Research
Understanding the Need
SMEs play a crucial role in the UAE economy, contributing to around 94% of the total number of companies and employing over 86% of the private sector workforce. SMEs contribute approximately 52% to the non-oil GDP of the UAE, highlighting their importance in the country’s economic diversification efforts.
With the introduction of VAT in the UAE, businesses have become increasingly careful about their accounts to ensure compliance with tax regulations. This shift has intensified the need for user-friendly accounting software, especially for SMEs that cannot afford to hire full-time accountants. Such software must simplify financial management, from invoicing to expense tracking, to help business owners maintain accurate records and meet their financial obligations efficiently.
(Source: Ministry of Economy, Dubai SME)
Value Proposition
Many SMEs in the UAE encounter challenges with existing accounting software that is not tailored to the region's needs and often includes features irrelevant to SMEs, resulting in complexity and overwhelm when managing invoices, sales, expenses, and inventory efficiently.
User Research
Conducting thorough user research was a pivotal phase in the product design journey, allowing me to identify precise pain points and requirements of SMEs in the UAE.
The Overwhelmed Organizer
Financial Behavior
Sarah owns a small retail business in Dubai and manages her finances diligently but finds traditional accounting software overwhelming and time-consuming.
Goals
Sarah aims to streamline invoicing, track expenses more efficiently, and gain better insights into her business's financial health.
Pain Points
Overwhelmed by complex accounting software not suited for SMEs in the UAE.
Difficulty in efficiently managing invoices, sales tracking, expenses, and inventory.
Lack of localized features and unnecessary complexities leading to confusion.
Needs
User-friendly accounting solution tailored specifically for UAE SMEs.
Simplified invoicing capabilities to save time and effort.
Efficient expense tracking and clear insights into financial health.
Streamlined inventory management to optimize operations.
Design
Bizat's design, developed after extensive competitor analysis and user research, focuses on creating a seamless and intuitive experience for SMEs, simplifying complex accounting tasks and providing insightful business analytics through key features such as onboarding, invoicing, and management of products, contacts, and expenses. Additional pages include reports and accounts management to further support business needs.
User flow
Creating a user flow chart to accurately reflect the integration and functionality of essential features within the accounting dashboard.
Onboarding
Personalizes the dashboard based on the business type.
Guides users through adding their first data points.
Ensures a relevant and immediately useful user experience.
Invoicing
Serves as the foundation of Bizat’s functionality.
Simplifies the creation and management of invoices.
Captures essential data to help users understand business performance.
Provides insights into sales, cash flow, and overall financial health.
Adding Products, Contacts, and Expenses
Facilitates comprehensive cash flow management.
Enables accurate record-keeping of products and services.
Manages relationships with customers and suppliers.
Tracks expenses for informed decision-making.
Enhances business analytics and growth strategies.
Reports
Provides a comprehensive understanding of business performance.
Allows users to download balance sheets and other financial reports.
Offers detailed insights to support strategic planning and decision-making.
Accounts Page
Manages subscription plans for Bizat’s services.
Enables updating of business details and delivery charges.
Ensures all account-related information is easily accessible and up-to-date.
Learnings
The Bizat project provided valuable insights into essential design principles such as the importance of simplicity and effective user guidance. By emphasizing these principles, I was able to design a complex product that is easy to use and navigate, ensuring users can fully leverage the platform's capabilities. This experience underscored the need for a deep understanding of the user's domain and the significance of a well-thought-out onboarding process in product design.
Simpler is Better
In designing Bizat, I learned the value of simplicity, especially when dealing with complex domains like accounting. To create a product that others could easily use, I had to delve deeply into accounting concepts. This thorough understanding allowed me to prioritize features that are essential for users, eliminating unnecessary complexities that could overwhelm them. Simplifying the user interface and focusing on the most critical functionalities helped ensure that even users with limited financial expertise could navigate and use the platform effectively. This approach not only made the product more accessible but also enhanced overall user satisfaction.
Guiding Users
One significant challenge was addressing the initial user experience, where new users would typically encounter an empty dashboard. To improve this first impression and ensure users could fully leverage the platform, I implemented a guided onboarding process.This step-by-step guidance was designed to take users through the entire app, introducing them to each feature sequentially. By prompting users to add their first data points during onboarding, I ensured they could see immediate value and understand how to use the platform effectively from the outset. This not only helped in easing users into the platform but also in demonstrating the practical benefits of each feature in real-time, thus reducing the learning curve and increasing engagement.
