user research – stories from rural areas in the western cape

User Research – Stories from Rural Areas in

the Western Cape

Dr Marco Pretorius

Twitter: @PretoriusMarco 3 October 2014

Last Time…

• A need to Institutionalise UX

– Uxstrategy.co.za

Say what?

UX is coming!

@GameOfThrones http://www.hbo.com/

Where are we going?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/

Road trip!

Dumb and Dumber, New Line Cinema

Not a unicorn!

What is Cape Access?

• An initiative that makes

– information and communication technology (ICT)

– more accessible to rural and underprivileged communities

– throughout the Western Cape

What is Cape Access?

• Members get free:

– Use of computers

– Access to the internet

– Access to e-mail

– Printing (max of 10 pages per person per day)

What is Cape Access?

• Members get free:

– Basic computer training

– Accredited computer training

– Access to government information and services

– Access to job, business and research information

Cape Access e-Centres

Are we packed?

iconmac FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What are Other Governments Doing?

• Gov.UK

– “Any thinking about a service, whether online or offline,

must start with the question:

• what is the user need?”

What are Other Governments Doing?

• Gov.UK

– “the need the user has of government,

• not the need of government to impart information to

the user”

What are Other Governments Doing?

• Gov.UK

– “User researchers are involved at all phases of the project

• and work closely and collaboratively with designers and

product owners.”

UNDP e-Government

– Successful ICTD/ e-governance Implementation in Developing Countries

• “Ensure the overall approach is people/citizen centered,

• and outcomes should improve the quality of life for all in the

medium and long terms” » Raúl Zambrano

User/Citizen Research

(Capability 1)

Usability Testing

(Capability 4)

UX Architecture

(Capability 2)

Design

(Capability 3)

User Experience

Our UX Team

How do we do User Research?

• Read this book:

– Interviewing users

– Steve Portigal

– @Steveportigal

How do we do User Research?

• Read this article (available online soon – ACM Digital Library):

– Focus on the Citizen: User Research in the Rural Areas of the

Western Cape Government

• Marco Pretorius

– SAICSIT 2014 • Annual Conference of the South African Institute of Computer

Scientists and Information Technologists

User Research

Methodology

1. Define goals

Why is the user research being conducted?

What will be learnt from the user research?

What actions will be taken based on the results of the user research?

Pretorius 2014, User Research Methodology

“No matter what you learn,

you can’t go wrong” -

Smillie

2. Determine user profiles

Pretorius 2014, User Research Methodology

47 Participants (2 disabled)

8 Towns (Rural areas) Swellendam, Mossel Bay, Bongolethu, Robertson, Riversdale, KwaNokuthula, Dysselsdorp, Zolani

Language isiXhosa: 26 Afrikaans: 19 English: 2

Age Below 20: 7 21-25: 10 26-30: 14 31-40: 7 41-50: 8 51-60: 1

How often do you use the Internet?

Once a month: 2 Once a week: 2 Once a day (+-1 hour): 14 Several hours a day: 29

Which phone do you have? Smart phone: 36 Basic/feature phone: 11

3. Plan the user research

Facilitator;

Assistance;

Number of participants;

Number and length of the sessions;

Equipment required;

Documents required;

Pilot study

(with stakeholders);

Costs and budget;

Timeline.

Pretorius 2014, User Research Methodology

“Rather than asking people to come to you to be interviewed,

go where they are.” - Portigal

“The first interviews should be with the stakeholders of a

product. ” - Portigal

Pretorius 2014, User Research Methodology

4. Run the session

Preparation before participants arrive:

Check that the room is available;

Make sure you have all materials to be handed out.

Pretorius 2014, User Research Methodology

4. Run the session

The session:

Introduce project members (if applicable);

Give an overview of the project;

Establish that the participant(s) are helping you. State what you want to learn. State that you are interested in hearing their stories and experiences;

Let participant(s) know what to expect: Type of questions; length of the session; it is not a test; confidentiality;

Let participant(s) introduce themselves;

Answer related question they may have;

Let participant(s) sign informed consent forms;

Facilitator runs the session from the discussion guide.

Pretorius 2014, User Research Methodology

4. Run the session

Closing:

Indicate that all the questions have been covered;

Ask if there are any final comments/questions;

Emphasise confidentiality;

Provide incentive to participants;

Ask if the participant(s) would like to be included in future user research studies.

