Unpacking User Centricity through the Payments Layer of Digital Public Infrastructure

This brief frames user centricity in the context of digital public infrastructure (DPI) by considering how existing approaches to user centricity from both the public and private sector apply and why it matters for digital infrastructure.

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AUTHORS

David Porteous, Jayshree Venkatesan, Alex Rizzi

Topics

Series

Building Responsible DPI Systems

User centric design originated in the private sector, but it has since been applied as a successful design feature in other areas of life where clients interact with a product or a service. It places users’ needs, experiences, and objectives at the core of design. While it is a key attribute of successful digital products in the private sector, it is also crucial for public services. Digital public infrastructure (DPI) bridges both sectors, requiring systems to be useful, trusted, and easy to use while serving the entire population equitably. However, to date, little examination of DPI systems has been done from this perspective. This is likely, at least in some part, due to the fact DPI systems do not necessarily achieve the norms that could be applied to examine a single product.

This brief explores how user centricity might apply to the complexities of DPI, particularly in the financial sector, where infrastructure often serves multiple tiers of users. The brief highlights practices that support user-centric approaches by examining instant payment systems like UPI in India and PIX in Brazil. These insights aim to guide the development of actionable strategies for enhancing user centricity in DPI.

A version of this paper was originally presented at the Responsible Finance Forum 2024, held in Fortaleza, Brazil, alongside the G20 GPFI meetings. The research and publication of this paper would not be possible without the funding support provided by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

Authors

David Porteous

Founder and CEO, Integral

David is the founder and CEO of Integral: Governance Solutions, a boutique consultancy which supports enhanced collective decision making and change management in the areas of public private partnerships especially digital public infrastructure, ESG integration and tech startups.

David is a seasoned executive and entrepreneur who has founded or co-founded five organizations in the public and private sector but exited from an active role as each came to the next stage of their development. In addition to these five, David has advised on and been involved in the design, setup, executive management, and boards of a number of organizations engaged in digital development around the world.

Originally trained as an economist with a PhD from Yale University, David has domain knowledge in the areas of fintech and development finance, as well as edtech through his role as co-founder of the capacity building platform for professionals in the emerging world called Digital Frontiers.

Jayshree Venkatesan

Senior Director, Consumer Protection & Strategic Industry Engagement

As Senior Director, Consumer Protection & Strategic Industry Engagement, Jayshree leads the development and execution of the consumer protection research and influence strategy, contributing to CFI’s global portfolio. She also oversees the Responsible Finance Forum’s convening and influence model, building a community dedicated to addressing industry challenges in consumer protection and advancing the responsible finance agenda.

With two decades of experience spanning structured finance, innovative business models, consumer research, and policy influence, Jayshree has worked to advance financial inclusion and economic development globally. Before joining CFI, she spent nearly a decade as an independent consultant with institutions like CGAP, the World Bank, JICA, and ITAD, focusing on customer-centric business models and challenges faced by low-income consumers in accessing and using formal financial services. From 2009-2013, she was part of the founding team at IFMR (now Dvara Trust) in India where she led India’s first mezzanine fund for microfinance, which evolved into an alternate investment fund. Jayshree is also a senior policy fellow at the Leir Institute within the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and has served as adjunct faculty at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, teaching decision analysis for business.

Jayshree is a recipient of the Chevening fellowship for leadership from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK and completed the program at Kings College, London. She earned an MA in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, an MBA from Management Development Institute in Gurgaon, and an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Mumbai University.

Alex Rizzi

Former Senior Research Director, Consumer Data Opportunities and Risks

During her time at CFI from 2012-2024, Alex was an advocate for consumer protection and evidence-based inclusive finance practices.

She managed the responsible data practices research portfolio at CFI which focuses on opportunities and risks for low-income consumers from data-driven financial services. Previously, she was a senior director for CFI’s Smart Campaign initiative, where she managed consumer-protection learning agendas and helped launch the Client Protection Certification Program. She has participated in multiple industry working groups on responsible finance, including an advisory group to GSMA’s mobile money certification program and the Microfinance Center’s social performance fund steering committee.

Alex is a graduate of Princeton University and holds a master’s degree from Georgetown’s foreign service school, as well as a certificate in digital money from the Digital Frontiers Institute and The Fletcher School at Tufts University.