The challenge
The challenge for Pineapple was to build a platform that enables global trading. For years, global trading had always been an offline activity. Importers and exporters were dependant on brokers who acted as trust factors.
Additionally, for importers, the quality of the fruits, vegetables, and goods they were expecting is a cause of concern. For exporters, on the other hand, default risk and price fluctuations are considered problematic.
Our overall challenge was to design a platform that facilitates digital trust, enable an easy switch from physical to digital environments, and eventually become the de-facto method for global trade.
- To change the concept of physical trade to a digital medium
- To design an app that targets a wide audience with varied personas
- To build reliability for the company as they were new entrants to the Impex market
Our approach
Our team first set out to the head office of Ninjacart, meeting and brainstorming with key stakeholders along with the tech, sales, and product teams. We also went a step ahead and spoke to on-field representatives. In terms of research, Ninjacart already had user interviews and customer data, enabling us to create a go-to-market strategy for them immediately. All these led us to understanding the market better and set the base for how to solve the problems in hand.
- Market and user research
- Audience definition
- Information architecture (IA)
- User experience design (UX)
- Wireframing and prototyping
- UX-UI Design
- Custom illustrations & icons
- Design strategy
- Interactive prototypes
- Quality Assurance
- .
Unknown. High Chance of Fraud. Unnecessary.
Reliable. Escrow Safety. User-centric. Enablers of Global Impex.
User goals and features
Importers
The main goal of the importer was to import high quality fruits, vegetables or goods and ensure there were no defects
Exporters
The main goal of the exporters was to ensure guarantee of payment and that it would not default
Brokers
Brokers aimed to be the middle ground between the importers and exporters who facilitated smoother trade between the two parties
UX/UI Design
Traditionally, traders used apps like Facebook and WhatsApp to connect, communicate, and execute trades. Therefore, we utilised the law of familiarity and followed UX principles found in these apps to create a experience that they recognised. This was also followed by enhanced featured as detailed below. The previous version of the app lacked consistency in user flow and engagement pieces which was a core focus for our re-design
For UI, we made the design more delightful by adding in accent colours of orange and yellow compared to the static green used before. This made the UI lively and made important distinctions. We also created enhanced visual illustrations to boost credibility and showcase the brand authentically.
As for the Type, we used SF Pro. It matched Ninjacart’s brand while maintaining professionalism and ease of reading
Ninjacart is a new player to global Impex, so showing traders their experience, reliability, assurance of payments and quality became vital. The page was also designed to encourage engagement through prompts. Testimonials and partner information fostered and built credibility. Finally, Ninja Secure Trade, their assurance service was explained in detail and ensured on all trades.
There were major drop offs after traders found the numbers they needed. Traders were used to WhatsApp or Facebook chats to communicate all trade details. So we designed a familiar in-app chat experience to create an end-to-end process within the app itself. A quick and easy option to contact support was also provided for immediate help.
The Feed page was personalised based on the connections made in the app. The page showed how many orders, proposals, and enquiries the trader received, all in one glance! Cross-selling was enabled to add on other services that Ninjacart offered, detailing the importance of their add-ons.