The Computing Innovation Fellows Project

Posted on: Saturday, May 16th, 2009
Broad Research Area: HCI / CSCW, Information Systems / Information Science, Mobile / Ubiquitous / Embedded Computing, Other, Social Computing / Social Informatics, Technology Policy

Research Interests:

The rapid progress in our ability to gather, store, analyze and communicate data has spurred an empirical revolution in fields as diverse and important as medicine, astronomy, biochemistry, economics and ecology. Responding to the challenge of global development must draw upon the same empirical and scientific methods. Existing disparities make it essential for the poorest and most under-developed communities to be able to contribute to, and benefit from, the global pool of knowledge. I seek to design information tools, targeting mobile phones and other low-cost hardware devices, that are accessible to individuals and institutions working in rural areas of the developing world.
Computing applications have already provided many new opportunities to empowered individuals and institutions, both in the developed and in the developing world. However, their diffusion and benefits have been limited to those with access to the necessary infrastructure and capital. The challenges faced by those without such capacity are multiple. First, there are limitations of access to appropriate devices, and supporting infrastructure, including electricity and network connectivity. The rapid proliferation of mobile devices and wireless connectivity is putting relatively low-cost information access in the hands of billions, making significant progress towards addressing this limitation. Within the near future, a majority of the world’s population will have access to a mobile device, either their own, or one they can borrow from a friend, neighbor or relative.
However, access to technology does not solve the information challenges faced by rural individuals, communities and institutions. They still need appropriate content and applications. The institutions that are most active in serving rural communities in the developing world, including community-based organizations (CBOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local governments, lack the tools needed to aggregate, manage and utilize data, and to provide useful information services to their constituents. Building these tools requires local capacity for software development, installation, training, maintenance and support. In most countries, if there is such an IT services sector, it is focused on outsourcing and building commercial applications serving large companies and governments, primarily targeting urban users. Local institutions, if they can afford software development, must rely on second and third-tier programming talent.
In my research, I take a multi-pronged approach towards addressing this challenge. First, I seek to make the tools of software development and data management more accessible to local institutions, so that minimally trained software developers can build robust and full-featured applications, and so that novice administrators can maintain and support them. I also aim to make applications that are easier to learn and use, reducing the overhead of training and support. My methodology is characterized by establishing sustained design relationships with local partners, conducting field work to understand local needs, preferences and limitations, uncovering technical challenges, conducting experiments with scientific and practical implications, culminating in the deployment of real systems. Rigorous evaluation is also an important part of my work. In collaboration with social scientists and development experts, I seek to assess the efficacy of these interventions using a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods.

Contact Information:

By email