Mobile money system design for illiterate users in rural Ethiopia

Current mobile money systems provide users with hierarchical user interface and represent money as a positive rational numbers of the form 1, 3, 4.87.N. However, research indicates that rural communities that cannot read and write have a challenge entering such numbers in to mobile money system. Navigating through hierarchical text menu is also difficult to illiterate individuals. The present study uses concepts like memory placeholders, dragging & dropping; swiping, temporary holding space, and frequency counter and proposed a system that consists of three layers. The first layer denotes user interface and uses photos of currency notes, second layer is a placeholder memory that keep record of the frequency of currency bill, and the last layer keeps record of the total digital money in the system. We believe that the proposed system enables illiterate to identify currency notes while making payments and receiving payments, count digital money while making payments and or receiving payments during transaction

Effect of Icon Styles on Cognitive Absorption and Behavioral Intention of Low Literate Users

Information and communication technologies (ICT) are being considered as one of the most potential medium for bringing more efficient and sustainable solution for many problems faced by different communities belong to the middle of economic pyramid of developing countries. Mobile phone based applications can offer many potential solutions for such problems. Existing solutions which are quite successful at the top of the pyramid user population often prove itself ineffective at the middle of the pyramid naïve low-literate users. In this context interface designers also face considerable challenges due to lack of consolidate icon design methodology which can be adapted for the target user sections. Therefore we propose an empirical study to address the requirement of concrete icon design methodology. Grounded in ‘Cognitive Absorption’ and ‘Theory of Metaphor’ we propose a concrete design guidelines specifically for designing icons to ensure instant learning, usage and adaptation of the system for daily usage. A mobile pest management system is developed to bring the real context on which design methodologies and the role of cognitive absorption and metaphor can be examined to identify the most appropriate one. Our preliminary study suggests a comprehensive icon design methodology and its effect on cognitive absorption as well as behavioral intention for low literate novice users

Human-Computer User Interface Design for Semiliterate and Illiterate Users

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has revolutionized the lives of the people. The technology is embedded in daily life of literate or semiliterate/illiterate users. However, the user interface (UI) requirements for semiliterate/illiterate users are different from that of an educated person. The researchers of Human Computer Interaction for Development (HCI4D) face challenges to improve the usability of a UI for the semiliterate users. Therefore, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is conducted to provide a set of design factors and guidelines for UI development of semiliterate users. The study is based on extensive research gathered from literature to understand the user-centered design (UCD) approach, enhancing user experience (UX) for semiliterate users. This study analyses fifty two research articles that are published during 2010-2020. The findings shed light on the systematization of UI design guidelines for semiliterate/illiterate users. These guidelines can help in taking advantage of ICT during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis shows that seventeen main design factors are indispensable for designing UI of semiliterate users. The most suggested design factors include localization and graphics, which should be incorporated in UI for the target population. Moreover, the lag in the design factors as personalization and consistency open a road for future research

Usability Enhancement of SMS Interface for Illiterate Users

This article analyzes several User Interface (UI) designs and puts forward some more general design principles for interfaces designed for low-literate users. The results of this study highlight the importance of text-free interfaces compared to text-based interfaces for the illiterate and low-literate population. The study developed a Short Message Service (SMS) interface consisting of many design elements, including graphical icons, voice, and text reduction. The participants were more satisfied with the designed SMS interface as compared to the traditional text-based interface of SMS. We believe that if the user interface is appropriately designed, users will not need formal literacy, computer skills, or any external help to operate the application. It has been shown that an interface with minimal or no text but one or more graphics, audio, and digital components is helpful for users with low literacy rates

InfoInternet for Education in the Global South: A Study of Applications Enabled by Free Information-only Internet Access in Technologically Disadvantaged Areas (authors' version)

