UbiComp4D : Infrastructure and Interaction for International Development Nithya Sambasivan | UC, Irvine Nimmi Rangaswamy | Microsoft Research India Ed Cutrell | Microsoft Research Bonnie Nardi | UC, Irvine The Case of Urban Indian Slums

It’s a planet of slums World population: 6.7 billion No. of people below $2.50 a day: 3 billion No. of non-literate: 1 billion No. of people in slums : 1 billion Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009 Accelerated poverty In hypercities and megacities Acute shortage of resources Ubicomp can play a role here

World population: 6.7 billion

No. of people below $2.50 a day: 3 billion

No. of non-literate: 1 billion

No. of people in slums : 1 billion

Accelerated poverty

In hypercities and megacities

Acute shortage of resources

Ubicomp can play a role here

Ubicomp Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Ubicomp Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009 Traditionally for wealthy western audiences Weiser’s vision invisible, seamless, ubiquitous computation Messy “Ubicomp of the present” [Bell & Dourish]

Traditionally for wealthy western audiences

Weiser’s vision

invisible, seamless, ubiquitous computation

Messy “Ubicomp of the present” [Bell & Dourish]

Rethinking Ubicomp – Ubicomp4D Understanding use and appropriation of tech in low-income contexts is critical Ubicomp4D is the application of ubiquitous computing in addressing poverty-related issues Low-cost, robust technological solutions in resource-constrained environments Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Understanding use and appropriation of tech in low-income contexts is critical

Ubicomp4D is the application of ubiquitous computing in addressing poverty-related issues

Low-cost, robust technological solutions

in resource-constrained environments

In this talk.. Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009 Ethnographic findings from slums of Mumbai and Bangalore, India Reimagining Ubicomp toward development Design considerations for Ubicomp

Ethnographic findings from slums of Mumbai and Bangalore, India

Reimagining Ubicomp toward development

Design considerations for Ubicomp

Concepts ICT4D and millennium development goals Health care [Sherwani et al] Agriculture [Gandhi et al] Education [Kam et al] Livelihoods [Jenson et al] User innovations: Calling Practices [Sey] , sharing [Burrell] , Small Business: India [Donner] , Social networking: Jamaica [Horst & Miller] Infrastructure : a vision of infrastructure that can be physical, social and interpersonal installations [Mainwaring et al] Information Ecologies : system of people, practices, values and technologies in specific environments [Nardi] Communication Ecologies : processes describing people communicating with others through extended social networks [Tacchi] Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

ICT4D and millennium development goals

Health care [Sherwani et al] Agriculture [Gandhi et al] Education [Kam et al] Livelihoods [Jenson et al]

User innovations: Calling Practices [Sey] , sharing [Burrell] , Small Business: India [Donner] , Social networking: Jamaica [Horst & Miller]

Infrastructure : a vision of infrastructure that can be physical, social and interpersonal installations [Mainwaring et al]

Information Ecologies : system of people, practices, values and technologies in specific environments [Nardi]

Communication Ecologies : processes describing people communicating with others through extended social networks [Tacchi]

Methods Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009 Ethnography Participant observation Semi-Structured interviews Surveys Photo Diaries Profiles of technology use Context Habitats 3 (Mumbai 1 Bangalore 2) people 32 (25 women 7) self employed ,services secondary to no schooling migrants

Ethnography

Participant observation

Semi-Structured interviews

Surveys

Photo Diaries

Profiles of technology use

Context

Habitats 3 (Mumbai 1 Bangalore 2)

people 32 (25 women 7)

self employed ,services

secondary to no schooling

migrants

Research site: The Slum Ecology Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009 External Geography Metro-core Assorted habitats of main roads and small alleyways Dynamic Commercial space Assorted enterprises and services Domestic Space 100-200 sq feet, partitioned, open doorways Communal Space Play grounds Water Taps Street corners Door steps

External Geography

Metro-core

Assorted habitats of main roads and small alleyways

Dynamic Commercial space

Assorted enterprises and services

Domestic Space

100-200 sq feet, partitioned, open doorways

Communal Space

Play grounds

Water Taps

Street corners

Door steps

Infrastructure Disruptive Discontinuous Unstable Usage Communication Entertainment Devices Nokia 2600 Phone/radio Phone Camera Cable TV/VCD Fridge/ Blender Home PC Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009 Technology landscape

Infrastructure

Disruptive

Discontinuous

Unstable

Usage

Communication

Entertainment

Devices

Nokia 2600 Phone/radio

Phone Camera

Cable TV/VCD

Fridge/ Blender

Home PC

Vignette 1 : Kannama shared Work Phone Kannama, 70, widow Shares a Nokia 2600 with son and daughter-in-law Mobile is work-phone Work efficiency Constant connectivity Status updates Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Kannama, 70, widow

