Guessability as an ethnographic study of mobile technology usage in Kenya

Abstract

Culturally relevant technology (CRT) and computing is an emergent field of Computer Science -- Human Centered Computing concerned with contributions to understanding and developing better interactions among people and the technology they use. The global diffusion of technology means that more people who may have not previously had exposure or availability of technology are now able to access or own technologies that can connect them to the digital world. This has created an environment that makes the developing world a ripe market for technological business enterprise. More specifically, Africa has been the focus of much research in the field of computing and development, there has been little focus on para-poor mobile technology development in the field of user-experience and usability -- specifically considering studies that include developing populations at the beginning of the user experience development process. This note serves to introduce research that incorporates guessability methodologies in mobile interface gesture usage as a platform for ethnographic studies in Kenya mobile technology usage in hopes of developing understanding and mobile gesture interfaces that can benefit both emergent and current user populations.