25
Design Research,
2008
Putting technology into contextInto(context) is a design research project developed by the Design
for Sustainability group of Delft University of Technology, Kiva.org
and funded by Microsoft Research’s Digital Inclusion Initiative. The
initiative had as its goal to fund investigations of the role
information & communication technology (ICT) can play in creating
solutions for overcoming the myriad barriers facing the developing
world. During six months design researchers worked directly with
Kiva.org and four of its existing microfinance partners in Uganda and
Kenya to develop an appropriate technology solution to facilitate the
use of their online lending platform. The solution needed to meet the
needs of their users and be congruous with the context of East Africa.
This project has demonstrated the strength of a people centered
approach to technology and the potential of the cellphone to serve as a
legitimate platform to facilitate web based activities.
Defining the problem
Kiva.org is an innovative concept within the microfinance industry
that is supporting the work of existing microfinance institutions (MFI)
who are attempting to provide help to those who don’t qualify for
traditional financial services. To do this they are providing them with
zero interest capital and a format for communicating their lenders’
needs online to attract funding. By connecting individual entrepreneurs
in developing countries, through a peer to peer (P2P) online network,
and with sponsors in Western countries these individual lenders can
directly sponsor personal businesses. In return they receive updates
via email regarding the development of their enterprise. Once the loan
is repaid the lender receives the exact amount that they contributed.
This money lending system allows individuals to provide loans to unique
micro enterprises around the world directly through P2P.
One of the principal problems that Kiva.org faces is the challenge of scaling their offer. Kiva.org’s founders communicated that the interest and capital flowing from online lenders was not the problem, instead the real bottleneck was the number of borrower profiles added to the website as candidates for funding. Local microfinance institutions were having enormous difficulties uploading borrower profiles of their entrepreneurs, which consisted of a short explanation and a digital image. The available money was simply not being absorbed. Therefore, research into the improvement of the interface between the technology and the microfinance institution (MFI) became the focus of this project. In order for Kiva.org’s system to work, the technology and services being provided have to be relevant to the specific context where they are employed. The integration of proper technology into the economic, social and cultural context where it is being used is essential to allow more efficient use of resources. Planning and approach
The six-month plan was carried out through five main development
stages: research preparation, context research, design development and
testing and dissemination of results. Half of the total duration of the
project was spent in East Africa during two separate phases,
emphasizing the need for direct contact with users.
The project began as a search for a solution within an existing system. Through an elaboration of the system the investigation avoids a limited focus. Both macro and micro level issues are considered in parallel in order to produce a result that will be consistent with the characteristics of that particular system. As a central tenet the project entered East Africa asking a question rather than arriving with an answer. The question was, how can we make it easier for the MFIs to integrate the use of Kiva.org into their day to day operations to support more entrepreneurs accessing micro credit through Kiva.org. In order to reflect that technology should fit people rather than
the other way round the project went on the assumption that the East
African context, specifically the user, would reveal essential details
necessary to create an appropriate solution. The methodology is defined by a people centered approach, consistent collaboration, and a systems orientation.
Convinced that people should be at the center of the investigation of technology the project began with an approach that put the user at the center of the process, within the larger context of the system surrounding them. Rather than initially focusing on any particular technologies this bottom-up tactic necessitated the commitment and participation of the user for best results. Continuous collaboration was reflected through an iterative process of identifying systemic problems and considering appropriate responses. Working directly with the user and producer during the design process involved using methods drawn from co-creation. By directly involving both the user and producer throughout the process, to identify needs and capacity, the goal is to provide a solution that most successfully meets both of their needs in the long term. Confirmation through testing along the way was done in order to gather early feedback for ensuring a strong result. Design collaboration
Bringing the user further into the process brings even more benefits (Elizabeth B.-N. Sanders, 2002). When it is so important to understand the context, users hold the key to gaining insight around those elements that are most important to understand. In settings where so much is foreign this becomes even more pronounced. Users’ existing knowledge and experience can help to continually refine solutions that are truly responsive to their needs. Working with the user
This 7-week research phase emphasized transparency during a week
spent with four of Kiva.org’s partner MFIs in Uganda and Kenya.
