UX research and Ethnographic design for humanitarian technology

A presentation at UX Y’all in September 2021 in by Eriol Fox

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UX research and ethnographic design for humanitarian technology. Peace building Crisis response http://bit.ly/EF-UXyall @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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Content warnings. Violence against women, the Manchester arena bombing, radicalisation of youth and terrorism, natural and human-made disasters/crisis, colonisation, racism, education/social status prejudice, food related trauma. Some slides will have ‘No photos/copies please’. Please do not take photos/copies of these slides. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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Hi, I’m Eriol. (Ehh-roll). They/Them pronouns. 11 years in digital product design and UX. 8 years in humanitarian / NGO sector. 4 years in open source software. PhD Doctoral Trainee looking at how designers contribute to open source Humanitarian and Human Rights software at Newcastle Universities Open Lab. I’m a human rights centred designer. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © OpenUp Global Summit 2019

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Helping people raise their voice and those who serve them to listen and respond better We were able to map all the health facilities in Kathmandu Valley before the earthquake, which will undoubtedly help the relief workers’ ability to deliver supplies and help save lives. A tool to help other teams reach each other everyday and in a crisis. On any device. No photos/copies please

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Simply Secure (http://simplysecure.org) is a design nonpro t based in Berlin and NYC, founded in 2014. We design and support responsible technology that enables human dignity. We offer design and strategy support for: > Open technology tools > Privacy, security, decentralisation, transparency, human rights tools > Nonpro ts working in and around technology UXYall fi @ fi @erioldoesdesign

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developing countries, global south, emerging markets, third world, aid reliant, the next billion, new readers, socially excluded, migrant population, global margins, the west,economic peripheries, poor, sub-

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Isooko. Peace Building and Tech. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019

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Isooko’s aim “ Isooko explores the potential of digital technologies to support peace through testing and development in Rwanda and Kenya.” You can find more info at isooko.eu @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Aegis Trust

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Dispatcher. Crisis Response and Tech. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019

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Dispatcher’s aim “ Can technology help people create and maintain resilience in times of crisis? What kinds of technology aids rather than overwhelms? ” You can find more info at bit.ly/ush-dispatcher @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019

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Why Rwanda and Kenya? “ Rwanda’s history with Genocide led to a number of social policies and projects that worked on peace. Kenya’s history of tribal/political conflict allow exploration into crisis. ” @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019

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Grant funded activity is… …often restrictive, prescriptive and at it’s worst ‘proposal first’ instead of ‘human first’. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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No photos/copies please Academia Practice What works in the ‘lab’ doesn’t always work in the field. UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019 ≠ @ @erioldoesdesign

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Living Labs Methodology. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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‘Public’ User Journeys. Personas. Stakeholder mapping. Rapid prototyping. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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‘Civil Society Orgs’ CSO’s) Defining peace. Understanding User Journeys and Personas. Tech tool demos. Impact mapping. UXYall ( @ @erioldoesdesign

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No photos/copies please Flexibility within boundaries. Be willing to adapt activities for good reasons. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019

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‘Aid’ Language. Countries used to an ‘aid’ presence are ‘non-profit’ language proficient. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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Working with trauma. Practice working with difficult subject matter allows better handling of it when witnessed. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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No photos/copies please facebook.com/polycomdevelopmentproject Working with trauma in design activities. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019

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No photos/copies please @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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No photos/copies please @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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No photos/copies please

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Homework* Think of a deeply upsetting event in your life and try to begin to ‘Journey map’ this event. * Very optional homework @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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How did we make sure we did this ethically? • Attendees notified pre-workshop of subject matter • Psychological support on site • Confidentiality • Researchers went through the same process • Researchers examples built a compassionate connection • Researchers were supported post workshop @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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No photos please Reactions matter @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019

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Surprising subjects can arise. Many subjects come into play when conducting research: History, culture, politics, poverty. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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Can I relate to you? • Race/Ethnicity • Perceived Gender/Sex • Social Status • Interest/Circumstance • Education @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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‘Embedded ethnographic’ ‘Transitory researcher’ @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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No photos please Embedded ethnographic. Kathmandu living labs @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019

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RE ACT UK and SARAID Community resilience team @ : @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019

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No photos please ‘Transitory’ researcher. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019

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Doing your own field study in an emerging market. Some resources and tips. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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Stay safety, stay healthy. Take ‘burner’ phones, extra devices, do interviews in pairs or threes, know the local infrastructure, dress code. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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Practice on your next vacation* • Community research online • Photography • Ask taxi drivers about your topic * Very optional @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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Reports and Guides. Leaving no one behind: Lessons from the Kerala disasters https://www.preventionweb.net/publications/view/69992 Safe sisters Digital security challenges faced by women human rights defenders. https://safesisters.net/resources/ The Human Rights, Big Data and Technology Project https://www.hrbdt.ac.uk/publications/

@ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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Conferences and Events • • • • • Rightscon Internet Freedom Festival Mozfest Peace tech labs Tech4Good @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © RightsCon 2019

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Human rights Centred Design community. hrcd.pubpub.org An initiative that brings together people at the intersection between human rights and design, tool development, and user education. All efforts aim to foster and extend the community. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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Resources and tools. Electronic Frontier Foundation eff.org AccessNow accessnow.org Advocacy Assembly advocacyassembly.org Code for America Qualatative research guide AXIS tools - usable.tools/guidebook Design Justice Network - designjustice.org UXYall - @ @erioldoesdesign

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Books @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall

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Thanks folks. noti.st/eriolfox twitter.com/EriolDoesDesign erioldoesdesign.github.io openlab.ncl.ac.uk/people/eriol-fox @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall