This talk provides an overview of the key design principles for software for Humanitarian & Development Contexts through the study the development process of a production grade diagnostic support tool developed and deployed in 2011 (and still running). Presented at a Beer & Design Talk (http://dbtalks.org/).

1. Design for Humans
D&B TALK #3 - SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2013

2. Who?
Guillaume Deflaux
Software Engineer @ Terre des hommes

3. What?
Software Design for
Humanitarian & Development
Contexts

4. Say What?!
Design & ux, but not only
Understand the design process
Understand what people do
What is so special about Humanitarian &
Development contexts?

5. Humanitarian
- ? -
Development

10. Strong Constraints
Overall Context
Technology & Infrastructure
Economical Means
User
Business Process
Culture

11. What Type of Software?
Case management for social workers
Case management for judicial workers
Stock management for aid workers
Diagnostic support for health workers

12. Registre Electronique de
Consultations
Diagnostic support tool
IMCI Protocol
Primary healthcare centers
Health workers (nurses)
Burkina faso

13. Overall Context
What is the reality of users?
Where do they work?
What are their working conditions?
clue Helps you understand the problem & imagine
the overall solution.

14. Specifications
Quick data entry
Small movable device
A lot of patients
BUsy work place

15. Infrastructure &Technology
How do People use existing technologies?
Is internet available, stable, affordable?
Is electrical power available, stable?
Are intervention areas accessible?
clue Rely & build on what exists. Do not fight the
environment.

16. SIM 1
SIM 3
SIM 2
SIM 4

17. NO
INTERNET

19. SOLAR
PANELS

20. Specifications
Quick data entry
Small movable device
Offline data Synchronization
Physical transport of data
Low power consumption device
A lot of patients
Busy work place
No internet
Motorbikes available
Solar energy

21. Users
Who are the users?
What do they hope for? What do they fear?
Assess the level of technological “savvyness”
Confront your vision with theirs
clue Know the users & take their input into
account.

23. Specifications
Quick data entry
Small movable device
Offline data Synchronization
Physical transport of data
Low power consumption device
Simple data entry
A lot of patients
Busy work place
No Internet
Motorbikes available
Solar Energy
Unexperienced users

24. Economical Means
Are people willing to pay for technology?
How much can people spend on technology?
Are there financing mechanisms available?
clue Money should not be a limiting factor. Find a
financially sustainable solution.

26. Specifications
Quick data entry
Small movable device
Offline data Synchronization
Physical transport of data
Low power consumption device
Simple data entry
Cheap replaceable hardware
A lot of patients
Busy work place
No Internet
Motorbikes available
Solar Energy
Unexperienced users
Limited finances

27. Business Process
What is the job of the users?
How do they actually perform their job?
What are the flaws of the current work practices
clue Embed the proper processes. Make sure they
are user-validated.

29. Specifications
QUICK DATA ENTRY
SMALL MOVABLE DEVICE
OFFLINE DATA SYNCHRONIZATION
PHYSICAL TRANSPORT OF DATA
LOW POWER CONSUMPTION DEVICE
SIMPLE DATA ENTRY
CHEAP REPLACEABLE HARDWARE
SEQUENTIAL & ERROR-PROF DATA ENTRY
A LOT OF PATIENTS
BUSY WORK PLACE
NO INTERNET
MOTORBIKES AVAILABLE
SOLAR ENERGY
UNEXPERIENCED USERS
LIMITED FINANCES
STRONG MEDICAL PROTOCOL

30. Culture
Understand how users perceive the technology
Understand how others perceive the technology
Understand how the technology affects
relationships
clue Work on technology acceptance.

31. The Solution

32. The Architecture
X
10-inch Netbook Customized Ubuntu Linux Web Application

33. The Hardware

34. The Statistics
3
50
200+
76’000+
220’000+
years in production
health centers
health workers trained
treated children
diagnosticswow!

35. That’s all folks!
Guillaume Deflaux
deflaux.guillaume@gmail.com
http://tdh.ch | http://pillango.im