Overview

The process of topping up airtime from an MTN mobile network can be an arduous and time consuming process. In a typical case, the user must either buy a scratch card or top up from USSD. This could include finding scratch card vendors, following prompts and feedback from USSD to top up an account.

Challenges

Design Challenges

How might we help make the topping up airtime process more efficient for users?

Research

Secondary Research Round 1

With an interest in Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) we dove into secondary research centered around the instances where APIs can improve top up challenges. We sought to assess the level of maturity of existing technologies used by Telcos to enhance the process of airtime top ups from a mobile network. Our research resulted in the following insights:

1• Value depends on integration: Significant factors such as APIs and database communications impact expectations and perceived value.

2• Scattered industry adoption: While an increasing amount of people are adopting the use of application driven interfaces, the application of these interfaces are wide-ranging in only a mere handful of industries

Research

Secondary Research Round 2

Based on our criteria, we ultimately decided to narrow down helping users of the MTN mobile network that would love to top up airtime from their device. We conducted further secondary research on this space and came to the following insights:

1• Prolonged Turnover Rate: Users often have to move to and fro looking for scratch card vendors, which makes it difficult to renew their airtime once exhausted, prolonging the process.

2• Time Intensive Process: Current solution which is the USSD,although incorporates automaticity, has a time limit for a top up transaction, therefore, requiring users to dial the prompt over and over once they reach the time limit and USSD times out.

User journey

Before beginning the design process, we used a journey map to walk through our user’s needs and the interactions that they would have with the product.

Laurine runs an online business. Business is booming but Laurine is now having trouble topping up airtime to stay connected with clients.

With myMTN app, Laurine is able to top up airtime easily on her mobile network and to other networks. When the airtime runs out, she goes to her app and taps airtime.

She then selects the network and amount to which she would love to top up airtime for. (MTN, Vodafone, AirtelTigo, Glo)

Laurine can decide to then buy for herself or gift the airtime to a friend or family member.

Laurine can make payment with MTN Mobile Money (MoMo) which is embedded within the app. She can check her balance before making payment as well.

After successful payment, Laurine or the recipient is credited with the airtime purchased.

Requirements

Technical Requirements

myMTN uses an Application Programming Interface (API) to complete the task of enabling users to top up airtime when they run out. A request is sent to the API which takes care of the airtime top up at receiver end and deduction at sender side.