Digital financial management skill training for women’s informal saving groups in Dodoma, Tanzania: Mapping user requirements

Abstract

Financial management skills are important for the performance of informal saving groups (ISGs) for making informed financial decision-making. Digital training solutions present a convenient, ubiquitous, and relatively affordable skills development mechanism. Despite the importance of digital financial management skills to ISGs, knowledge is lacking on how to design and develop digital learning solutions relevant to the ecosystem of ISGs. This qualitative study combined a design science research framework and cognitive fit theory to map the digital financial management skills relevant to women’s ISGs. The results indicate women’s ISGs need mobile applications with usability features tailored for financial recording, tracking, and coordination. The results further show that financial planning, management, and recording are desired financial management skills in such ISGs. The study also found that while aligning tasks and mental representations improves performance, it is crucial to consider contextual factors to ensure the relevance of these tasks and solutions. The research implies there is a need for contextualized and localized digital solutions that meet the needs and requirements of ISGs and marginalized people. The study also extends the application of cognitive fit theory within design science research and underlines its implications for information and communication technology for development (ICT4D).