Nobert Rangarirai Jere

Understanding mobile phone battery - Human interaction for developing world A perspective of feature phone users in Africa

Mobile phone battery is well recognized as an open usability concern for both device manufacturers and end users. Due to the ubiquitous nature of mobile phones, battery related problems have received increasing attention in the scientific conferences. In our paper, we have presented the need for understanding and investigating Human Battery Interaction for Development (HBI4D). In our study we are mainly interested in the non-smartphone or feature phone users who belong from low income; low literacy and resource limited areas. This would enable us in understanding the existing design opportunities available for developing and designing energy efficient mobile battery solutions for emerging markets. Our work is first of its kind as almost all the existing work on battery efficiency is targeted towards smartphone users from western world. However, our work mainly comprises of users from emerging markets such as India, China and South Africa.

An assessment of ICT challenges in rural areas: ICT experts vs rural users views: a case of the Siyakhula Living Lab

Research shows that Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can make a significant contribution to economic growth and social development of communities. However, in rural areas there are challenges that appear to slow down the progress and the realisation of the impact of ICTs. These ICT challenges include poor infrastructure, technological illiteracy, high costs of ICTs etc. An assessment of ICT challenges within rural areas was done. A composite methodological approach was employed in this study. This involved the use of qualitative research techniques such as participant observation, workshops, focus groups and individual interviews supported by document analysis. The Siyakhula Living Lab (SLL) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa was used as the case study. The paper aims to identify an association between the ICT challenges based on rural ICT users and ICT experts. Two study groups were selected i.e. rural users within SLL, ICT experts in Europe and Africa, government officials and academic institutions were engaged to understand the current ICT challenges in rural areas. Each of the study groups had 50 participants. Chi-square tests were used to test the level of association between each of the challenges. Results show that there are variations in identifying current ICT challenges between SLL rural users and ICT experts. ICT experts mentioned poor ICT infrastructure as the main challenge while this was not what SLL rural users thought. Rather, the SLL community pointed technological illiteracy as the main challenge. The paper aims to show the degree on how each of the ICT challenge was viewed by each of the study groups.

Design guidelines for pervasive computing: Implications of technology use in Africa

The fast economic growth lead by worlds emerging markets, has created the need for designing suitable Pervasive technology (aka PerComp), aimed at emerging markets. However, for designing suitable PerComp, it is essential to understand the implications of PerComp technology use in emerging market context. We studied information sharing practices and implications of technology use in two rural communities of South Africa. This enabled us in understanding some of the central issues significant for designing suitable PerComp for these markets. We found ICT is in abundance but still underutilized, oral communications are preferred means of sharing information and need for an invisible technology. In order to achieve the socio-economic progress of low income, low literacy and resource constraint regions of emerging market, it is important to first understand the implications of technology use before designing any technology aiming at these markets.

Development of an Interactive Real-Time Negotiation Module for an E-commerce Platform

With developments in the Internet and Web-based technologies, distinctions between traditional markets and the global electronic marketplace-such as business capital size, are gradually being narrowed down. It is recognized that in the Information Age, e-Commerce is a powerful tool for economic growth of developing countries. While there are indications of e-Commerce patronage among large firms in developing countries, there seems to be little and negligible use of the Internet for commerce among small and medium sized firms. However, many of these e-Commerce projects in marginalized areas fail as a result of lack of the required resources to support ICTs. Different ways have been suggested for marketing products online and to create customer loyalty. This paper discusses a marketing and customer loyalty strategy through a real-time interactive negotiation application, aimed at improving the existing e-Commerce platform. The e-Commerce platform has been deployed as part of the Siyakhula Living Lab ICTD project which is undertaken for the Dwesa community in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

Wireless network deployment configurations: Dwesa marginalized area as a case study

Several technological initiatives have been, and will continue to be implemented across the world to tackle the major barriers in bridging the digital divide. These include the use of Internet and other ICTs. This is seen as a gigantic step in the alleviation of the different paramount social-economic problems, at the same time, in the transformation of the society and realization of a truly free and democratic world society. The use of technology in bridging this gap is a fundamental advancement because it also brings with it a mutual understanding and elimination of differential powers within communities in both developing and developed countries worldwide. This paper describes how different wireless access technologies can be combined and deployed to facilitate a continuous flow of information, in and out of the marginalized areas in developing countries. It further explains again, the major role of having Internet connectivity in these areas and how its seen as an improvement in successfully deployment of ICT4D activities. Different technologies such as WiFi, WiMAX and VSAT will be explored and discussed for the best wireless deployment configurations for the Siyakhula Living Lab (SLL). SLL was chosen as our test bed and it is located in Dwesa Community. This is one of the deep marginalized rural communities in South Africa found in the Eastern Cape Region.