This organization is arguably the most influential economic think-tank in the world. For this client, pi STRATEGY studied the unmet as well as latent needs for mobile financial services among people at the Base of the Pyramid (BOP).
This engagement involved a detailed ethnographic study. pi STRATEGY teams, each consisting of engineers, business graduates and anthropologists, were deployed for weeks to stay with host families across several rural and urban-poor communities. This provided for an unparalleled level of interaction with the target audience and an opportunity to learn about end-user behaviors and needs.
A striking learning from this study was that mobile phones are not really that mobile a device when the local attire is considered. Many people in the developing nations, especially in rural communities, do not wear clothes that have pockets (nor do they carry purses) where mobile phones can be carried. And yet, the kinds of improvised work-arounds many have adopted were truly innovative. The findings and insights from this engagement were presented at an international conference.
pi STRATEGY 