Beginning with a period of context research, staff were then quickly
engaged in co-creation sessions. The goals of the project and
individual activities were communicated clearly to the staff of each
MFI. The resolution of insights and design opportunities continued to
improve throughout contact with the four partners.
Tools specifically designed to elaborate the context surrounding the users were employed to help uncover those issues that are important to consider in the development of an appropriate solution. They included observation, photography and video, focus groups, individual interviews, role playing, shadowing, and generative sessions. Context research intends to produce a deep understanding of the reality of where, why and how the user works and capture behaviours and occurrences, which reveal information about people, their activities and their environment. Through observation alone several critical issues were revealed shortly after arrival. Most notable were the ‘day on day off’ electricity schedule, unreliable internet connection and proliferation of cell phones and related infrastructure. Time spent with each organization highlighted other concerns for the development of an appropriate solution. Kiva.org activities demanded considerable learning on the part of the staff (use of a digital camera, computer, internet, etc.). Primarily these activities were the responsibility of the credit officers, staff that operate directly with entrepreneurs. Costs related to internet usage and the purchase of new equipment were also a concern. Infrastructural, technological and organizational notes were all gathered. Direct contact with staff revealed important tendencies necessary to consider. Staff demonstrated an amazing eagerness to adopt new technologies. In a place where stigma surrounds computers, suggesting that only those with a college degree can operate one, a mandate to become proficient was very empowering. Equipment sharing was fundamental and maximization of available resources was commonplace. Sharing of equipment between staff and the transfer of data including photos and text for updates was a time consuming requirement often necessitating additional trips to the office. Additional travel was also necessary when staff members were forced to make visits to an internet café to complete uploads when office power or connectivity was inadequate. These distances and costs were in addition to those already being made to visit entrepreneurs on site (sometimes at a distance of 35km by bicycle). To reframe the exchange with the organization and establish a new dialog with the individual users they were asked to participate in a collaborative brainstorm on the final day of the week. This allowed themes that had emerged through investigation and observation to be explored further with a more open and active format. The brainstorm varied amongst the four organizations to match their distinct characteristics but consistently worked to empower staff to contribute through “you know better than us” and “all suggestions are helpful” policies. Brainstorms were an excellent opportunity to achieve several benefits. A successful brainstorm led to strong insights that were valuable in the development of solutions. Presenting our findings to the local microfinance institutions, and clearly communicating their value and origins was an opportunity to share ownership of ideas with users. The assumption that inspired this activity was that this approach might help to encourage both the integration of the solution as well as improve its longevity. If the members of the microfinance institution felt like they were owners of the ideas… Working with Kiva.org
In order to develop a solution for our findings we needed to
communicate them to Kiva.org and its development team based in San
Francisco (California). As a service provider Kiva.org had its own
requirements. With a small team, the organization was in the midst of
multiple developments and stages of implementation. Engaging such an
organization in the process, from a distance, required clear and
consistent communication.
