jussi

Company Confidential

Globicomp/Ubicomp/2009/OrlandoJussi Impiö/NRC/BeijingLab/Africa

1. NRC? 1 min

2. Nokia Research Africa 9 min

3. Bright and Dark Visions 30 min

4. Conclusions 5 min

5. Discussion 15 min


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Nokia Research Center:

1. Helsinki Lab

2. Tampere Lab

3. Euro Lab (Cambridge UK, Lausanne)

4. Palo Alto (Cambridge, Berkley, Hollywood)

5. Beijing Lab (Beijing, Bangalore (India), Nairobi (Sub-Saharan Africa)

Globicomp/Ubicomp/2009

Nokia Research Africa


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• Nokia Research Africa studies the people in low-income communities in Sub-Saharan Africa

• To develop services and devices to best suit the needs of African users• Focus: 2-6 years ahead

1. Field research in and with the communities

2. Concept design and prototyping

3. Field trialing and further development

SUSTAINABILITYEconomical and socio-cultural




Jussi Impiö / National Museum Nairobi / 30.09.2008

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• New approach to total cost of ownership, business models• Services and devices which can spark and accelerate the growth of the

grassroots economy and active citizenship

1. Affordable devices

2. Beneficiary and profitable services

3. Local content for the local needs

SUSTAINABILITYEconomical and socio-cultural





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• 1.) Micro economics:• Micro entrepreneurship and trade• Informal banking• Mobile payment• Mobile Banking• TCO

• 2.) Social / Media:• Relevance• Trust • Control (Peer, NGO, Governmental, etc)• Medium• 2way (creation, consumption)

Research projects intersecting various areas simultaneously

Nokia Research Africa: 2 Focus Areas:Globicomp/Ubicomp/2009



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• Engineering: 6• Usability: 1• UI Design: 2• Social Sciences: 2• Development

Economy:1• + one more this

year…

Mokeira, Lucy, Pauline Imelda, Moses, Emmanuel, Billy, Tito, Brian, Wendy, Shihui, Jussi

Nokia Research Africa: Who:Globicomp/Ubicomp/2009


VISION: Bright Visions & Dark Visions: Analogy A: Biology

Introducing new species in to the new habitat:1. Why? What is the benefit of the

introduction?2. What are the potential effects to

the environment?1. Which endemic/localized

species are in that same ecological niche?

2. Will they be endangered? How?

3. Attracting and supporting harmful species?

4. Resources: water, nutrition3. Can the benefits and harmful

effects be measured and weighted?

4. Can the harmful effects be controlled?

5. How to make it survive?


Is this the only question R&D ever asks?


“All human networks are mixture of co-operation and competition. In the end the communities and their strength is all about communication. Communication allows co-operation between individuals. Because of communication, group of individuals can set and try to achieve common goals and it allows individuals to specialize in what they know best and are most motivated to. The co-operation, created by the improved communication, can make communities much stronger and richer than they otherwise would be. In time, the improved communication leads eventually also towards greater inequality between the communities and within the communities.”

Historians J.R. MC Neill, William H. Mc Neill in their book: Human Web

Globicomp/Ubicomp/2009VISION: Bright Visions & Dark Visions: Analogy B: History (human evolution)


1. Education (children)2. Active citizenship (M-Democracy and Social

/Media)3. Agriculture4. Health care5. Micro business6. Mobile banking7. Gender equality (empowering of women)

VISION: Bright Visions & Dark VisionsGlobicomp/Ubicomp/2009


VISION 1: Mobile Education: Current Problem areas

Problems:• school fees + other expences• large class sizes (125)• Teachers (language /other skills)• Outdated educational material• Inequality in school: gender, family, tribe,

social/economical status + corruption• Malnutrition



© 2008 Nokia V1-Filename.ppt / YYYY-MM-DD / Initials

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• Access to free/affrodable educational material with individual mobile devices:

• Eductional content timely and relevant for the location and society to the individuals devices

• Teachers receiving educational content: • Access to free/affrodable educational material with individual mobile

devices • Eductional content timely and relevant for the location and society to

individual devices• Information about educational opportunities available• Youth empowerment trough participation and active citizenship