This paper summarises our work on studying educational applications enabled by the introduction of a new information layer called InfoInternet. This is an initiative to facilitate affordable access to internet based information in communities with network scarcity or economic problems from the Global South. InfoInternet develops both networking solutions as well as business and social models, together with actors like mobile operators and government organisations. In this paper we identify and describe characteristics of educational applications, their specific users, and learning environment. We are interested in applications that make the adoption of Internet faster, cheaper, and wider in such communities. When developing new applications (or adopting existing ones) for such constrained environments, this work acts as initial guidelines prior to field studies.Comment: 16 pages, 1 figure, under review for a journal since March 201

A Mobile User Interface For Low-Literacy Users In Rural South Africa

Information and Communication Technology services for socio-economic development of low-literacy users in rural communities in developing regions are new research contributions that seek to alleviate poverty in underserved communities. The intended users are still new to these technologies and can be described as novice users. This study was conducted to design a mobile user interface to enable low-literacy users in Dwesa community in South Africa to have access to mobile commerce services. We applied different ethnographic research methods through a usercentred design approach to actively involve the target users in the design process. This helped to identify the users’ needs and also meet users’ expectations. The usability of the mobile user interface was evaluated with the target users in the community. The user evaluation shows that the users have positive attitudes and perception of the system. The study found that the user interface conforms to the users’ cultural experience and preferences and they are also positive in their intent to use the user interface

User-Accustomed Interaction: An Usability Approach for Designing Mobile Application for Novice and Expert Users

The development of smartphone applications is prevailing globally, including the underserved communities consisting of a huge group of novice users. In spite of the growing number of novice users, we hardly consider usability for users with varying expertise level when we evaluate performance and satisfaction with usage of mobile applications. In this study, we argue that it is not suitable to design one interface for all users of progressively varying communities. Based on theories in design science research, we propose a user-accustomed approach to adapt mobile applications that integrate three types of interaction elements, namely localization, structural navigation and illustration. In an investigation of the proposed approach on mobile application, we empirically proved the effects of user-accustomed interaction techniques on performance and satisfaction between novice and expert users. The findings provide significant theoretical and practical implications for design and implementation of user interfaces on mobile application

Digital inclusion - the vision, the challenges and the way forward

This paper considers the vision and aspiration of digital inclusion, and then examines the current reality. It looks beyond the rhetoric to provide an analysis of the status quo, a consideration of some facilitators and challenges to progress and some suggestions for moving forward with renewed energy and commitment. The far-reaching benefits of digital inclusion and the crucial role it plays in enabling full participation in our digital society are considered. At the heart of the vision of universal digital inclusion is the deceptively simple goal to ensure that everyone is able to access and experience the wide-ranging benefits and transformational opportunities and impacts it offers. The reality is a long way from the vision: inequality of access still exists despite many national campaigns and initiatives to reduce it. The benefits and beneficiaries of a digital society are not just the individual but all stakeholders in the wider society. Research evidence has shown that the critical success factors for successful digital participation are (i) appropriate design and (ii) readily available and on-going ICT (Information and Communication Technology) support in the community. Challenges and proven solutions are presented. The proposition of community hubs in local venues to provide user-centred ICT support and learning for older and disabled people is presented. While the challenges to achieve digital inclusion are very considerable, the knowledge of how to achieve it and the technologies which enable it already exist. Harnessing of political will is necessary to make digital inclusion a reality rather than a vision. With the cooperation and commitment of all stakeholders actualisation of the vision of a digitally inclusive society, while challenging, can be achieved and will yield opportunities and rewards that eclipse the cost of implementation

Human-computer interaction for development (HCI4D):the Southern African landscape

Human-Computer interaction for development (HCI4D) research aims to maximise the usability of interfaces for interacting with technologies designed specifically for under-served, under-resourced, and under-represented populations. In this paper we provide a snapshot of the Southern African HCI4D research against the background of the global HCI4D research landscape.We commenced with a systematic literature review of HCI4D (2010-2017) then surveyed Southern African researchers working in the area. The contribution is to highlight the context- specific themes and challenges that emerged from our investigation