Challenges when building mobile citizen-science/data-collection applications for non-literate users

What is it about?

Mobile computing has a tremendous potential for data collection, analysis, and visualisation. Yet, built by affluent Western users, mobile computing faces severe challenges when transplanted to rural developing regions. In this work we gather experiences on mobile technology use for citizen science projects in rural developing regions and devise actionable guidelines on how to improve mobile interaction in such regions.

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Why is it important?

Rapidly approaching consequences call for a revision of contemporary industrial and societal practices. Indigenous knowledge on sustainable agriculture, natural resource preservation, and numerous other aspects, carries a great potential for improving current practices. However, voices of people living in Amazon jungles, Congo Basin, South African bush, and other rural developing regions, are often overheard. Our research helps define guidelines on how to design mobile interaction technologies that will, among other things, help gather and disseminate precious indigenous knowledge.