CASE STUDY

CGAP

Scaling Financial Inclusion Across Sub-Saharan Africa

Role: Lead Designer & Art Director
Timeline: 6 Weeks
Team: Instructional Designer, Illustrator, Animator, 2 Engineers
Partner: Emerging 360 for CGAP (World Bank)

1. The Mission: Banking the Unbanked

In 2016, CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) needed to bridge the gap between traditional financial institutions and the "unbanked" population. The goal was to train mid-level bank managers across Africa to move away from rigid corporate banking and toward Human-Centered Design.

The Challenge: How do you teach complex empathy-based design methodologies to busy bank managers across seven different countries with varying levels of digital literacy?
The Vision: Create "Customers at the Center," a flagship blended learning course that feels inspiring, accessible, and high-impact.

2. The Design Strategy: Empathy Through Visuals

I recognized that to teach "Customer-Centricity," the course experience itself had to be a masterclass in the subject.

Art Direction: I led a creative team (illustrator and animator) to produce custom animated intros. We moved away from generic corporate imagery, opting for a visual language that felt local and authentic.
Inspiring Imagery: I curated and integrated award-winning photography from CGAP’s global contests. By placing real faces of "the unbanked" at the center of the UI, we ensured that the human element was never lost during technical training.

3. The Framework: The Six-Week Sprint

To ensure high completion rates, I designed the experience around a sprint-based architecture:

Modular Learning: Each of the six weeks was designed as a self-contained "sprint," combining interactive e-learning with hands-on workplace deployment.
Blended Experience: We mapped out a user journey that balanced self-paced multimedia modules with live coaching sessions, ensuring the digital experience felt supported by human connection.

4. Technical Execution

Working alongside two engineers, I ensured the platform was:

Low-Bandwidth Optimized: Essential for users in regions with inconsistent internet access.
Highly Interactive: Using multimedia-based elements to keep mid-level managers engaged over a multi-week period.

5. Outcomes: Impact at Scale

The "Customers at the Center" course has become a cornerstone of the Gateway Academy platform.

🌍 Regional Reach: Successfully deployed to financial institutions in seven countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
📈 Institutional Shift: Thousands of managers have transitioned to digital-first, customer-centric strategies, directly impacting the delivery of sustainable financial services to the underserved.
🏆 Flagship Status: The project set the standard for CGAP’s blended learning initiatives, proving that high-end design can drive global financial inclusion.