Tata-iMali
Building a Scalable Rewards Platform from the Ground Up
The challenge
Tata-iMali was at a point of repositioning as the platform expanded into new markets.
Originally focused on low GDP kiosk payment solutions within local townships, the platform began extending into new use cases. Enabling loyalty for dispensaries and creating meaningful reward systems for everyday customers.
The goal was no longer just to facilitate transactions, but to reimagine how everyday financial interactions could create value for both businesses and their customers.
This was not a QR payment system.
It required designing an end-to-end platform from the ground up. Something that could sit naturally within existing behaviours and would be able to scale across merchants, partners and use cases.
Our challenge was to bring clarity to a complex idea that makes financial mechanics intuitive and accessible.
Discovery
Discovery focused on refining the initial UX direction in collaboration with Amarillos Labs. Aligning product vision with technical feasibility and core functionality.
With market research already established, the focus shifted toward shaping the product experience and defining a refreshed visual direction.
Design
The design phase focused on defining an identity that could carry through to the product. One that reflects a more considered and premium positioning as the brand moved into new markets.
A gold and black palette was selected to align with this shift. Reflecting the African spirit while maintaining an elegant and modern visual style. Moving away from a brighter, more attention-driven approach toward something more refined and credible for onboarding merchants and investors.
The Logo
The logo draws on the South African spirit through a shield form containing coins. A symbol of protection, value and exchange.
The mark was kept simple and recognisable. Designed to hold its own within a mobile environment and sit confidently alongside other apps on the home screen.
The UI
Several visual directions were explored, including a darker interface. It quickly became clear this was aesthetic and added little value. The system instead draws from the logo language. Using bold shapes, larger touch targets and a more expressive layout to create something clear and easy to use.
As a rewards platform, the experience centres on clarity. Simple language and guidance help users understand what they are earning and why. The customer app and merchant POS were developed together, ensuring a consistent experience across both sides of the platform.
Build
The platform was built to support real-world use from day one. Starting with the customer app and merchant POS, and expanding as adoption grew.
As usage increased, new functionality followed. Admin dashboards, a more robust POS system and features to support operational scale.
Today, the platform supports thousands of active users, processes millions in transaction value and continues to grow its network of merchants and customers.
