Mobile Phones may be the Right Devices for Supporting Developing World Accessibility, but is the WWW the Right Service Delivery Model? Tapan S. Parikh Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering University of Washington W4A 2006 - Edinburgh May 23rd, 2006
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Mobile Phones may be the Right Devices for SupportingDeveloping World Accessibility, but is the WWW the
Right Service Delivery Model?
Tapan S. ParikhDept. of Computer Science and Engineering
University of Washington
W4A 2006 - EdinburghMay 23rd, 2006
Environmental challengesEnvironmental challenges– Temporally intermittent powerTemporally intermittent power– Spatially intermittent connectivitySpatially intermittent connectivity– Difficult roads and transportationDifficult roads and transportation– Lack of buildings and infrastructureLack of buildings and infrastructure
User challengesUser challenges– Low purchasing powerLow purchasing power– Limited literacy and educational opptysLimited literacy and educational opptys– Many languages and scriptsMany languages and scripts– Ubiquity of paper-based processesUbiquity of paper-based processes
Rural Computing Challenges
Hardware is a great fit for rural conditionsHardware is a great fit for rural conditions– Battery-powered, networked, low-costBattery-powered, networked, low-cost– Numeric keypad familiar to billions of usersNumeric keypad familiar to billions of users– Immediate utility of voice communicationsImmediate utility of voice communications
MobileMobile agentsagents can collect data and provide servicescan collect data and provide services– Common strategy for offering rural servicesCommon strategy for offering rural services– Convenient for users / clientsConvenient for users / clients– Leverage underemployed local workforceLeverage underemployed local workforce
But...But... mobile apps are hard to use and developmobile apps are hard to use and develop
– Barcodes and printed numeric stringsBarcodes and printed numeric stringsused to access records and functionsused to access records and functions
Content -Content - XML scripting languageXML scripting language– API for accessing phone featuresAPI for accessing phone features– Audio, video - play and recordAudio, video - play and record
– Monitor clients and loansMonitor clients and loans
– Reduce cost of service deliveryReduce cost of service delivery
Health MonitoringHealth Monitoring– Monitor disease outbreaksMonitor disease outbreaks
– Link to electronic patient recordsLink to electronic patient records
CAM Applications
A new framework for rural mobile information servicesA new framework for rural mobile information services– Leverage paper / mobile synergiesLeverage paper / mobile synergies– Unique feature set for user / device / environmentUnique feature set for user / device / environment
Many potential applicationsMany potential applications– Amortize costs across many users and servicesAmortize costs across many users and services– Browser to be released under an open source licenseBrowser to be released under an open source license
Lots of potential valueLots of potential value– Villages will benefit by managing information betterVillages will benefit by managing information better– World will benefit by building linkages with villagesWorld will benefit by building linkages with villages
Come to my (longer) talkCome to my (longer) talk tomorrow at 4PMtomorrow at 4PM in Ochil-Cin Ochil-C
Conclusions
Anil K. Gupta, Vijay Pratap Singh Aditya, Jaimin, Bhavin,Anil K. Gupta, Vijay Pratap Singh Aditya, Jaimin, Bhavin,Rushabh, Nilesh, Bharat, Kinjal, Kartik, Bhimsibhai,Rushabh, Nilesh, Bharat, Kinjal, Kartik, Bhimsibhai,Narayanbhai, Kaushik Ghosh, Apala Chavan, Sarit Arora,Narayanbhai, Kaushik Ghosh, Apala Chavan, Sarit Arora,Puneet Syal, Sasi Kumar, Paul Javid, Annaji, John, Bala,Puneet Syal, Sasi Kumar, Paul Javid, Annaji, John, Bala,Swami, Muthu, Ed Lazowska, David Notkin, James Landay,Swami, Muthu, Ed Lazowska, David Notkin, James Landay,Richard Anderson, Gaetano Borriello, Ken Fishkin, ScottRichard Anderson, Gaetano Borriello, Ken Fishkin, ScottKlemmer, Kentaro Toyama, Eric Brewer, SRISTI, IIM-A, CCD,Klemmer, Kentaro Toyama, Eric Brewer, SRISTI, IIM-A, CCD,Mahakalasm SHG Federations, Media Lab Asia, HFI-India,Mahakalasm SHG Federations, Media Lab Asia, HFI-India,HLFPPT, UWCSE, MLC, Intel, Microsoft Research India,HLFPPT, UWCSE, MLC, Intel, Microsoft Research India,David Bonderman, SEEP, IDRC, Sarai, ekgaon technologiesDavid Bonderman, SEEP, IDRC, Sarai, ekgaon technologiesand everyone else I have had the pleasure to work with.and everyone else I have had the pleasure to work with.
Thanks for all the Fish
Self-Help Groups (SHGs)Self-Help Groups (SHGs) areare member-ownedmember-owned microfinancemicrofinancegroupsgroups
– 12-20 members, over 1m SHGs in India (90% women)12-20 members, over 1m SHGs in India (90% women)
– Members from poor, disadvantaged classesMembers from poor, disadvantaged classes
– Save money during meetings, make small loans forSave money during meetings, make small loans forstarting a business, buying livestock, education, etc.starting a business, buying livestock, education, etc.
– Repayment based on peer pressureRepayment based on peer pressure
– Similar groups exist worldwide – Grameen, VillageSimilar groups exist worldwide – Grameen, VillageBanking, Credit Unions, ROSCAs, etc.Banking, Credit Unions, ROSCAs, etc.