Results of the context research were translated into a presentation highlighting particular elements of the context that reflected the most important issues to consider in delivering appropriate solutions. These issues were communicated through briefs, profiles and proposals. Profiles distill several sets of information into one set that communicates consistent issues amongst the different cases. A profile of the ‘credit officer’ uses facts that provide rich details to communicate what is important to them. The same method was used to communicate other issues such as environmental characteristics in the field and office that are important. Briefs were created to document themes that emerged during research. They served as a set of action items to be acted upon during the design phase of the project. Similar to a program of requirements, briefs identified needs and specified them immediately while also suggesting a response tactic. For example, “Decentralize: If Kiva.org operations require travel to various remote locations then facilitate online processes to occur in situ.” The briefs helped to initiate design development. Solutions emerging from the collaborative brainstorms with the microfinance institutions were presented for the purpose of criticism and improvement. The intention was to capitalize on the particular knowledge and expertise of the Kiva.org staff in a process of co-development of those ideas that were most interesting for them. During one month with Kiva.org, the entire development cycle was completed creating the solution for later testing in East Africa. The structure opened with a session for selection of concepts followed by development planning, development and prototyping. Later those ideas were discussed with Kiva.org engineers who selected the Miracle Mobile Solution (MiMoSo) as the most successful bet for meeting their goals to improve the efficiency of their service and scale. The MiMoSo is a piece of software that allows Multi Media Service (MMS) messages sent from a mobile phone to be sent to an individual Kiva.org email address where the text and image are parsed and uploaded to the Kiva.org website where they can be seen by lenders. This application would allow credit officers to use an ubiquitous technology, such as the mobile phone, to upload the entrepreneurs’ journal updates directly from the field, without necessitating extra travel and the use of a computer. The tool was co-developed to effectively respond to project briefs and other concerns such as security. A prototype was created for use during testing. Working with the user and with Kiva.org
Testing was completed with credit officers from two partner organisations in Uganda and Kenya. The goal was to field test the MiMoSo prototype in order to gain insight about its ability to meet the needs identified by the briefs as well as those larger system concerns. Due to their participation in the context research phase, testing was done exclusively with credit officers during individual trips to visit borrowers. The results of testing were very positive, giving support to the insights generated during research and collaboration. Staff demonstrated an eagerness to learn and understand the new solution. Ease of use was obvious as familiarity with existing cellphone applications is very high. The cost of the cellphone was shown to be affordable. Ultimately Kiva.org confirmed receipt of several updates proving the MiMoSo’s ability to operate as a channel for content delivery. The solution effectively eliminated the numerous barriers identified as limiting the ability of partner organizations to work with Kiva.org. Conclusion
This project demonstrates the successful engagement of the various
stakeholders involved as the basis for an ongoing conversation. By
creating a clear question to answer, the creation of a tailored context
research programme was possible. The project focused on understanding
people first, bringing in the user early as both a research subject and
then as a collaborator. Understanding the needs of people and including
them in the design process helped inspire and formalize suggestions for
solutions. Transparent communication throughout the process had
positive effects with both the user and Kiva.org. The collaborative and
open environment permitted the investigation to go beyond what could be
determined through context research alone. Directly engaging with users
gave us the opportunity to use their knowledge and experience to help
create a better understanding around issues that are central to
creating solutions. In addition, this collaboration encouraged the ‘buy
in’ of our solution. Transparently communicating our goals before
collaborative activities with users resulted in a shared purpose and
concentrated response that may have led to greater depth of detail.
Maintaining open communication with the development team throughout the
context research allowed for more efficient development of solutions.
References
SCHULER, D., NAMIOKA, A. (1993). Participatory Design: Principles and Practices. Hillsdale: Erlbaum.
ELIZABETH B.-N. SANDERS ( 2002). “From User-Centered to Participatory
Design Approaches”. In J.Frascara (Ed.). Design and the Social
Sciences. London: Taylor & Francis Books Limited,
F. Sleeswijk Visser et. al. (2005). “Contextmapping: experiences from practice”. CoDesign: International Journal of CoCreation in Design and the Arts, Vol. 1 No. 2 |
About Author
Cale Thompson
Holds a degree in Industrial Design (RISD), and an MA in Industrial Ecology from TUDelft in the Netherlands. He lives and works in London developing services for the private and public sectors at Engine Service Design.
JON RODRIGUEZ Holds a degree in Product Design from Elisava School of Design and a MSC in Industrial Design Engineering from TUDelft in the Netherlands. He is currently consultant in the Strategic Design department of Philips Design in Eindhoven (Netherlands).
