UX research and ethnographic design for humanitarian technology. Peace building Crisis response http://bit.ly/EF-UXyall @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
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
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
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
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
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-
Isooko. Peace Building and Tech. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019
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
Dispatcher. Crisis Response and Tech. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019
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
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
Grant funded activity is… …often restrictive, prescriptive and at it’s worst ‘proposal first’ instead of ‘human first’. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
No photos/copies please Academia Practice What works in the ‘lab’ doesn’t always work in the field. UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019 ≠ @ @erioldoesdesign
Living Labs Methodology. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
‘Public’ User Journeys. Personas. Stakeholder mapping. Rapid prototyping. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
‘Civil Society Orgs’ CSO’s) Defining peace. Understanding User Journeys and Personas. Tech tool demos. Impact mapping. UXYall ( @ @erioldoesdesign
No photos/copies please Flexibility within boundaries. Be willing to adapt activities for good reasons. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019
‘Aid’ Language. Countries used to an ‘aid’ presence are ‘non-profit’ language proficient. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
Working with trauma. Practice working with difficult subject matter allows better handling of it when witnessed. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
No photos/copies please facebook.com/polycomdevelopmentproject Working with trauma in design activities. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019
No photos/copies please @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
No photos/copies please @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
No photos/copies please
Homework* Think of a deeply upsetting event in your life and try to begin to ‘Journey map’ this event. * Very optional homework @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
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
No photos please Reactions matter @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019
Surprising subjects can arise. Many subjects come into play when conducting research: History, culture, politics, poverty. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
Can I relate to you? • Race/Ethnicity • Perceived Gender/Sex • Social Status • Interest/Circumstance • Education @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
‘Embedded ethnographic’ ‘Transitory researcher’ @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
No photos please Embedded ethnographic. Kathmandu living labs @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019
RE ACT UK and SARAID Community resilience team @ : @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019
No photos please ‘Transitory’ researcher. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © Ushahidi 2019
Doing your own field study in an emerging market. Some resources and tips. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
Stay safety, stay healthy. Take ‘burner’ phones, extra devices, do interviews in pairs or threes, know the local infrastructure, dress code. @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
Practice on your next vacation* • Community research online • Photography • Ask taxi drivers about your topic * Very optional @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
@ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
Conferences and Events • • • • • Rightscon Internet Freedom Festival Mozfest Peace tech labs Tech4Good @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall Photo © RightsCon 2019
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
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
Books @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
Thanks folks. noti.st/eriolfox twitter.com/EriolDoesDesign erioldoesdesign.github.io openlab.ncl.ac.uk/people/eriol-fox @ @erioldoesdesign UXYall
The speaker has been working in the non-profit, humanitarian technology sector for the past three years. Immersed in how to build technology products and services that empower and give access to people in the global south or ‘developing countries’ often around difficult topics like Genocide, Democracy, gender-based violence and in difficult circumstances such as informal settlements (slums) and areas where radicalisation is high.
When we think about the future and progression of design, how do we think in a way that explicitly includes places and communities still ‘coming online’ and how technology and society operate differently across borders.
A summary of UX for humanitarian projects and how to approach difficult topics along with tips for those looking to conduct similar UX research.
for free. You
can too.