Shares a Nokia 2600 with

son and daughter-in-law

Mobile is work-phone

Work efficiency

Constant connectivity

Status updates

Vignette 2 : Shabnum: Rich Mobile Use Shabnum, 27, single mother of 2 Support artiste with national TV All-purpose Mobile Phone Always on Expanded memory 100 Songs 4 Movies 50 photos Alerts and notifications Her life-line Her bodyguard Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Shabnum, 27, single mother of 2

Support artiste with national TV

All-purpose Mobile Phone

Always on

Expanded memory

100 Songs

4 Movies

50 photos

Alerts and notifications

Her life-line

Her bodyguard

Vignette 3 : Pushpa’s Mediated VCD Pushpa, 31, mother of three, domestic worker Movies and music everyday Husband is tech operator Son mediates VCD use Proximate intermediary Their father usually operates these devices. I don’t know how I can watch movies without their assistance Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Pushpa, 31, mother of three, domestic worker

Movies and music everyday

Husband is tech operator

Son mediates VCD use

Proximate intermediary

Their father usually operates these devices. I don’t know how I can watch movies without their assistance

Socio-Technical Ecology Family Peer Friends Experts Business partners Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009 Oral/ graphic Communal Semi-private Shared Mediated Managed Phone TV VCD Radio Print PC Dynamics Technology

Family

Peer

Friends

Experts

Business partners

Oral/ graphic

Communal

Semi-private

Shared

Mediated

Managed

Phone

TV

VCD

Radio

Print

PC

Re-imagining Ubicomp for Development Aspirations incorporate the technological dream Despite resource deficits, they heavily consume ICTs However, still plagued by poverty Turn the consumption into a resource Ubicomp builds good user experiences anywhere/everywhere ICT4D is a social, economic, cultural, infrastructural, political Multi-disciplinarity Ubicomp4D: between grounded-ness and proximate future Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Aspirations incorporate the technological dream

Despite resource deficits, they heavily consume ICTs

However, still plagued by poverty

Turn the consumption into a resource

Ubicomp builds good user experiences anywhere/everywhere

ICT4D is a social, economic, cultural, infrastructural, political

Multi-disciplinarity

Ubicomp4D: between grounded-ness and proximate future

Design considerations: Infrastructure Automation is not always the answer Human mediators often inexpensive , more usable than automation Enables ground checks and tech diffusion e.g., DigitalGreen and StoryBank projects Reinforces social networks Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Human mediators often inexpensive , more usable than automation

Enables ground checks and tech diffusion

e.g., DigitalGreen and StoryBank projects

Reinforces social networks

Electricity failures , technology obsolescence Seamful design [Chalmers and MacColl] Beyond beautiful Delay-tolerant networks [Aoki & Ho] Asynchronous design Tolerance of heat and dust Design for interrupted use, non-use Design considerations: Infrastructure Design for Disruptions Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Electricity failures , technology obsolescence

Seamful design [Chalmers and MacColl]

Beyond beautiful

Delay-tolerant networks [Aoki & Ho]

Asynchronous design

Tolerance of heat and dust

Design for interrupted use, non-use

Instead of introducing new technologies, build upon the existing Mobile phones are great But , inexpensive large displays, phone projectors, computer-TV Interlinking can add to computational power Design considerations: Infrastructure Create low-cost technologies Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Instead of introducing new technologies, build upon the existing

Mobile phones are great

But , inexpensive large displays, phone projectors, computer-TV

Interlinking can add to computational power

Information handling is oral informal , fluid, and negotiable exchange Literacy levels are diverse Build for non-literacy Visual and auditory modalities Design considerations: Interaction Design for orality and literacy Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Information handling is oral

informal , fluid, and negotiable exchange

Literacy levels are diverse

Build for non-literacy

Visual and auditory modalities

Multi-purpose spaces, objects, technologies Cramming objects Design must accommodate uses Design for appropriation Design considerations: Interaction Multi-purpose design Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Multi-purpose spaces, objects, technologies

Cramming objects

Design must accommodate uses

Design for appropriation

Security : Contextual handling Tightening security may be disruptive to daily lives Design : Multiple user profiles Location can undermine/encourage usage Communal places are opportunistic locations Design considerations: Interaction Community Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Security : Contextual handling

Tightening security may be disruptive to daily lives

Design : Multiple user profiles

Location can undermine/encourage usage

Communal places are opportunistic locations

Conclusion Presented technology usage in slum communities Creative appropriation of ICTs A starting point is collaboration with local and grassroots partners Ubicomp for a global community Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Presented technology usage in slum communities

Creative appropriation of ICTs

A starting point is collaboration with local and grassroots partners

Ubicomp for a global community

Questions? Ubicomp4D, Ubicomp 2009

Questions?