Value for money: co-designing with underbanked women from rural Sri Lanka

This paper presents findings from a set of co-design workshops aimed at identifying the core values of underbanked women from rural Sri Lanka, associated with their everyday financial practices and experiences. We sought to gain in-depth insights into the aspirations, rationales, and concerns of this demography, where traditionally household finances are handled by men. In collaboration with a Microfinance Institute (MFI), we carried out two co-design workshops involving 17 participants. We used group discussions and various design activities such as persona creation to enable participants to share their experiences related to household finances. From our findings, three central values associated with household finances came out strongly: Supporting Family, Independence, and Spiritual Beliefs. We conclude by reflecting on the values identified while providing suggestions to support those through technology.