Related 26 DESIGN EDUCATION, 2009 LUISA COLLINA Training Designers of the Future Focusing on a specific case, the postgraduate course Product Service System Design taught in English to Italian and international students of the Design Faculty at Milan Polytechnic, the author reflects on the present and future of designers as “reflexive professionals” (to quote Donald A. Schön) called upon to act in uncertain and vaguely defined contexts, tackle problems in highly original ways and come up with wide-ranging, experimental and innovative solutions resorting to complex and hybrid techniques and tools either purposely designed or taken from other fields. [...]25 Design Research, 2008 Lekshmy Parameswaran, Laszlo Herczegh Healthy Region Cuneo Healthy Region Cuneo is a healthcare innovation project that was initiated in the summer of 2008 for the Italian regional health system of ASL CN1. The project proposed new design strategies and solutions that addressed the local healthcare needs of the citizens and care providers of the region of Cuneo. [...]25 Design Research, 2008 Mark Stevens Mind the Gap: Education, Consultancy and Research at CIID Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID) was founded by Simona Maschi and Heather Martin in August 2006. With an aim to build an international centre of excellence in interaction design and innovation, CIID incorporates three elements –education, research and consultancy– that together explore new thinking in design and technology. [...]25 Design Research, 2008 GILLIAN CRAMPTON-SMITH The Craft of Interaction Design The following text is a transcript of a talk by Gillian Crampton-Smith at Innovation Forum Interaction Design, Potsdam, March 2007. The aim of the two-day conference was to focus on all aspects of interface and interaction design: mobile telephone and media interfaces, problem solutions and product visions, web pages and virtual worlds, art and commerce, business and science. Using both concrete projects and visionary concepts, current developments in interaction design were presented and discussed by regional and international experts from the design, research and business worlds. [...]24 CRITICAL DESIGN, 2007 MIREN ETXEZARRETA Is critical design possible? Design, a magnificent advancement tool for any group activity that is focused on social improvement, will find it difficult to point in this direction while we live in an economic system whose main objective consists of obtaining profits for private capital. 26 DESIGN EDUCATION, 2009 OSCAR TOMICO Co-reflection This article presents an approach to user involvement that allows confronting the designer’s rationale with society’s motivations and values. This approach is specifically tailored for design processes aimed at societal transformation. In this approach, user involvement is considered as a constructive process, rather than a destructive process. More precisely, it is defined as a co-reflective session between designers and users that starts by sensitising to construct the user’s desired reality in order to confront it with the designer’s rationale. [...]22 ECONOMY AND DESIGN, 2006 DAVID KESTER The impact of design on stock market performance David Kester has directed a research programme promoted by the Design Council in order to analyse the effects of investment in design on the evolution of companies in the United Kingdom that are listed on the stock market. It is well known that the United Kingdom's design capacity places it at the forefront of the global experience. But, so that design is applied to companies, confidence must be increased in terms of its potential and precision in the measuring of its contributions. Companies must justify investment made in all their commercial activities and specific repercussions on productivity and profitability must be measured. This study also aims to establish objective global mechanisms to identify those companies that are active and effective design users, as well as compare their overall results with other companies listed on the stock market, thereby extending our understanding of investment and the value of company capitalisation. The study's conclusions state that companies that apply design effectively do better than the rest. There is therefore a direct relation between the effective application of design on the part of companies and an increase in performance in the share price and, consequently, in the increase of profits for shareholders. [...]26 DESIGN EDUCATION, 2009 DAVID DUNNE Designing New Business Schools In the face of social problems of ever-increasing complexity, businesses have become interested in the thought process of designers, two important aspects of which focus on users and systems thinking. Business education, in turn, can benefit by adopting some of the concepts and methods designers learn. These include learning how to frame problems, conduct ethnographic research, reason abductively, synthesise information and collaborate in groups. Teaching methods need to be practically focused and reflective. As an example, a design course taught in an Austrian business school helped transform students’ perspectives. [...]26 DESIGN EDUCATION, 2009 GAVIN MELLES Professional Doctorates in Design? Professional doctorates emerged in the 1990s in the United Kingdom and Australia as a response to a range of institutional pressures in mass higher education at the postgraduate level. Globally alternative doctoral programmes including (creative) project work have developed which purport to address professional and practice values in creative arts and industries, including design, more adequately than the traditional PhD. However, given the questionable ‘professional’ status of design as such, should institutions encourage such courses? 24 CRITICAL DESIGN, 2007 ALESSANDRA CAPORALE “Natural Drift (in the work) of Natalie Jeremijenko” Launching point for digital and electronic art -bioart or a-life art-, engineer and techno-artist Natalie Jeremijenko “plays” with artificial intelligence and biotechnology, carrying out several social practices from activist art into the high-tech world. This art has its roots in social movements connected to new media. |
