designing on mars sdn2010 v06

DESIGNING ON MARS

The participatory technique of Technology

Probes: a case study in Burkina Faso

Create11, London | June 23rd 2011

GIOVANNI INNELLAgiovanni.innella@gmail.com | @giovanninnella

VALENTINA NISIvalentina.nisi@gmail.com

FRANCO PAPESCHIfranco.papeschi@gmail.com | @bobbywatson

3

INTERNET

HERE

GDP

204th

/227

$1,200 per capita

Sources:

https://www.cia.gov/

http://www.freedomhouse.org/

Burkina Faso

Employment rate

197th

/227

77% unemployed

Sources:

https://www.cia.gov/

http://www.freedomhouse.org/

Burkina Faso

Life expectancy

203rd

/227

53 years

Sources:

https://www.cia.gov/

http://www.freedomhouse.org/

Burkina Faso

Population below poverty line

46,4%

Sources:

https://www.cia.gov/

http://www.freedomhouse.org/

8

WHY INTERNET, THEN?

Immediate Long term

MEDIUM TERMImmediate Long term

WRITEREAD WEB

http://www.baekdal.com/design/Cool-

Objects/brix/

TECHNOLOGY MEDIATES

CULTURE,

CULTURE MEDIATES

TECHNOLOGY

GET STARTED

WHERE:

Ouahigouya (Burkina Faso)

WHO:

20 locals between 18-40 with basic

familiarity with computer

WHAT:

Teach Internet and explore the impact

on people’s daily lives

FOR HOW LONG:

About 2 months

FROM THEORY

TO HANDS-ON

“WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH

THIS?”

WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH

GOOGLE MAPS?

Provide visitors of a

map

Tour guides through

mobile

Provide visitors of a

map

What did we learn from this?

Reveal hidden layer of location-based information,

waiting to be surfaced

Create new set of services, based on the involvement of

local people through a digital layer

Disclose cultural elements:

some people have the role of keeping information,

through oral storytelling

WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH

SKYPE?

Combine Skype

contact with drum

Combine Skype

contact with drum

Sell product + contact

Combine Skype

contact with drum

Sell product + contact Skype lessons

Why is this good:

For participants it was a more practical way of learning, and

a chance to generate concepts of services and micro-

businesses that would make sense into their lives.

For us their ideas, were effective ways to gather insights

about the local culture/context.

The information gathered was usually pertinent to the

specific technology introduced and its application there.

TECHNOLOGY PROBES

Technology probes

FACILITATORPARTICIPANT

GET TO KNOW THE TOOL PRESENT THE TOOL

ABSORBFACILITATE CONCEPT

GENERATION

GENERATE POTENTIAL USES INTERPRET

1

2

3

CULTURAL

PROBES

Describe the present

Depict yourself through

normality

Continuation

TECHNOLOGY

PROBES

Draw future scenarios

Depict yourself through change

Disruption

SO, WHAT?!?

DON’T TEACH, MAKE!

People are more interested when they practice and

have some autonomy

LET THEM DESIGN

Concepts reveal people’s culture, needs and dreams

much more than a focus group

MISUSING IS DESIGNING

Facilitate tinkering beyond what is proposed

ANYBODY LEARNING SOMETHING

IS A POTENTIAL TEACHER

Create a core of people that can evolve

into a community over time

VALENTINA NISIValentina.nisi@gmail.com

GIOVANNI INNELLAgiovanni.innella@gmail.com

THANKS