Mobile user interaction development for low-literacy trends and recurrent design problems: A perspective from designers in developing country

Abstract

This paper identifies factors important in low-literacy mobile user interaction design and development. It explains the limitations and recurrent design problems from developing countries, focusing on Ethiopia as a primary case study, with special consideration for the designer perspective. This exploratory research effort examines the match and mismatch in usability design guidelines for mobile interaction in developing countries. It also identifies the design and usability factors that affect mobile service (m-service) delivery in developing countries: context gaps, designer gaps, and technology gaps. Further, the paper examines the designer perception towards design guidance requirement and application. In so doing, it seeks to provide input for design guidance development in a generic way such that mobile user interface designer understanding will be enhanced and m-service delivery in developing countries will be more usable.