Pretorius 2014, User Research Methodology

5. Analyse the results

Write up the session as soon as possible;

Include what participant(s) said, not just the interpretation;

6. Report the results

7. Use the results

Article available soon

– ACM Digital Library

Is our Map/GPS packed?

In a Rural Area – No Roads on Google Maps

de.wikipedia.org

Result nr 1….Maps Were Not Accurate

• What did the users say?

– Add directions

• from Checkers, Spar, “the big circle”, etc.

Maps were updated!

Places to Visit

Mossel Bay

Bongolethu (Oudtshoorn)

Robertson

Swellendam

Dysselsdorp (near Oudtshoorn)

KwaNokuthula (near Plettenberg Bay)

Riversdale

Zolani (near Ashton)

Story Time – Storie Tyd!

www.vintagemedia.co.za

Xolani

• Has his own cosmetics blog – sangoma

• Writes his blog at the Cape Access e-Centre

– Monitors his business

Cape Access provides

opportunities

Cape Access Provides Opportunities

• Videos

Cape Access provides opportunities

• Look for jobs

• Type their CVs

We need to

provide CV

templates online

Phumezo

• Part of an NPO that runs a laundry centre

– Creates work opportunities for women with HIV

– Uses the e-Centre for creating quotes and invoices

• We need to provide business templates online

NPO applies for social

development grants

Walks to the Thusong

centre, bank, post office,

school, police station…

John and Lucky

• Starting your own businesses

Tax clearance certificate

- Need to drive

- from KwaNokuthula to

George and back

- From Zolani to Worcester

and back

What Services Can We Provide Online?

Sandiswa

• Development manager – teaches computer literacy to the community

• Helps his grand-father to apply for old age grant

“I want to help to improve

the community”

“only 1% of my friends

update their Facebook status in Xhosa”

Language

• As is: only English on the website(s)

• Western Cape official languages:

What did the participants say?

Language

• “We prefer an English website – Xhosa is very difficult to read”

• Bongolethu: “Our Xhosa not the same as others – „Tsotsi taal‟”

– A mix of Afrikaans and Xhosa

• “Some people feel shy speaking English”

• “Reading and writing English is easier than speaking it”

Language

• “Afrikaans – ons mense is Afrikaans. Verwerp Engelse goed –

veral die ouerige mense”

• “Ons is automaties gehotwire dat computers Engels is. Ons se

nie skoot rekenaar nie, ons se laptop”

• Robertson: “Mense hier baie Afrikaans – as hulle kan moet

hulle dit tweetalig maak. Ouer mense belangrik dat dit

Afrikaans is – nie so jonger mense nie”

Language

• Most people want to use the website in English,

– but say that the option of different languages could be useful to the

elderly

• People want to talk/be helped in their own language (for example at a

Thusong or Walk-in Centre)

Requires more

collaboration,

research and testing!

Asanda

• A blind users

– Currently we do not have PCs to support them

– Centre staff help them to type CVs, send e-mails

– Video

We need to provide

screen reader software at

Cape Access e-Centres

- Research in progress

School Children

• Homework, research

• Play games

• Facebook

• Place to be social

Young Adults

• Career advice

• Bursaries

• List of universities

A Few of Our e-Centre Staff Members

A Few More

Results…

Majority of Participants had Smart Phones

What Phone are you Buying Next?

Why the smart phones?

Picture quality

Bigger (size)

Big screen

Touchscreen

WiFi

Internet

-> Access online better

Download apps

Fast

Not that expensive

Not a lot of Feature Phones

• 2 participants: smart phones were stolen – only reason they have

feature phone

• Only 1 participant preferred a feature phone – because he only wants to SMS and make calls

– Will these users ever use online services?

Cape Access Website is Responsive!

(1st WCG site)

What a Trip – Time to Go Home

Which way to Cape Town?

Next Round of

Research

Cape Access e-Centres

In Closing…

Conclusions – Need for User Research

• Become user centric

• Improve UX Maturity Level

– Need to move to level 5 and 6

Renato Feijo

Thank you

Questions?

Tel: Fax:

www.westerncape.gov.za

Contact Us

Dr Marco Pretorius

User Experience Manager: e-Government for Citizens

Twitter: @PretoriusMarco uxstrategy.co.za

Marco.pretorius@westerncape.gov.za

Marco.pretorius@gmail.com