VISION 1: Mobile Education: The Bright Vision


Why would it not happen:• Systems too expensive for the govenments • Resistance from governements• Systems too expensive: devices, services inaccesible• Content not understandable to the teachers: no cultural relevance,

language• Content not understandable to the children: no cultural relevance,

language

VISION 1: Mobile Education: The Dark Vision: Globicomp/Ubicomp/2009


If it happens, then it could lead to:• Incrasing inequality between, areas, schools,

and individuals• Treath of theft (children carrying expensive

devices) and physical damage• Systems used for delivering government

propaganda• Systems used for delivering commercial

propaganda

VISION1: Mobile Education: The Dark VisionGlobicomp/Ubicomp/2009


VISION 2: M-Democracy (social /media): Current Problem areas

Communal/individual Ignorance and passivity: • Isolation and hyper locality• Language• Lack of access to government data/officials• Low media exposure: 1 copy of newspaper to 20 000 people

Neglected by the governance:• Corruption, Nepotism, Tribalism• language• Lack of resources



Tools: Effective and affordable 2 way information delivery:• Free/affordable platform for citizen journalism and dialogue:• Isolated same minded marginalized groups and individuals have possibility

to unite for greater influence• Corruption, nepotism and tribalism can be controlled trough social control

by open and equal dialogue and free and objective press.

• Access to government information: rights and responsibilities• NGO´s have better access to the communities with their projects• Access to media: understanding own position in local, country,

continent and global context

VISION 2: M-Democracy: The Bright VisionGlobicomp/Ubicomp/2009


Why would it not happen:

• No business model to sustain the mobile citizen platform in low-income communities

• No network coverage everywhere• Governments resisting expanding of civic rights and open word to

secure their position

VISION 2: M-Democracy: The Dark VisionGlobicomp/Ubicomp/2009


VISION 2: M-Democracy: The Dark Vision

If it happens, then it could lead to:

• Areas without access become even more marginalized and vulnerable• Local cultures and languages are overwritten with more powerful cultures and

languages:• Monoculture, dominated by English/French and commercial culture influenced

by the west• Aid dependency increases. Help is not necessary development.• Open uncontrolled media platform for the heterogeneous audience with

no/limited previous exposure to media or social media:• Propaganda: religious, political, tribal• Agitation to violent/criminal activity• Rumors become truth



VISION 3: Agriculture: Problems

• Overpopulation • Fragmentation of farming area (heritage of land)• Climate change: Draught, floods• Access to farming land: landownership• Lack of information:

• Weather• New crops adjustable to the climate• New cash crops to meet the market needs• Market data: channels, prices

• International trade regulations (and subsidies) making food goods export to international markets difficult + also competing against international brands locally is difficult> small scale local agribusiness




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VISION 3: Agriculture: The Bright Vision

• Free / affordable access to timely farming related data:• Weather• New crops adjustable to the climate• New cash crops to meet the market needs• Market data: channels, prices

• Network of individuals with mobiles creating networks of accurate weather, crop, market prices prediction

• Direct sales from farmer to the consumer• Financed by combination of businesses, governments, NGOs and users.



20 © 2008 Nokia Innovation Summit Africa 2008

VISION 3: Agriculture: The Dark Vision


• Costly as the localization need of the information is gigantic task. • No realistic business model to sustain the agricultural platform in low-

income communities.• No locally relevant information available (conditions vary greatly within

short distances)• Understandability and relevance of the farming related data



VISION 3: Agriculture: The Grim Vision


• Tighter competition: marginalized farmers get more marginalized• Prices eventually get lower as competition gets tighter and faster: More

work needed to gain same income• Changes in the structure of commerce as middleman and retail

bypassed: changes in social hierarchies and communal dynamics• Large corporations able to utilize small scale producers and local food

shortages caused



VISION 4: M-Health: Problems

• Poor prevention, due lack of knowledge and resources• Low resources: lack of facilities, personnel, training, medication• Low access to health care due lack of money, long distances

and knowledge• Reliance of traditional medication and beliefs


VISION 4: M-Health: The Bright Vision

• Affordable / free access to health information trough mobile phone:• Early diagnose > early treatment > good results > low cost• Low costs: access to health insurance systems

• Data gathering and analyzing: more effective prevention of epidemics, targeting the medical resources effectively for prevention and treatment

• Registration of births, deaths and personal health profiles• Family planning: controlled population growth• Financed by combination of businesses, governments, NGOs and users.



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VISION 4: M-Health: The Dark Vision


• Modern medical techniques in conflict with traditional conventions and religious values

• No realistic business model to sustain the health care platform in low-income communities.

• Localized health data too expensive to produce• Governments resisting due costs• Inexperienced and low in numbers healthcare personnel resisting



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• Marginalized groups marginalize more• Messages not understood > more people die• Tools used in marketing medical products• Increase in population growth

VISION 4: M-Health: The Dark Vision


Low income due:

• Small markets, tight competition, Greedy middleman• Lack of specialization > Multitasking • Lack of training: book keeping, planning, marketing• Access to loans and lack of vision• Lack of motivation for expansion: social pressures by fellow business man • No taxes paid (+/- ?)

