MobileActive.org interviewed Apala Lahiri Chavan, an expert in Design for Emerging Markets. She is the current Chief Oracle and Innovator of Human Factors International. Through her experience working in the fields of human and computer interaction and user experience with a particular focus on emerging regions, Lahiri Chavan and her team have done cutting edge work in the design of interactive systems. More information about Lahiri Chavan and the work she has done can be found here.
In our interview, Lahiri Chavan talks to us about the importance of paying attention to contextual user needs when designing mobile technologies for users in emerging markets. She started her career as a computer programmer, although soon realized the lack of user-centered research employed in the development of interactive systems. This then motivated her to want to be an ‘advocate for the user’ as she explains in the interview. She wanted to start designing information systems that people could intuitively understand. Her passion to work with people in developing countries is what led her to the field ofContextual Innovation.
Contextual Innovations is a "systematic multidisciplinary process of inquiry into the new frontiers of user system interactions. It allows you to gain practical knowledge about your target markets to develop entirely novel, more useful and effective products and services." The importance of Contextual innovation is that is pay’s special attention to the unique user requirements of developing regions such has high illiteracy rates, multilingualism, and dialectal variation. Lahiri Chavan also also speaks about the importance of engaging citizens of emerging markets in to the design process.
To get a more detailed account of the phrase “Contextual Innovation’’ see Lahiri Chavan video about Design for Emerging Markets. She talks about the design process that must be employed when designing systems and products for users of developing regions. In this animation Lahiri Chavan goes through several processes of design innovations and calls attention to the importance of cross-cultural challenges.
Designing with Mobile Digital Storytelling in Rural Africa data sheet 1203 Views
Author:
Nicola J Bidwell, Thomas Reitmaier, Gary Marsden, Susan Hansen
Publication Date:
Apr 2010
Publication Type:
Report/White paper
Abstract:
We reflect on activities to design a mobile application to enable rural people in South Africa’s Eastern Cape to record and share their stories, which have implications for ‘cross-cultural design,’ and the wider use of stories in design. We based our initial concept for generating stories with audio and photos on cell-phones on a scenario informed by abstracting from digital storytelling projects globally and our personal experience. But insights from ethnography, and technology experiments involving storytelling, in a rural village led us to query our grounding assumptions and usability criteria.
So, we implemented a method using cell-phones to localise storytelling, involve rural users and probe ways to incorporate visual and audio media. Products from this method helped us to generate design ideas for our current prototype which offers great flexibility. Thus we present a new way to depict stories digitally and a process for improving such software.
We are looking for a rock star Summer design intern (April-September) to come to our office in New York for three days or more per week. You will be tasked with developing creative and designing collateral for innovative mobile projects for social change around the world, including presentations, screen casts, print materials, and online graphics. You will have an opportunity to put a significant 'stamp' on our projects and build your portfolio.
To be considered, you will be extraordinarily creative, design cleanly and persuasively, are comfortable in most media forms, and have deep knowledge of all industry standard design applications. A passion for social change a must, as is being technology-savvy. Experienced in data visualization/infographics, motion and/or interactive graphics, publishing to web, and to print. UX and UI experience a strong plus.
Bonus points if you have traveled widely and understand cultures and realities of other countries. If you have previously designed training and educational materials (from comics to how-to guides) you will be especially considered.
To apply, please send your resume, availability (daily/weekly schedule), portfolio samples (or a link to your portfolio), and the reason why we should choose you to work with us to contact@mobileactive.org.
Apply by 4/20/2011.
Internship involves a small stipend, and we will help you with earning school credit if needed. No phone calls please.
Image via Vectorstock.com (until we have you, our new designer!)
Towards a Design Model for Women’s Empowerment in the Developing World data sheet 1320 Views
Author:
Shroff, Geeta and Matthew Ka
Publication Date:
Jan 2011
Publication Type:
Report/White paper
Abstract:
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas Kristof argues that “in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality around the world.” In this paper, we present a design model for empowering low income women in the developing world, in ways that cut across individual application areas. Specifically, this model characterizes a possible trajectory for NGOs and women to engage with each other and among themselves – potentially augmented by technology – to help women escape from poverty.
The fieldwork components in this study took place over 15 weeks in three phases, with a total of 47 NGO staff members and 35 socio-economically challenged women in rural and urban India. Interviews and co-design sessions with seven proof-of-concept prototypes showed that women appeared to belong to five distinct stages of “growth” in striving towards independence. We report the technology design lessons from our co-design sessions to illustrate how user readiness, relationship building at the community and family levels, and integration with state, national and international level programs, should be taken into account in the broader context of intervention design.
Uses of the Cell Phone for Education in the Philippines and Mongolia data sheet 2295 Views
Author:
Librero, F., Ramos, A., Ranga, A. I., Triñona, J. & Lambert, D.
Publication Date:
Aug 2007
Publication Type:
Journal article
Abstract:
The cell phone, now the most widely used medium in Asia, has major educational implications. Most users, however, do not realize the cell phone's potential for education, nor even for the communication functions for which it was originally designed. Most educators still see the computer and the cell phone as unrelated devices, and the tiny cell phone more as a personal accessory, especially for young people.
With falling prices and increasing functionality, however, it is virtually certain that not too far in the future all of the world's students will have a cell phone. This is sufficient reason and motivation for educators to explore the possibility of making the cell phone an important tool in the educational systems of developed and developing countries.
This article describes the experience of two major projects that are studying the potential of cell phone and short message service (SMS) techniques for formal and nonformal education in the Philippines and Mongolia. The studies have yielded positive reactions from students and trainees about the potential of these techniques, and are suggesting design and logistical principles for use in educational cell phone implementation.
Research Approaches to Mobile Use in the Developing World: A Review of the Literature data sheet 4286 Views
Author:
Donner, Jonathan
Publication Date:
Dec 2007
Publication Type:
Report/White paper
Abstract:
The paper reviews roughly 200 recent studies of mobile (cellular) phone use in the developing world, and identifies major concentrations of research. It categorizes studies along two dimensions. One dimension distinguishes studies of the determinants of mobile adoption from those that assess the impacts of mobile use, and from those focused on the interrelationships between mobile technologies and users. A secondary dimension identifies a sub-set of studies with a strong economic development perspective. The discussion considers the implications of the resulting review and typology for future research.
With mobile phones become ubiquitous in developing countries and emerging markets, phone manufacturers istening to the unique design needs of users there. Younghee Jung , an anthropologist working for Nokia, spoke about the design possibilities for improving phones for the developing world at the LIFT conference in Geneva, Switzerland that addresses the "challenges and opportunities of technology in society."
In a video presentation, Younghee speaks about the research that Nokia conducted in shantytowns in three cities: Mumbia, India, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Accra, Ghana. The team conducted ethnographic research, conducted street surveys, and sponsored an "open studio" contest in which they asked people to design their ideal mobile phone.
