VeSeL is described in this article published in the Guardian newspaper (UK) on 19 June. The project is also mentioned in this item from Futurelab.

Workshop: Designing human centred technologies for the developing world: HCI but not as we know it
Tue, 4 Sept. 2007
Lancaster, UK

http://hct4d.blogspot.com/

Part of the HCI 2007 conference (http://www.bcs-hci.org.uk/hci2007/)
Cost: £80 before 5 Aug. (workshop only)

INTRODUCTION
With huge investments being made in ICT for development (ICT4D) and education (e.g. "$100 laptop," UN programmes etc.) and high expectations being raised, it is critical to ensure that ICT developments are in fact usable, useful, appropriate and well adapted to the communities and contexts in which they are intended to be used. This requires well designed solutions, which in turn requires appropriate human-centred design methods. However, it is unclear that methods largely developed for and with users in the developed world will prove appropriate in the developing world. This workshop aims to bring together interested parties and strengthen the User-centred design for development (UCS4D) community, as well as contribute to the body of knowledge about designing for and with communities in the developing world.

GOALS OF THE WORKSHOP

The visiting VeSeL researchers brought back some newspapers from Nairobi, which contained some interesting things:

The Sunday Standard on 27 May 2007 had a tech section, in advance of the e-Learning Africa conference in Nairobi that week, along with a paid supplement about the conference. This included a story on the battle between cheap laptops (OLPC and Intel). It did not specify whether either would be available in Kenya, but noted that countries had until 31 May to place orders for 250,000 or more OLPCs at $175 each. Intel claimed to have orders for 'thousands' of 'Classmate' PCs at just over $200 each. Prices of both are expected to fall to below $100.

A separate story reported on Computer Aid International, which has sent over 75,000 PCs to developing countries, half of those to schools. It has provided computers to 36 weather stations in Kenya, to record and analyse data for crop and livestock productivity, and to forecast malaria outbreaks.

The main methodology used for requirements elicitation and cultural context was observation and structured interviews but in addition they carried out a few specific activities such as a survey of mobile phone usage, preliminary evaluation of mobile phone interfaces and iPods and the elicitation of cultural differences through the use of cultural probes and sorting techniques. This is important because the HCI community of researchers is relatively ignorant about Kenyan culture in terms of user interface design preferences and the acceptance of technology.

User Issues

Homes in Kambu

VeSeL researchers from the University of Nairobi and Thames Valley University liaised with the local community groups, visiting the farms, interviewing old and young members of the community and integrating as much as possible with the everyday life of the community and focusing particularly on the adoption of technology. In addition they visited two schools to explore future cooperation and in Kamba the local radio station. In Kambu there is a local radio called Radio Mang’elete which is the only community radio in Kenya. It is owned by 38 women groups and it is run by local volunteers who are trained by CIDA.

Kiini school in Kiangwachi

Kiangwachi is a fertile land and any crop seems to do well. Probably if farmers are encouraged to grow a certain crop, then VeSeL could look into ways of finding suitable markets. The average size of land per farmer is 1.75 acres. If a value crop is planted on this 1.75 acre, the farmers would greatly benefit. It would then be crucial to obtain a market link for this value crop. This crop would need to be Euro certified (assuming the market is European). There is an expert on Euro certification in the community

One of the Agricultural students from the University of Nairobi will produce French beans seeds as part of his MSc project

Today was dedicated to visiting the first four and closest members to our hotel. Though, I had planned to start as early as 7.30am with an interview with Titus Kisavi, who is enthusiastic about growing Jatropha ("green diesel"), with a quick visit to some Jatropha fields.

I had requested also to be hosted as close as possible to the community. A MDI member offered to be my host. However, due to the fact that Cecilia will be left alone in the hotel as Sylvia and Dr. N’Gugi returned to Nairobi this afternoon, I only stayed the first night with Titus.

Logistical Nightmare

Mtito Andei Initiative

We departed the University of Nairobi at 9:15 on Monday and collected Dr. N’Gugi on the way before heading for Kambu. On board were, Dr. N’Gugi and Sylvia Henga of the University of Nairobi, Cecilia and I. The trip was relatively easy, safe and fairly on time (arrived before 2pm) for the first meeting and lunch with Mtito Andei Initiative board members.

The meeting

Thirteen members of MDI were present at the meeting. Their new IT technician (Isak) was also present. A desktop computer and a printer were already in operation maintained by Isak.

It is only the second day, and the VeSeL researchers have already interviewed 20 people in Kiangwachi.

"The visits started at 10am after rehearsal on use of the equipment to collect data," writes Souleymane Camara. "I set out to visit the fields, the household settings, capturing anything that seems to convey some cultural meaning." He interviews one of the farmers, walking through the house, asking him the how and why of things of interest.

Among the things he notices is the ingenious design of a chicken barn, the top for storing crops and the bottom at ground level for the chicken to live in. "This way," he relates, "the crop falling from bags stored above are not wasted."

Both pairs of researchers gathered many findings of interest:

• The village governance structure is not clear to farmers, who tend to go with whichever authority they feel will help with their issues.

The visit began with a meeting in Nairobi. 'Excellent prospects here,' reported Souleymane Camara after meeting with Dr. Kahiu N'Gugi of the University of Nairobi. 'We are now all talking the same language.' Souleymane and Cecilia Oyugi, from Thames Valley University in the UK, will be in Kenya until the end of the month.

They next met with Masters students in Agriculture from the university. These students will form a key part of the VeSeL team as the main local researchers; VeSeL provides a context for their degree projects.