mth fict4dmyths of ict4d - lirneasia.net
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M th f ICT4DMyths of ICT4D
Kentaro ToyamaAssistant Managing Director
Microsoft Research India
LIRNEasia @ 5: Strategies for the BOPColombo – December 11, 2009
An exception in Hollywood… is the norm in Bollywood.
Microsoft Research IndiaTechnology for Emerging Markets: Sample Projects
Digital Green
Mobiles in the
gy g g p j
Developing World
MultiPoint Text-Free UserInterfaces
Machine-ReadableReadable
Paper Forms
Warana Unwired
Three Myths
If h d 25% f lIf you had 25% of your annual income to spare right now, p g ,which would you spend it on ?on…?
a)Travel and tourismb)A part time personal assistantb)A part-time personal assistantc) A new gadget or vehicle
Myth 3: Needs trump desires.Myth 3: Needs trump desires.
A personal assistant is aA personal assistant is a “need” to Bill Gates, but not for most of us.
BOP “needs assessments”…– Better healthcare
Better education– Better education– Better income opportunities
BOP actually spends onBOP actually spends on…– Ring tones– Music and movies– Weddings and funeralsWeddings and funerals
Photo Credit: Udai Singh PawarSources: Udai Singh Pawar, Nimmi Rangaswamy, Thomas Smyth, Etc.
What is this man’s job?What is this man s job?
Which of the following will have the most impact on making you fitter…?making you fitter…?
a) Buying a treadmill
b) S lf i d ib) Self‐imposed exercise regimen
c) Hiring a physical trainer
Photo credit: http://seattle-daily-photo.blogspot.com/2009/04/elevator-operator.html
Myth 9: Automated is always better.Myth 9: Automated is always better.
Barriers of literacy, cost, yunfamiliarity, etc.
User preferences for human-User preferences for humanmediated systems
A f d t ll tiAccuracy of data collection better through call centers?
Human labor often cheaper than technology
Photo Credit: Shikoh Gitau, Jonathan DonnerSources: A. Ratan, M. Gogineni, Cost Realism in Deploying Technologies for Development, Oxford 2008.
I. Medhi, N. Gautama, K. Toyama. A Comparison of Mobile Money-Transfer Uis. CHI 2009.S. Patnaik, E. Brunskill, and W. Thies. Evaluating the Accuracy of Data Collection on Mobile Phones: A Study of Forms,
SMS, and Voice. ICTD2009.
Are you as rich as you’d like to be?Are you as rich as you d like to be?
Are you as educated as you’d like to be?
Are you as compassionate as you’d like to be?like to be?
Sources: http://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+be+rich ; http://ocw.mit.eduhttp://zenhabits.net/2007/06/a-guide-to-cultivating-compassion-in-your-life-with-7-practices/
Myth 10: Information is the bottleneck.Myth 10: Information is the bottleneck.
Information is just one ofInformation is just one of many deficiencies in poor communities; pinformation alone rarely has development impact.
Information ≠ education
Communication ≠ commerce
Scaled Successes ExistScaled Successes ExistMobile phones!p
PCs for NGO / MFI back ends
Grameen Village Phone
M-PESA
Long-distance WiFi for eye care
Etc.Photo Credit: Indrani Medhi
Key Lesson
Technology is Just One PartTechnology is Just One Part
Financial DigitalPhysical Human Social
operational costs,maintenance,
training
hardware, software,
connectivity,content
building,goods,
transport,roads
education, computer literacy,
motivation,awareness
institutions,norms,
political support
In the Developed WorldIn the Developed World…(includes wealthier segments of developing countries)
FinancialHuman SocialDigitalPhysical
operational costs,maintenance,
training
education, computer literacy,
motivation,awareness
institutions,norms,
political support
hardware, software,
connectivity,content
building,goods,
transport,roads
In the Developing WorldIn the Developing World…
Digital
hardware, software,
connectivity,content
Technology amplifies human intent and gy pcapability.
Technology requires support from well-intentioned, competent people or organizations. g
f CFor successful ICT4D, partner with well-intended, competent organizations or be prepared to build your own.
SummarySummaryMyths of ICT4D
– Technology X will save the world.– Poor people have no alternatives. – Needs are more pressing than desires.– Needs translate to business models.– If you build it, they will come.– ICT undoes “rich getting richer.”g g– Technology permits socio-economic leapfrogging. – Hardware and software are a one-time cost.– Automated is cheaper and better.p– Information is the bottleneck.
Key LessonKey Lesson– Technology is an amplifier of human will, competence, and institutions.
Y d B l d hiYou and a poor Bangladeshi rural farmer are each given a gsingle mobile phone with unlimited voice and SMS andunlimited voice and SMS, and asked to raise money for the NGO of your choice.
Who would be able to raise more money?more money?
Myth 6: ICT undoes “rich get richer.”Myth 6: ICT undoes rich get richer.
Or, “Internet democratizes …”Or, Internet democratizes …
Or, “the world is flat…”
Value of a mobile phone is dependent on humandependent on human capacity, social networks…
Technology is gymultiplicative, not additive(e.g., Tichenor et al., 1970)
Photo credit: Rikin GandhiReference: Tichenor, P.J., Donohue, G.A., & Olien, C.N. (1970).
Mass media and the differential growth in knowledge. Public Opinion Quarterly, 34, 158-70.