Mahil Irrigation App – UX Case Study

Project Overview

Mahil is an irrigation company based in India that supplies essential agricultural products such as pipes, motors, sprinklers, and accessories. Although the company has a strong physical presence, their customers—mostly farmers and small distributors—still depend heavily on phone calls, in-person visits, or intermediaries to place orders or check availability. Mahil wanted to modernize this process through a mobile app, making irrigation products more accessible and easier to order.

This project was about designing a digital experience that fits naturally into the everyday life of a farmer. My role was to understand their challenges, build a simple and trustworthy interface, and design a seamless end-to-end purchase journey that removes unnecessary effort from the user.

Understanding the Problem

During early conversations, one core truth stood out:
Farmers don’t struggle with irrigation technology—they struggle with digital complexity.

Many farmers and dealers told us that ordering irrigation products involves uncertainty. They do not always know which product fits their requirement, what the price differences are, or when their order will actually arrive. Even when they want to buy something simple like a small motor or a pipe connector, they often need to contact multiple people just to confirm stock or specifications.

A few repeated sentiments helped identify the core problems:

• “It takes too long to confirm an order over the phone.”
• “Sometimes I am not sure which product is correct for my field.”
• “I wish someone would show me the differences clearly.”
• “After placing the order, I don’t know when it will reach me.”

These statements highlighted three major issues: product clarity, ordering friction, and lack of real-time updates.

Objective

The objective was not just to build an app, but to create a digital companion that makes irrigation equipment easier to understand and easier to purchase. The design needed to reflect the way Indian farmers think, not the way typical e-commerce users do.

The goal was to provide:

• A simple path from product discovery to checkout
• Clear product information without overwhelming text
• A reliable order confirmation and tracking experience
• A user interface comfortable for low-literacy and first-time smartphone users

Research Insights

To make the design truly relevant, we conducted interviews with farmers, irrigation shop owners, and Mahil sales executives. These interviews were casual conversations—some took place in shops, others on phone calls—because that’s how these users naturally communicate.

Some impactful insights:

• Many users judge products visually, not by reading descriptions.
• They prefer fewer words and more clarity.
• OTP login felt like the easiest and “safest” method because it doesn’t require remembering passwords.
• Payment hesitation was real—UPI and cash on delivery were trusted most.
• Users wanted proof of order confirmation instantly. Anything delayed caused anxiety.
• Order tracking needed to be extremely simple; too much text would cause confusion.

One farmer said something that shaped the entire UX direction:
“Show it to me clearly and let me order quickly. That’s all I need.”

Design Challenges

A few major design challenges surfaced:

• Presenting technical irrigation products in a way that feels familiar and easy
• Designing for mixed literacy levels and non-English users
• Reducing decision fatigue by keeping the interface minimal
• Ensuring trust at every stage of the purchase journey
• Designing a flow that even a first-time smartphone user can follow

Design Solution

The design approach focused on clarity, predictability, and comfort.

A simple onboarding experience

Users enter their mobile number, receive an OTP, and instantly access the app. No passwords, no confusion. This method mirrors how most rural users interact with digital banking and UPI apps, making it feel natural and safe.

A clean, visually driven home screen

The home screen highlights product categories with large images. Instead of overwhelming the user with many choices, the experience guides them gently. The design uses spacious layouts, familiar colors, and simple labels to give a sense of calm and control.

Clear product understanding

Each product page focuses on helping users make confident decisions:

• A large, clear product photo
• The most important specifications displayed upfront
• Simple pricing
• A quantity selector
• Add to cart button placed where the thumb naturally rests

Technical terms were rewritten in simple, farmer-friendly language. For example, instead of “polyethylene grade,” the description might say “strong material suitable for long-term use.”

A stress-free checkout flow

The checkout experience avoids long forms. Only essential information is required. Address input uses common Indian address patterns, making it feel familiar. Payment options include UPI, card, and cash on delivery—prioritizing the methods that farmers trust most.

Predictable order tracking

The order tracking page uses simple step-wise progress. Words like “Confirmed,” “Packed,” and “On the Way” were chosen because they are easy to understand, even for users who struggle with English.

A helpful profile section

The profile shows order history, saved addresses, and contact information for support. The goal was to make users feel cared for and independent—not confused or dependent on phone calls.

Usability Testing

We tested the prototype with farmers and store owners. This was the most eye-opening part of the project.

Some memorable reactions:

• “Seeing the photo clearly helps me choose faster.”
• “Checkout is very simple. I understand everything.”
• “Tracking is good. I know where my order is now.”

One user mentioned that large text sizes made him feel more confident about browsing the app. Another user appreciated that the app didn’t feel “crowded,” which was intentional.

The feedback allowed us to refine spacing, increase font sizes in key areas, and simplify some product specification layouts even further.

Outcome

The final design achieved what Mahil envisioned: a practical, easy-to-use app that fits naturally into the daily routines of farmers. The purchasing process became shorter and more reliable. Users developed more trust in the brand because they received clear confirmations and tracking updates.

The experience also helped reduce the number of phone calls Mahil’s team received for order status or product clarification. This not only increased customer convenience but also improved operational efficiency.

Future Improvements

There are several enhancements planned for future versions of the app:

• Support for regional languages such as Tamil, Hindi, and Telugu
• WhatsApp-based customer support for instant help
• Irrigation calculators to help farmers estimate required pipe lengths or motor capacities
• Personalized product recommendations based on previous orders

These additions will increase accessibility and make the app even more helpful in real agricultural scenarios.