Establishing Relationships for Designing Rural Information Systems

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Establishing Relationships for Designing Rural
Information Systems
UC Berkeley School of Information

• Tapan S. Parikh
• http//ischool.berkeley.edu/parikh
  parikh_at_berkeley.edu

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Designing Rural Information Systems

• Three billion people live in the developing
  world, many of them in rural areas.
• They have many of the same information needs that
  we do, but with different constraints
• Limited purchasing power
• Lack of infrastructure (power, communications,
  shelter, transportation)
• Limited education
• Limited economic opportunities

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Overview

• Our Partners Asobagri, Mahalakasm
• Guidelines
• Establishing Rapport
• Designing Relevant Solutions
• Overcoming Evaluation Challenges
• Overview of Projects

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Our Partners

• Mahakalasm SHG Federation
• 6 year relationship
• MIS (Management and Information System)
• 17 users serving over 10,000 people (and growing)
• Asobagri Coffee Cooperative
• 2 year relationship
• ICS (Internal Control System)
• Piloted in Mexico and Guatemala currently used
  by over 1,000 farmers as part of their regular
  operations

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Building Relationships

• Establishing Rapport
• Designing Relevant Solutions
• Overcoming Evaluation Challenges

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Establishing Rapport
show you are tough

• show you are capable

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Establishing Rapport
set clear goals

• be willing to help however you can

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Establishing Rapport
being local

• show you care

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Designing Relevant Solutions
listen

• identify local champions

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Overcoming Evaluation Challenges

• at first, be patient
• and flexible

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Overcoming Evaluation Challenges
conduct experiments that are relevant for
participants

• balance control and enthusiasm

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Overcoming Evaluation Challenges
use accumulated social capital to achieve better
testing conditions

• take compliments with a grain of salt

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Overview of Projects

• Mahakalasm MIS
• Digital ICS

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Mahakalasm MIS
Framework for SHG data collection and
reporting Increased transparency within SHG
Improved documentation when applying for
loans Provide new services to members (e.g.
flexible savings)
ekgaon.com
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Digital ICS

• Internal Control System for certified coffee
• Allows cooperative to manage quality,
  certifications

Inspection
Evaluation
Report Generation
Evaluators use a web application
Reports are generated automatically
Internal Inspectors use mobile phones
w/ Yael Schwartzman
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Summary

• Design for, and with, real people, real
  organizations, and their real problems
• Aiming for on-the-ground impact sustains your
  credibility and provides real incentives for
  local collaborators

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Brainstorming

• How could you design a class, or educational
  experience, that captures the lessons in this
  lecture, and teaches students about designing
  rural computing applications in a realistic and
  grounded manner?

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For Next Time

• Blog about this lecture
• If you are still interested in presenting in
  class, please let me know

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Mahakalasm A SHG Federation

• SHGs
• 10-15 people per group
• 90 women
• Accumulate savings and provide loans to members
• Mahakalasm (great vessel)
• Located in Natham, Tamil Nadu, India
• Independent body of approx. 150 SHGs
• Managed by an elected Board of Directors from
  SHG membership

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Asobagri A Coffee Cooperative

• Located in Barillas, Guatemala
• Producer / Exporter
• Values
• Unity, Solidarity, Responsibility, Quality,
  Equality, Continuous Betterment, Sustainability,
  Respect.
• Mission
• Provide market access
• Promote education
• Fair Trade
• Maintain respect environment