Designing for the not-so-digitally savvy

Takeaways to create user-friendly designs for audiences with limited digital literacy

I have had the opportunity to work with multiple clients across various industries for a diverse audience base. One of my key learnings in designing for different demographics is that when it comes to digital experiences, one-size-*does-not-*fit-all! So, understanding the users, their behaviors, and their abilities in using digital platforms is crucial in our line of work. In this article, I am going to share some pointers that have helped my team design experiences for people with low digital literacy. But, first…

What exactly do we mean by digital savviness?

We have dealt with the varying ability of people in interacting with digital apps and platforms. We found that even though most people are adept at using social apps like TikTok, WhatsApp, or Facebook, they have a low understanding of digital platforms for financial services, banking, or eCommerce. This is where the aspect of “user-friendliness” can come into play. Clear and simple design makes it easier for people to understand and use digital applications, helping them meet their requirements.

Here are some of my learnings from the user research conducted for such audiences in the fintech space and how they translated into user-friendly design takeaways :

1. Speak the same language

The consumers we were targeting did not have much financial knowledge. One of the major tasks was to inform about the client’s products and service offerings and communicate the benefits it provided them. The second task was to gain their trust in the brand and its products. It was essential to speak in a language that they understood not only literally but also figuratively, hence we used examples that were relatable. The language of the content and communication along with the design should be understandable, as Ron Kaufman, author of ‘Uplifting Services’ and a notable speaker states 'Industry jargon may not be a language your customer understands.' It's necessary to empathize with them and understand their language.

• Use relatable examples for technical concepts

The best way to explain complex concepts like mutual funds, insurance, and investments that may seem a bit complicated to most people is to break them down and simplify it in a manner that can be easily understood. Use relatable examples that they can empathize with in their day-to-day lives. It is also important to use simple language and illustrate those examples if need be.

• Communicate the purpose with clarity

When collecting any kind of information or data from them, be it personal information like address and contact number, it's always good to inform them in advance and communicate your intent in simple language. This will make them aware, and establish trust. They would be willing to give you the information you require. Also, be open and transparent about the calculations and costs. It’s their money and they would certainly want to know where it’s going.

• Be digitally present at all times

When you cater to an audience that is more comfortable with physical interaction to learn about products and get their problems addressed, the physical presence has to be translated to digital and be easily accessible. Go for innovative ways to be present besides the regular chat/call support across your platform. Your omnipresence makes them perceive your brand as more reliable and accessible and this significantly impacts consumer experience on the site.

2. Make it familiar

Users who are not too digitally savvy usually have a perception that digital interactions are complex. This thought can set them back and reduces their confidence levels while they use digital platforms. Our goal here is to encourage digital adoption, therefore it becomes very important to make them feel comfortable with using the site. We can achieve this by designing interactions that are familiar and predictable.

• Use common elements

Use standard design practices because consumers are more familiar with their interfaces, such as input fields, header bars, menus, and other interface patterns. For instance, customers are familiar with visual elements present in the material design. Making use of these elements in your user interface design makes it familiar and easier for them to use your product.

• Make use of popular interactions

We were aware that most of our potential users use social media and are familiar with its interactions, so we included that aspect of familiarity in our design by adding the concept of ‘reels’ to communicate instructions before filling up a form.

• Add creativity within your existing boundaries

Observe the digital product design of existing mobile applications and interactions that are widely adopted and familiar to use instead of reinventing. For instance, combining chat and form filling to create chat-based application forms is an innovative and interesting task.

3. Ditch the Clutter

Consumers can find themselves in a state of confusion when they have too many choices to look at. In such cases, simplicity is the key that will pave the way for consistency and will keep the audience focused which would allow them to make logical decisions.

• Speed up the process through Auto-fill

Information saved to the phone or in the cache can be auto-populated, so you can speed up the process of transactions and other functions. This would also make it easier for them to review the information and would give error-free results.

• Make calculations easy

Calculations can be cumbersome and can make the transactional journey difficult. Make it easier for them by doing the math wherever possible. They would appreciate instant solutions as they would have to put in less effort.

• Display information in digestible chunks

Consider asking users for one piece of information at a time when conducting a transaction, rather than having all the form fields together on one screen. This can increase confidence by helping users focus, and would not make the process extremely exhausting.

• Audio instruction support in the local language

Many users like the option of hearing explanations, instructions, confirmations, or other content in their first language. To facilitate a better user experience you can provide readily accessible audio.

4. Don't forget about low-bandwidth networks

It was crucial to consider the environment of our customer segment. For those living in villages, especially the ones who have access to low-bandwidth internet like 2G/3G networks and we needed to be sure that the design is inclusive, it should be giving the same experience to all our target audience. But, this is also a design challenge because visuals are very necessary and valuable to communicate with the consumers. Let’s look at how we can address this Catch-22 situation.

• Communicate through visuals

Visuals connect with people easily and instantly and are a very effective means of communication. The user interface design has to be clear to the target audience. But using many visuals counters designs for low bandwidth.. right? Well, no, not if you deal with it smartly. You can add a lot of visuals, but the type of visuals you choose will determine how heavy or light your site would be. Using vectors instead of images can really make your site light while also helping you achieve a better way of conversing with your customers.

• Include text that conveys the right information

However, do keep in mind that while a picture speaks a thousand words it’s important to ensure that it speaks the words we want to communicate. This rule applies even when it comes to designing for a less digitally savvy audience. So while it’s great to use more visuals and illustrations, supporting it with the right text that delivers the right message to the consumers is also important.

Understanding our users and their context has been the foundation of our design. These pointers have helped create a guideline for dealing with audiences not well averse to digital platforms and enabled us to bridge the gap. Hope these help you in communicating the right message to your audiences through effective design.