of 37.5 hours plus additional hours to get the job done. The position will be based in Kampala, Uganda. This position will need to be flexible to work in local conditions, and be available to work across different time zones. This position will require travel (15%-20%) within Uganda, and periodic travel to other countries as needed.
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:
o Planning and conducting primary research studies designed to understand user needs
o Refining our process for testing to unearth key user insights more efficiently and effectively
o Conducting brainstorming, requirements-gathering and design review sessions
• Work with the team to develop strategies to rapid prototyping and iteration of product concepts through:
o Developing wireframes and prototypes (both static and interactive) for testing with users
o Facilitating the product filtering process to ensure that products chosen for testing are technically feasible, commercially sustainable, and compliant with Bank of Uganda regulations
o 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
Physical and Environmental Conditions: This position does not require unusual demands for physical effort. This position may occasionally require physical effort to lift and transport boxes weighing no more than 50 pounds. Work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of places such as offices, meeting or training rooms, residences, or commercial vehicles; e.g., use of safe work place practices with office equipment, and/or avoidance of trips and falls, and observance of fire regulations and traffic signals.
Compensation: The fellow will be compensated with a competitive monthly stipend and a round-trip plane ticket from his/her home country to Kampala, Uganda. All business-related travel will be covered throughout the duration of the fellowship.
Additional Comment: The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made in appropriate circumstances to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.
To Apply: Interested candidates may apply by email to Dr. Olga Morawczynski (olga@applab.org). Please put “AMI – Design Fellowship” in the subject line. No calls please.
Location: Uganda (based in Kampala)
Classification: Exempt
Date: July 1, 2012
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.
Reporting and relationships: The position will report directly to the Project Manager.
Availability: The PDF will be expected to work a typical work week of 37.5 hours plus additional hours to get the job done. The position will be based in Kampala, Uganda. This position will need to be flexible to work in local conditions, and be available to work across different time zones. This position will require travel (15%-20%) within Uganda, and periodic travel to other countries as needed.
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:
o Planning and conducting primary research studies designed to understand user needs
o Refining our process for testing to unearth key user insights more efficiently and effectively
o Conducting brainstorming, requirements-gathering and design review sessions
• Work with the team to develop strategies to rapid prototyping and iteration of product concepts through:
o Developing wireframes and prototypes (both static and interactive) for testing with users
o Facilitating the product filtering process to ensure that products chosen for testing are technically feasible, commercially sustainable, and compliant with Bank of Uganda regulations
o 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
Physical and Environmental Conditions: This position does not require unusual demands for physical effort. This position may occasionally require physical effort to lift and transport boxes weighing no more than 50 pounds. Work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of places such as offices, meeting or training rooms, residences, or commercial vehicles; e.g., use of safe work place practices with office equipment, and/or avoidance of trips and falls, and observance of fire regulations and traffic signals.
Compensation: The fellow will be compensated with a competitive monthly stipend and a round-trip plane ticket from his/her home country to Kampala, Uganda. All business-related travel will be covered throughout the duration of the fellowship.
Additional Comment: The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made in appropriate circumstances to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.
To Apply: Interested candidates may apply by email to Dr. Olga Morawczynski (olga@applab.org). Please put “AMI – Design Fellowship” in the subject line. No calls please.
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