In a world increasingly driven by technology and digital innovation, gaining real-world experience is invaluable for students entering the field. This year, Cape Town Creative Academy’s third-year Interaction Design students collaborated with fintech startup Ziro to create a groundbreaking digital wallet app. Guided by lecturer Jenna Venter and programme coordinator Walt Geldenhuys, the students explored the world of financial technology through understanding digital payments, financial management, and the user-centered design that makes it all work.

Ziro, an open-source digital wallet, empowers users to manage finances seamlessly. Featuring AI-driven insights, collaborative financial tools, analytics, and Peer2Peer payments, ZiroPay is designed for today’s digital economy. Students created user-friendly UI (User Interface) and UX (User Experience) features for the app, with guidance from Ziro’s development team, to ensure industry standards and practical viability.

Working in small teams, in conversation with Ziro, students took ownership of each stage in the design process. Using problem-solving and teamwork, they conducted research to understand ZiroPay’s user base, created personas to capture user needs, developed wireframes and built an interactive prototype that brought ZiroPay’s features to life with a strong emphasis on usability and accessibility.

The students’ work earned recognition from both Ziro and the 2024 Loerie Awards, where the prototype by Joshua Clarke, Cate Byers, and Oliver Fraser was named Finalist in the Digital Crafts Student category.

This collaboration underscores Cape Town Creative Academy’s commitment to real-world experience and prepares our students for impactful careers. Stay tuned for more updates on our student projects and partnerships!