Example App : MIS for SHGs
SHG MIS using CAM
•Online accounting and reporting service for SHGsOnline accounting and reporting service for SHGs
•Conducting pilot in Tamil Nadu, IndiaConducting pilot in Tamil Nadu, India
•Reports will be provided to NGO and banksReports will be provided to NGO and banks
Task: Record transactions during SHG meetingTask: Record transactions during SHG meeting– ““Controlled” and in-field testing during real meetingsControlled” and in-field testing during real meetings– Using barcode navigationUsing barcode navigation– Users: 14 NGO field staff from villagesUsers: 14 NGO field staff from villages– Literate - 7Literate - 7thth grade to college educationgrade to college education
Results: Mobile phonesResults: Mobile phones areare a usable solutiona usable solution– Learned system within 3 daysLearned system within 3 days– Avg 30 secs per form, 8-10 mins per meetingAvg 30 secs per form, 8-10 mins per meeting– Less than 1% error rateLess than 1% error rate– All users described interface asAll users described interface as very easyvery easy oror easyeasy
Technology for Developing WorldTechnology for Developing World –– Grisedale etGrisedale etal. (CHI 1997), Daknet, TEK, TIER, DSH, $100 Laptop, etc.al. (CHI 1997), Daknet, TEK, TIER, DSH, $100 Laptop, etc.
Mobile Microfinance Data CollectionMobile Microfinance Data Collection ––Compartamos / Accion, SKS, HP Rural Transaction SystemCompartamos / Accion, SKS, HP Rural Transaction System
Related Work
4.8B people live in developing countries (many in rural areas)4.8B people live in developing countries (many in rural areas)
Rural developing world people have many information andRural developing world people have many information andcommunication needscommunication needs
– Manage financesManage finances– Learn about business opportunitiesLearn about business opportunities– Access government servicesAccess government services– Access medical guidanceAccess medical guidance– Communicate with friends and familyCommunicate with friends and family– Transact with customers, suppliersTransact with customers, suppliers
Mostly met by 'analog' meansMostly met by 'analog' means– Paper, fax, voice communications, physical exchangePaper, fax, voice communications, physical exchange
The Rural Developing World
– Easy to UseEasy to Use: Deal with all classes of novice users: Deal with all classes of novice users
– Easy to TeachEasy to Teach: Conveyed by: Conveyed by word of mouthword of mouth
– Easy to DistributeEasy to Distribute: Remotely, and person-to-person: Remotely, and person-to-person
– Easy to ShareEasy to Share: Individuals cant afford devices: Individuals cant afford devices
– Easy to DevelopEasy to Develop: Allow local content and applications: Allow local content and applications
Can this system be used forCan this system be used for Other Naïve UsersOther Naïve Users??
What does our design mean forWhat does our design mean for Mobile Device DesignMobile Device Design??
Can we make it easy toCan we make it easy to OfferOffer Knowledge-based ServicesKnowledge-based Services??
How does this all contribute toHow does this all contribute to Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development??
Future Work
• Honey Bee Network sharesHoney Bee Network shares local knowledge and grassrootlocal knowledge and grassrootinnovationinnovation
• Publishes regional magazinesPublishes regional magazines– agricultural practices and other innovationsagricultural practices and other innovations
• Interested in finding new ways to share content andInterested in finding new ways to share content andfacilitate multi-stakeholder communicationfacilitate multi-stakeholder communication
• Visual Basic app with multi-media distributed databaseVisual Basic app with multi-media distributed databasewith asynchronous updates and messagingwith asynchronous updates and messaging
• Implemented at kiosks in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh,Implemented at kiosks in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh,Maharashtra and Tamil NaduMaharashtra and Tamil Nadu
Knownet-GrinKnowledge Network for Grassroot Innovators: A Honey Bee Project
Importance of PaperImportance of Paper– Ubiquitous in existing work practicesUbiquitous in existing work practices– Understanding tied to current tabular formatsUnderstanding tied to current tabular formats
Numeric Input / OutputNumeric Input / Output– Calculators are commonly usedCalculators are commonly used– Even semi-literate users can input numbersEven semi-literate users can input numbers– Avoids local language inputAvoids local language input
Audio OutputAudio Output– Local language audio great for building rapportLocal language audio great for building rapport– Accessible to semi-literate and illiterate usersAccessible to semi-literate and illiterate users
Hisaab: Design ObservationsParikh, Ghosh, Chavan et al. - CHI 2003, CUU 2003 (Best Paper)
Banks would love to work with SHGsBanks would love to work with SHGs– Demand for capital exceeds supplyDemand for capital exceeds supply– Excellent performance (90-98% repayment)Excellent performance (90-98% repayment)– Fulfill social (andFulfill social (and regulatoryregulatory) objectives) objectives
However, there are many obstaclesHowever, there are many obstacles– Members have little or no educationMembers have little or no education– Many practices are inconsistentMany practices are inconsistent– Groups spread across remote rural areasGroups spread across remote rural areas– Expensive to collect information and moneyExpensive to collect information and money
Scaling Microfinance in India
Information systems are key to scaling microfinanceInformation systems are key to scaling microfinance– Transaction processingTransaction processing– Monitor members and groupsMonitor members and groups– Analyse performance and impactAnalyse performance and impact– Offer more servicesOffer more services– Link to formal institutionsLink to formal institutions
Can we design a UI to document member-level SHGCan we design a UI to document member-level SHGtransactions?transactions?
– Accurate and efficientAccurate and efficient– Accessible to a variety of usersAccessible to a variety of users
– Barcodes and printed numeric stringsBarcodes and printed numeric stringsused to access records and functionsused to access records and functions
Content -Content - XML scripting languageXML scripting language– API for accessing phone featuresAPI for accessing phone features– Audio, video - play and recordAudio, video - play and record