Designing an Indian agri-tech solution
Given that India’s population includes around 150 M Dairy Farmers and 300 M Dairy Animals, Kissaan—an agritech app—caters to the needs of as much as 58% of the Indian population. Cattle-based revenue is a significant portion of the income for small farmers in India.
As an introduction to Kissaan, our design team analysed and redesigned the architecture and UI for their existing POC screens. Based on benchmarking and secondary research, we suggested additional functionality, UX improvements and new digital interventions that made the experience more seamless and robust.
In response, Kissaan approached us to design the architecture and functionality for the remaining application. Our solution allows farmers to record and manage their cattle and optimise their yields and profits through features like smart suggestions, tracking health symptoms and heat cycles, social marketplace solutions, veterinary assistance, and self-service FAQs. It also facilitates interest generation via collateral content like scratch-cards and a social-feed where users can post events, discussions, educational videos, and tips.
Now Form also designed the presentation-deck for Kissaan’s Series-A fundraiser, showcasing their business and launch strategy, value proposition and current and future app functionality.
Understanding the landscape
Our research involved studying Kissaan’s competitors and understanding the landscape of cattle management in India. We identified core functionality and features through secondary research, our discussions with the client, and through the findings of their research and user-testing.
We benchmarked several cattle management apps, which helped us identify the functionality and pain points of existing solutions. For example, the interface of most existing solutions feel unfamiliar and unintuitive; Tracking and inputting heat cycles and symptoms is represented as static information with little to no visual cues.
“By benchmarking functionally similar interfaces such as menstruation apps (designed to be visually representative and intuitive to learn), we were able to address the optimal visualisation of yield and fertility cycles.”
By benchmarking functionally similar interfaces such as menstruation apps (designed to be visually representative and intuitive to learn), we were able to address the optimal visualisation of yield and fertility cycles. The UI of many existing cattle management apps is also cluttered and dated. Essential information, tasks and actionable items lack categorisation and hierarchy, making it harder to visualise and parse through information.
Studying Facebook’s marketplace also informed our solutions for an eCommerce-friendly social feed on the Kissaan app, used to trade and purchase cattle, and buy produce.
Kissaan 1.0
Now Form first analysed and redesigned Kissaan’s existing POC screens, suggesting digital and functional interventions to improve the experience.
Cattle Details: We designed the UI to ensure that everything is upfront and easy to access. Menu items include clear iconography and text labels. All cattle are displayed in a horizontal carousel at the top of the screen so that users can effortlessly compare cattle statistics. The cattle details feature an overview of each animal’s bio (breed, cattle type, gender, description) and yield over time.
Entering yield: We suggested three approaches to entering yield (based on technical feasibility and ease of use). The first option displays the cattle as a list; The method of entering the yield is interactive, with sliders and dynamic numbers to visualise quantities and ease comprehension. The second option also uses sliders and dynamic input, but unlike the list-format of the previous option, the yield can easily be input as per the user’s preference which avoids unnecessary scrolling. In the case of batch entry, the yield for multiple cattle can be input in one go. The third option suggests leveraging the technologies of a smart-phone or smart device that can measure the weight or volume of milk. In this case, the application functions as a display of data and analytics. The farmer need only map the data to the cow, reducing the chances of error from manual entry.
In all options, the time of the day is automated. In case an entry is missed, the user is notified and redirected to the missed entry log where they can easily input the data for the missing days.
“We ensured that the UI and experience cater to a semi-literate audience and that it is regionally compatible across India.”
Accessibility and regional considerations: We ensured that the UI and experience cater to a semi-literate audience and that it is regionally compatible across India. For example, the app recognises voice-based entry and includes an audio play feature on the header to dictate the page title and function to users in their language. The iconography style is designed to be representative rather than overly abstract and is accompanied by text-labels for added clarity. Additionally, we used the Google web font Noto Sans, which supports a variety of regional languages, allowing seamless translations of the app and faster load times in low connectivity areas.
Kissaan 2.0
As the next step, Kissaan approached us to design the UI and functionality for the entire application. The app was made more comprehensive with new features, including:
Cattle Listing and Profile: The app includes a dashboard of all cattle, their current cycles, and the total overall yield. Colour and visual indicators on cattle images, for male, female and gestation, help filter and identify them at a glance.
Each cattle can be archived and marked as sold, bartered, or diseased, moving them into a separate tab. Additionally, along with providing information regarding the animal’s bio and yield, the individual cattle profiles also give farmers information about their cattle’s current heat or gestation cycle and a checklist of daily tasks. We categorised the tasks, with icons, into 4 overall types- gestational, medical, observational and yield-related tasks.
Tracking cycles and logging health symptoms: A more detailed view of each cattle’s heat and gestation cycles is accessible from within the cattle profile. The goal is to show information visually and comprehensively, keeping it simple to understand and navigate.
We benchmarked menstruation apps like Flo, Clue, and Period Calendar. Through this, we created more robust and intuitive solutions for tracking heat and gestation, and for entering medical events, milestones, and health symptoms; Many existing cattle management apps fail to do this in a visually intuitive way.
Our solution includes clear, primary action buttons and daily smart suggestions and tips, available upfront on the cycle-interface. Symptoms and logs are categorised into sections with colour-coded icons so users can easily find and input them.
Daily tasks: This section provides a dashboard overview of the number of cattle in their respective phases of the heat cycle and an expandable checklist of daily tasks for each cattle. Smart adjustments and notifications for missed or late tasks, ensure that users do not miss vital steps and procedures.
Social feed and cattle marketplace: Users can post content and engage in community discussions on a social feed within the application. Through the provision of filters and tags, the Feed also functions as a simple, non-transactional marketplace where users can buy or sell cattle. We benchmarked apps like Facebook (Marketplace) and Instagram to identify the best practices for implementing marketplace functionality within a social-interface.
Milk Market: Users can list themselves as milk suppliers on the app, displaying their price per litre, average total yield, and a link to contact them (via whatsapp or email). Through ratings shared by previous buyers, other prospective customers can ensure the product and seller are authentic and verified.
FAQ, Veterinarian Services, and Scratch Cards: The app also includes an educational and assistive component; Users can access quick query resolution, best practices, and cattle rearing tips through an in-app FAQ section. Additionally, users can also contact Kissaan’s 24/7 on-call vets for professional guidance, tips, and assistance, directly through the app. Calls are placed at standard calling charges however users can also leverage in-app rewards earned through activity-based scratch cards.
Investment deck for Kissaan’s Series-A fundraiser
Kissaan approached us to design a presentation for their Series-A fundraiser, showcasing their business and launch strategy, value proposition and current and future app functionality. We benchmarked pitch decks of big-tech companies to determine the best approaches and practices for structuring and representing the content.
Our solution helped establish a cohesive and branded presentation format, ensure that the information is clear, straightforward, and concise, and that data and statistics are displayed graphically and intuitively for better comprehension and parsability.
