At Bitter Kola Studio, we’ve always believed that design isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about creating experiences that resonate, empower, and drive meaningful action. In our latest conversation, we sat down with Sinet Akih, a Cameroonian product marketer and digital innovation strategist, to discuss how user-centric design and community-focused products are transforming Cameroon’s tech landscape.
Bitter Kola Studio (BKS): Sinet, thanks for joining us. To start, how would you define “user-centric design” in the context of emerging African markets?
Sinet Akih (SA): Thank you for having me. For me, user-centric design is about understanding people first, technology second. In markets like Cameroon, challenges like low bandwidth, multilingual users, and varying levels of digital literacy mean that a product can’t just be functional; it has to feel intuitive, culturally familiar, and genuinely helpful. Every design decision must be informed by the realities of the users, their environment, and their day-to-day challenges.
BKS: Can you give an example from your work where this approach made a real difference?
SA: Absolutely. One project that comes to mind is the Nang Health App with Youth2Youth Cameroon. It’s a sexual and reproductive health platform for adolescents. We learned early that many users preferred visual guidance and interactive flows over text-heavy modules. By testing different conversational designs, we were able to increase engagement by over 65% in just six months. This wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was about empathy, accessibility, and understanding the context in which the app would be used.
Another example is BitSika, a fintech platform I worked with before co-founding Jappcare. We designed features specifically for Francophone and Anglophone users, ensuring the product felt native in both languages. That small shift in user experience drove adoption across multiple countries.
BKS: Speaking of Jappcare, how do you ensure that your products scale while staying user-focused?
SA: Scaling doesn’t mean losing touch with users. At Jappcare, we prioritize feedback loops: in-app surveys, interviews with drivers, and close collaboration with garages. Every new feature goes through real-world testing before full release. It’s about balancing growth with meaningful impact, ensuring the product truly solves problems rather than just adding more functionality.
BKS: Many African startups struggle with design and usability. What advice would you give to teams trying to create user-centered solutions?
SA: Three key things:
Start with empathy: Spend time in your users’ environment. Observe, listen, and understand daily challenges.
Iterate fast: Build simple prototypes, test, and refine. Don’t wait for a perfect product; get feedback early.
Localize everything: Language, cultural nuances, and even colors and icons matter. Products succeed when they feel native to the people using them.
BKS: Finally, Sinet, how do you see the future of tech innovation in Cameroon and Africa more broadly?
SA: I’m optimistic. There’s a new generation of creators who see tech not just as a job, but as a tool for social impact. From fintech to healthtech to community-driven platforms like the Bamenda Community Challenge, we’re starting to see technology solve real problems at scale. I hope that designers, developers, and product leaders across Africa continue to put people first, because that’s where true impact lies.
User-centric design is more than a methodology; it’s a mindset. Through thoughtful, empathetic, and culturally informed design, innovators like Sinet Akih are shaping products that don’t just work; they matter. At Bitter Kola Studio, we’re proud to spotlight these stories, as they remind us that great design starts with understanding humans, not devices.