designing on mars sdn2010 v06
DESCRIPTION
A case study in Ouahigouya, Burkina FasoTRANSCRIPT
DESIGNING ON MARS
The participatory technique of Technology
Probes: a case study in Burkina Faso
Create11, London | June 23rd 2011
GIOVANNI [email protected] | @giovanninnella
VALENTINA [email protected]
FRANCO [email protected] | @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
