1 — The reality of many entrepreneurs in Brazil

Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian entrepreneurs had limited access to affordable credit lines. One example is Ms. Maria, who lives in Ibiratinga, a city in Pernambuco.

She earns her living by serving meals to truck drivers passing through the municipality, all while enduring temperatures of 35°C to 40°C on the roadside and caring for her three children.

No banking algorithm would approve credit for Dona Maria. For this reason, I am not only talking about lending money, but about transforming society.

The challenges faced by these entrepreneurs are even greater because they live far from large urban centers — and this is precisely where UX work begins.

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2 — What is Prospera?

Prospera follows the Oriented Productive Microcredit model, where credit is granted exclusively for activities with the potential to generate income. The system is inspired by the work of Muhammad Yunus, winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, who created solidarity groups of four to five people that endorse each other to access credit.

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3 — Everything seems perfect, so why change?

Despite the initiative’s strong social and economic impact, the way Prospera Agents worked was still precarious. With this in mind, José Luiz (P.O. of the project) and I decided to go deeper by creating an AS-IS scenario. Other important actions at the start of the project included:

• Conducting interviews with more than 20 Prospera Agents from several cities across Brazil;

• Shadowing the daily routine of a Prospera Agent in the Paraisópolis neighborhood, in São Paulo’s South Zone;

• Visiting and gaining an understanding of how a Prospera Agent Support Center operates.

*The Prospera Agent is usually recruited from within the community and receives training to work on-site, screening and evaluating potential clients. In addition, these professionals are trained to act as business consultants, offering entrepreneurs basic guidance on how to manage their activities.

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4 — Different regions, similar problems

After this initial study, we identified several common issues that directly impacted the productivity and quality of life of Prospera Agents.

1.4 — Lack of automated processes

Up to 10 forms had to be completed by hand, each with about 30 fields. After that, the Prospera Agent had to return to a Support Center to retype everything into the bank’s system.

2.4 — Lack of validation and feedback on the data provided

After entering all the information into the system, a credit proposal could still be rejected due to incorrect, outdated, or incomplete data, or missing documents.

3.4 — Outdated process

To complete a credit proposal, it was necessary to access more than one bank system. Once approved, the agent still had to return to the customer just to obtain a signature.

4.4 — Prospecting

Usually done through leafleting or referrals, which could take one or more days from the Agent’s schedule.

5.4 — Manual entry of customer information

Approximately 300 fields per client (minimum of 1 and maximum of 4 people per proposal).

6.4 — Transferring handwritten data to the bank’s systems

Errors, missing or outdated information, and restrictions on customer documentation often went undetected when filled out manually. This also led to wasted paper and additional costs for sending documents via pouch.

7.4 — Return to the customer

Even when everything went well, the Agent still needed to return to the customer to sign the contract, renew contracts about to expire, deliver billing documents, or collect late payments.

Calm down, it’s over…

Conducting interviews and going into the field to shadow Prospera Agents allowed us to understand a series of behaviors. One of the comments we heard most often was:

“There are too many fields to fill in. I spend a lot of time going to the Support Center to re-enter everything. I’d rather dedicate one day a week to this and spend the other days prospecting.”

Because of mobility issues, safety concerns, or lack of practicality, Agents often avoided carrying laptops, as they were too large or heavy. Internet connectivity in their work areas was precarious or nonexistent, making it nearly impossible to use the bank’s system in the field.

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5 — Get to work!

After identifying the problems and possible solutions, we began a crucial second step that would transform the Prospera Agent and Customer experience for the better.

These sessions were highly collaborative, and I was fortunate to have the support of several designers from the bank and partner companies.

• We created the TO-BE scenario.

• We designed a Solutions Architecture to address geographic challenges and the lack of internet connectivity.

• For ergonomics and practicality, we replaced the heavy notebook with an 8-inch tablet.

• We reduced the number of steps and automated the process of creating a new Credit Proposal.

• We redefined the bank’s internal approval process, eliminating paper, storing documents digitally, and implementing Digital Signatures.

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6 — And then? Understanding the impact of the solutions we proposed

The first major improvement was in productivity, practicality, and speed. A process that once took up to two weeks was transformed into one that now takes less than an hour.

1.6 — Prospecting

New customers can now be acquired through the website, mobile app, and geolocation. Prospera Agents also receive leads from potential entrepreneurs interested in microcredit.

