Integrating African Perspectives in Technology and Design Processes
Without integrating African perspectives into technology and design, we severely undercut the potential for solutions that meet cultural norms and empower locally raised innovations to address universal solvable problems. It ensures that the unique contributions from African culture and experience are given the proper respect to shape the world we desire.
On August 21, 2024, the School of Computing and Information Technology hosted Dr. Susan Wyche, an Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Information at Michigan State University, to discuss her Responsible Computing Challenge (RCC) project. Dr. Wyche’s research focuses on reimagining human-centered design to develop and implement an African- informed approach to global technology development.
The talk by Dr. Wyche, was organized by Dr. Eunice Njeri, Lecturer and PI for the Mozilla Responsible Computer Challenge (RCC) project in JKUAT and Prof. Stephen Kimani, Director ICT, JKUAT, also part of the Mozilla RCC Project. In his welcoming remarks, Prof. Kimani thanked Dr. Susan Wyche for her contribution to human-computer interaction (HCI) and ICT development. “I encouraged the faculty members to engage in fruitful discussions and conversations that will improve the designed applications by Dr. Wyche.”
During the talk Dr. Susan Wyche emphasized the need to incorporate African perspectives into technology design to ensure that solutions are culturally appropriate and effective. The project aims to provide an understanding of technology use in Africa, improve technology design for marginalized populations, and increase African participation in technology development.
Dr. Whyche also presented two case studies of student-designed applications: the Benga Archive and the Telemedicine Kiosk. These applications demonstrate the potential for technology to address specific needs in African communities. Benga Archive was Designed to be a hub for the Kenyan music culture and connect people to culture, and culture to music while the Telemedicine Kiosk is designed to help doctors provide medical services and recommend credible chemists where a patient can pick a medicine that is of quality.
“My goal is to provide researchers and practitioners in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) with an understanding of technology use (primarily mobile phones and social media) in Sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve this goal, I have conducted fieldwork in rural Kenya,” said Dr. Wyche.
The event involved a discussion on the integration of African perspectives into technology design. During the event, Prof. Joseph Wafula expressed concerns about the accessibility of smartphones in rural areas. In response, the researcher mentioned that they were exploring the possibility of incorporating a USSD option to address this issue. Dr. Wyche highlighted the potential for radical forms of collaboration to improve sectors like agriculture.
University, shares insights about her experience during the 6 week course
“With a multidisciplinary team we could easily come up with fertilizer inputs where a farmer can access everything online from sowing a seed to selling the products.” re-iterated Dr. Wyche. The project is currently working with students from Egerton University to enhance their skills and contribute to the development of African-centered technology solutions. The goal is to foster a new generation of technologists who are committed to creating innovative and inclusive solutions.
During the event, Godfrey Mwiti and Melvin Ochami, who are graduates from Egerton University, took the opportunity to share insights about their visit to Michigan University. One of the key points they emphasized was the valuable experience of understanding the learning methods and environment at Michigan University.
Dr. Susan Wyche is an expert in Human-Centered Interaction. Her work has been supported by Google, Facebook, the Mozilla Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
This talk will definitely serve as an opening for future collaborations for JKUAT Students. By working together, we can create a more equitable and inclusive technological future. JKUAT is one of eight higher education institutions awarded two Mozilla grants: Teaching Responsible Computing Using Robotics and Mainstreaming Responsible Computing (RC) in ICT Student Innovations.
