Written by Dorus Silwizya

Zanaco, in collaboration with BongoHive, implemented an internal innovation challenge aimed at harnessing the creative potential of its staff to address its customers’ pressing needs.  With their clients in mind, Zanaco sought to foster a culture of innovation within the Bank,  leveraging two key approaches:

• Human-Centred Design (HCD): This approach puts the user/ customer at the centre of the design process. HCD involves understanding customer needs, wants, and pain points through research and testing to develop solutions that are truly beneficial.
• Agile Methodologies: Agile methodologies break down projects into smaller, manageable steps, allowing for continuous adaptation and improvement based on feedback. This ensures that the innovation process remains flexible and responsive to emerging ideas and challenges.

By combining these approaches, Zanaco aimed to drive the innovation process from inception to fruition, ensuring that the solutions developed truly addressed the needs of its customers.

A comprehensive Design Sprint kickstarted the journey. This phase was pivotal in gathering crucial insights into the needs, pain points, opportunities, and potential solutions directly from Zanaco’s internal teams. The culmination of this collaborative effort was the pitch finale, an exciting event where the top seven teams had the opportunity to showcase their refined solutions to a panel of judges, vying for the coveted top three spots. The winning teams were awarded prize money, recognising their outstanding contributions and creative prowess.

Zanaco and BongoHive are committed to supporting the winning teams beyond the challenge, providing further assistance in the product development phase. This extended support ensures that the innovative solutions have the necessary resources and guidance to transition from concept to reality, ultimately benefiting Zanaco and its customers.

By tapping into the insights and creativity of Zanaco’s staff, the internal innovation challenge not only identified valuable solutions but also cultivated an enduring culture of innovation within the Bank. The success of this challenge underscores the potential of collaborative efforts in driving meaningful change and development in the corporate landscape.