2.6 — Customer visit

Required only for new credit proposals — or for coffee 😉. Renewals can happen automatically, with the system notifying the Prospera Agent of contracts that are about to expire.

3.6 — Completion of customer information

Automated data entry with minimal required fields. The system provides feedback on incomplete, incorrect, or outdated fields, preventing unnecessary rework.

4.6 — Transferring handwritten data to the system

This step no longer exists. Data is entered directly into the tablet. If offline, the information is stored securely on the device and automatically synced once the Agent is back online, after which it is deleted locally.

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7 — Leaving paperwork behind and moving to the tablet screen

The UX and UI design was developed based on the core needs of Prospera Agents. Since their activities are centered on managing and creating Credit Proposals, these flows were designed to be clear, simple, and prominently displayed.

1.7 — Menu

Groups together administrative functions, security, and usage settings.

2.7 — Smart Search

Allows searches by customer, Solidarity Group, name, personal documents, or Credit Proposals.

3.7 — Tabs

Organizes Credit Proposals by status: incomplete, pending, approved, or denied.

4.7 — Tab Content

a) In the first column (left), we provide quick access to customer profiles, including personal data, contact information, and business details.

b) Middle column — Percentage and status of each stage:

• Incomplete: Shows the percentage left to complete the registration and Credit Proposal.

• Pending: Displays what is missing for the Bank to approve the Credit Proposal.

• Approved: Indicates how much time remains before the Credit Proposal expires.

• Denied: Explains the reasons why a proposal was denied.

c) Action Button — Based on the selected Tab

5.7 — FAB (Floating Action Button)

Used for creating and simulating new Credit Proposals. A key detail: when the Prospera Agent scrolls the list up or down, the Floating Button temporarily hides for a few seconds to avoid interfering with clicks on other action buttons positioned at the same height.

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8 — And in practice? How does creating a Credit Proposal work now?

When entering the entrepreneur’s CPF, their basic information is auto-filled. If they are already an account holder, almost all fields will be pre-populated, and the Prospera Agent only needs to review and confirm the details. If there is a restriction associated with the CPF, feedback is provided and the Credit Proposal cannot proceed at that moment.

It is also possible to choose between two types of proposals: Individual (for a single customer) or Solidarity Group (up to four people). By clicking on the progress indicator (e.g., 75%), the Prospera Agent is taken directly to the missing, incorrect, or incomplete field.

Digital storage and field auto-completion

With the redesigned product, photos and documents are stored digitally — eliminating copying, printing, and transport costs. The process of filling in fields has also been streamlined with built-in intelligence: the Prospera Agent no longer needs to calculate interest, percentages, values, or installments, as everything is updated and processed automatically.

Invalid, Error, or Incomplete Field Feedback

We eliminated the risk of invalid, incomplete, or outdated data being entered into fields by instantly informing the user of the corrective action required.

The application also has an educational role, guiding Prospera Agents and entrepreneurs on better payment terms, installments, and financial literacy.

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9 — Solidarity Group

The Solidarity Group model is based on a Credit Proposal for up to four members who endorse one another to obtain credit. Paperwork, manual forms, and unnecessary visits to Prospera Clients are no longer required. All personal, business, and proposal information for members is centralized in one place.

In 2017, more than 70% of microcredit requests were renewals (when the entrepreneur applies for another loan, either with the same or a different amount). At that time, all information entry, financial updates, monitoring, and client visits had to be repeated.

With our solution, renewals are automatic, reusing existing information from an individual or Solidarity Group. A process that once took 5 to 15 days can now be completed in just a few clicks — in under 15 minutes.

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10 — Some numbers to finish

Prospera continues to grow with an incredible team driving this initiative forward. Here are some key impacts on the lives of millions of Brazilians:

• Santander Bank has already disbursed more than R$5.5 billion to boost the businesses of 600,000 entrepreneurs.

• For every R$1.00 invested in the communities where Prospera operates, between R$4.00 and R$5.00 are generated.

• Each entrepreneur supported by the program creates or maintains, on average, two jobs.

• Between 50% and 70% of this value remains in the micro-region itself, generating and sustaining a virtuous local cycle.

• About 70% of Prospera clients are women.

• Prospera’s repayment rate has historically been above 95%.

  
  

Together, we are transforming lives, generating opportunities, and building a more inclusive future.
Thank you for reading!

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