SALT

Designed a mobile experience to drive growth and empowerment in underserved communities.

Role

Design Lead

Platforms

Mobile

Experience

Design, Strategy

Three mobile screens of the SALT app depicting the schedule, finances, and field map screens
Three mobile screens of the SALT app depicting the schedule, finances, and field map screens

Background

SALT is a nonprofit organization that empowers individuals in developing countries through programs focused on financial growth, sustainable agriculture, and vocational training.

To make these initiatives more accessible, SALT partnered with Brandcave to design a mobile app to support three core programs:

  • Savings — Group-based micro-financing and banking tools

  • AgriPlus — Training for farmers on sustainable agricultural practices

  • VoTech — Vocational training in trades such as tailoring and welding

For the MVP release of the app, I led the design of the Savings and AgriPlus experiences.

Goals

  • Help participants and facilitators record and manage group meetings

  • Allow groups to track and distribute funds securely

  • Enable facilitators to log teachings and monitor on-farm experiments

Approach

I began the project by collaborating with stakeholders and engineers to create entity relationship diagrams (ERDs) to visualize system relationships and work through data structure challenges. These became working tools to identify challenges, align on requirements, and ensure the app’s architecture supported real-world use.

The user ERD
The user ERD
The user ERD
Diagram of the user role relationships.
Diagram of the user role relationships.
Diagram of the user role relationships.

Based on these insights, I implemented three distinct workspaces, one for each program, so users could access only the tools relevant to them. For Savings and AgriPlus, we focused on building and refining core features like bylaw implementation, group finances, meeting and lesson management, and farm activity tracking.

Through weekly review sessions with stakeholders and developers, I iterated on these features, refining usability and flow until the team delivered an MVP ready for field testing.

Three screenshots showing different views of the mobile app interface: trial visit media, loan repayment, and attendance tracking.
Three screenshots showing different views of the mobile app interface: trial visit media, loan repayment, and attendance tracking.
Three screenshots showing different views of the mobile app interface: trial visit media, loan repayment, and attendance tracking.
A GIF going through loan requests as part of the meeting agenda.
A GIF going through loan requests as part of the meeting agenda.
A GIF going through loan requests as part of the meeting agenda.
The account management screen showing the option to manage notes, users, and other account settings.
The account management screen showing the option to manage notes, users, and other account settings.
The account management screen showing the option to manage notes, users, and other account settings.
Several app images showing various features of the app, such as activity tracking, closing meeting balance, and savings recipient selection.
Several app images showing various features of the app, such as activity tracking, closing meeting balance, and savings recipient selection.
Several app images showing various features of the app, such as activity tracking, closing meeting balance, and savings recipient selection.

Impact

The SALT mobile app is currently in beta testing across multiple countries, where it’s being used by real participant groups. Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Testers report that the app is already making a meaningful impact in both their communities and daily lives.

A tester entering member savings on the mobile app.
A tester entering member savings on the mobile app.
A tester entering member savings on the mobile app.
A tester entering teaching topic data on the mobile app.
A tester entering teaching topic data on the mobile app.
A tester entering teaching topic data on the mobile app.
Overhead shot of a tester using the mobile app.
Overhead shot of a tester using the mobile app.
Overhead shot of a tester using the mobile app.