Building With Purpose — and With Users

“If you’re building without talking to your users, you’re not building for them — you’re building for yourself.”

Silas doesn’t mince words when it comes to product design and SME growth. For entrepreneurs trying to launch or scale in African markets, he argues that the most dangerous assumption is that you already know what your customers need. DIVERGENT’s mission? To turn assumptions into insight, and insight into action.

“Research at the Speed of Need”

One of the most compelling parts of the conversation is Silas’ critique of traditional research models — slow, rigid, and often disconnected from community realities. Divergent’s model embraces:

• Rapid data collection through mobile-first tools
• Behavioral design that nudges user action
• Trust-based engagement with grassroots networks like chamas

This approach is particularly crucial in low-tech or infrastructure-constrained environments, where conventional methods can’t keep up with on-the-ground needs.

Behavioral Insight, Not Just Big Data

“Small businesses don’t need big data. They need relevant data.”

Silas explains how understanding behavior — not just statistics — is key to building interventions that actually work. From healthcare to agriculture, financial inclusion to youth empowerment, DIVERGENT has helped organizations ask better questions, reach the right people, and adjust strategies in real time.

What SMEs Can Learn

So what does this mean for small and growing businesses? According to Silas, even lean teams can adopt a research mindset:

• Talk to your users early and often
• Test small, learn fast
• Don’t just measure adoption — understand resistance

He emphasizes that insight isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity. And it doesn’t have to be expensive. Sometimes, the best research starts with a phone call, a street conversation, or a post-sale question.

The Future of Insight in Africa

Looking ahead, Silas sees a shift coming — toward more embedded, localized, and agile approaches to knowledge. Trust, he says, will be the cornerstone of the next generation of data systems in Africa. “We have to build with people, not for them. And definitely not without them.”