VISION 5: M-Entrepreneur: ProblemsGlobicomp/Ubicomp/2009


VISION 5: M-Entrepreneur: The Bright Vision

Effective mobile tools for:

• Stock management• Book keeping• Business training• Bank access• Marketing and sales• Customer relations• Time saving = more time for doing the business or expanding and streamlining

it• Social networking tools allow pooling and specializing



VISION 5: M-Entrepreneur: The Dark Vision


• No realistic business model to sustain the health care platform in low-income communities.

• Entrepreneurs afraid of government control (licenses, taxes)




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VISION 5: M-Entrepreneur: The Dark Vision


• Effective, timesaving tools for everyone = tighter competition same resources still shared more work needed

• Social support mechanisms of micro e´s broken with a direct competition: hierarchies within communities and families challenged > conflicts



VISION 6: M-Banking: Problems

Traditional, branch based banking:• Problems in reaching the unbanked (80% -97%) for:

• Savings: Financial security• Loans: local development and investment

• Lack of bank office networks: long distances• Banking expenses too high for most• ID and address needed• Difficult to get loans

Mobile banking:• Mobile money transfer doesn´t allow micro payments• No interest paid to the user (but to Safaricom in Kenya)• High expenses in maintaining the agent network (12500 in Kenya)• No network coverage• One operator network keeps the cost high• Doesn't really reach the BOP



IMS 16.09.200831

• Cashless economy: all payments from phone to phone• Safety in money handling• Direct access to bank

• More active grassroots economy >more income, wealthier societies

Globicomp/Ubicomp/2009VISION 6: M-Banking: The Bright Vision



• Regulatory officials don´t want to open banking for new parties• Security aspects too difficult to overcome• No realistic business model to sustain the ladies platform in low-income

communities.• Systems cannot be made trustworthy

Globicomp/Ubicomp/2009VISION 6: M-Banking: The Dark Vision


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• Completely new forms of crime appear > paralysing the cashless economy• Lack of competition keeps the costs high and bop is not reached

Globicomp/Ubicomp/2009VISION 6: M-Banking: The Bright Vision


VISION 7: M-Empowerment of women: Problems

• Patriarchal traditions:• Women have no role in decision making in the family or in the community• Sexual violence towards women• Less education • Difficulties in progressing in careers• FGM • Child marriage

• Structural changes in societies has diminished the role of men in agriculture:

• No hunting, smaller fields, less cattle, no warrior status• Women's jobs are left and increased• Men have social problems: alcohol



VISION 7: M-Empowerment: The Bright Vision

• Powerful emancipator movement, sparked by ability of self expression on mobile internet platform.

• Mobile education and services to empower female in entrepreneurship • Training and platform for educating women in the issues of governance to

involve more women in decision making: “When you educate a women, you educate whole village”



VISION 7: M-Empowerment: The Dark Vision


• Cultural tradition and social hierarchies too rigid• Difficult to get male leaders to get interested• No realistic business model to sustain the ladies platform in low-income

communities.



VISION 7: M-Empowerment: The Dark Vision


• Emancipator movement shakes the social structures and values of patriarchal communities and more extreme measures are taken to take back the control: sharia

• As a response: similar systems used in controlling women• Active women cause frustration and anger among men which comes out in

unconstructive manner within families



VISION: Conclusions:Globicomp/Ubicomp/2009

We don't know Africa56 countries, governments, legislations, histories, national identities

1000 languages, LOCAL cultures, cultural practices and identities

Coast, islands, great lakes, great rivers, jungle, deserts, rich farming land, mountains, valleys, cities, villages

Lets not make it too complicated either...

Local R&D Ecosystem



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VISION: Bright and Dark Rules of Thumb:Globicomp/Ubicomp/2009

1. Do enough deep enough research

2. Do cross cultural research

3. Consult local organizations

4. Ask the government

5. Ask journalists6. Make large, long

and controlled pilots

7. Always introduce new features with the most relevant (and politically neutral?) content

8. Educate the users with the (media) skills needed

9. Don't trust your intuition too much

10.“EXPECT the worst”

11. Be real(ideal)istic!



(Thanks, any questions?)

[email protected]

jussi

Travel

individual mobile devices

individuals devices

educational content

individual devices

bright vision access

mobile education

mobile payment

improved communication