Building an MVP Mobile App for Micro-Loans: Centrica Innovation
The Challenge
The Innovation department at Centrica is dedicated to enhancing the user experience for their seven million customers. As part of their ongoing experiments, they tasked us with developing an MVP mobile app that would enable existing Centrica users to manage and contract micro-loans through their pay-as-you-go smart meters.
The Solution
Speed was crucial for this project. We needed to rapidly build, test, and launch the MVP to help Centrica’s innovation team validate their hypotheses. To meet the tight timeline and support both Android and iOS platforms, we chose a cross-platform approach using React Native, with a backend API developed in the Laravel framework.
Collaborating closely with Centrica’s in-house design team, we created the MVP app and a user-facing WordPress site. We delivered the initial iteration in two sprints, showcasing various dashboards. The full app, integrated with Centrica’s payment systems and energy management API, was ready for customer use within 12 weeks.
The Impact
The app was launched and tested with a select group of users. While the initial idea did not fully validate the hypotheses, the project provided valuable insights into user behaviour, informing future product development.
Future
We continue to collaborate with Centrica’s Innovation department, providing full teams for 3-12 months to develop and iterate new products. Future projects include a web application for managing building repairs based on house survey feedback and a system to manage home carers.
Testimonials
Fred Cana, Innovation:
“On all the projects we worked on together, it always felt like a collaborative effort. The team took the time to understand my objectives and requirements, applying their broad technical expertise and progressive thinking to deliver the desired outcome.”
“As with all things innovative, you need people who can deliver with agility and pace while being flexible enough to work within budget constraints. My team always excels on both fronts.”