About the project
Date:
2022
Client:
Vodacom Mozambique

The Challenge
The Platform Scope
Street Vendor
Works in open markets and informal settings. Focuses on quick transactions and customer activation in the field.
In-Store Agent
Operates at official Vodacom retail points. Handles customer registrations, SIM swaps, and product sales daily.
Corporate Agent
Manages business services for companies and organisations across Vodacom's corporate portfolio.
TSR / Onboarding Agent
Responsible for registering and onboarding new agents onto the platform across different regions.
Phone Vendor
Sells their own phones and earns commissions by incentivising customers to activate a Vodacom SIM at point of sale.
Store Owner
Owns a retail point and manages their team of vendors, monitoring individual sales performance and commissions.
Process and Strategy
Journey A: Customer Registration
Journey B: Open Market
A Moment That Changed How I Design
Early in the project, I was designing the home screen dashboard. Agents needed to quickly check their registration numbers and pending commissions, with data split between daily and weekly views.
I designed two versions: one with a swipe gesture to switch between views, and one with two static buttons. The swipe felt more modern. We voted internally and most people preferred it.
Then someone said: "Why don't we just go downstairs and ask the agents?"
So we did. Me and the Product Owner walked out of the building, spoke to agents on the street, and visited the Vodacom store on the ground floor. 90% of them preferred the buttons.
That moment shifted how I approach every design decision in this product. Mozambican users, especially in field contexts, consistently favour simplicity and clarity over modern interaction patterns. Since then, before reaching for a fancy interaction, I always ask: will our agents understand this immediately?
That shift in thinking is visible throughout the entire Agent App, in every touch target, every label, every flow. Simplicity is not a constraint here. It is the design principle.






















