A dual-role engagement at Dukatech Solutions, Kiambu — spanning both hardware and software. Over 5 months, this involved designing and building a custom hardware payment system integrated with a PHP server backend, as well as conducting product reviews and creating UI/UX designs for two fintech products — Shopokoa and MamaPesa — using Figma.
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2
Roles Handled
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2
Products Designed
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5
Months Engaged
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1
Hardware System Built
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Role 1 — Embedded System Developer
Aug 2023 – Sep 2023 · 2 months · Hybrid
Designed and built a hardware payment system from scratch — engineering the physical components, wiring and embedded logic required to process transactions. The hardware was built to communicate directly with Dukatech's server infrastructure, ensuring reliable and accurate payment processing at the point of interaction.
Developed the backend logic in PHP to receive and handle requests from the hardware device — validating transactions, updating records and ensuring seamless two-way communication between the hardware and the company's server. This required both embedded programming knowledge and backend web development skills working together in one solution.
Role 2 — Software Engineer and UI/UX Designer
May 2023 – Aug 2023 · 4 months
Conducted a thorough product review of the Shopokoa mobile application — analyzing user flows, identifying pain points and documenting areas for improvement. This involved evaluating the app from both a technical and user experience perspective, providing actionable insights to the product team.
Designed UI elements for the MamaPesa fintech product using Figma — creating clean, intuitive interfaces tailored to the target user base. The designs focused on simplifying financial interactions for everyday users, with a strong emphasis on clarity and ease of use.
Collaborated with the team on the UI/UX design for the Shopokoa website using Figma — contributing to wireframes, design components and overall visual direction. This was a team effort focused on creating a cohesive and user-friendly web experience that aligned with the Shopokoa brand and product goals.
Outcome
This engagement demonstrated the ability to operate effectively across hardware engineering, backend development and product design within the same organization. From building physical payment hardware and writing the server logic to handle it, to reviewing fintech products and designing user interfaces — this was a full-spectrum contribution that added value at every layer of the product stack. It is a clear example of the cross-disciplinary capability that Mwarandus Lab brings to every project.
Technologies Used
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⚙️
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Embedded Systems
Hardware design, wiring and embedded programming
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🐘
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PHP
Backend server logic for hardware communication
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🎨
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Figma
UI/UX design for MamaPesa and Shopokoa products
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📱
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Mobile App Product Review
User flow analysis and UX improvement documentation
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