Mobi-Incubation User Experience for Rural Micro and small enterprises

Stella OumaEdna Chelule

Contents

Problem

Mobi-Incubation

Business incubation challenges

Business Incubation

Micro and Small Enterprises

User Experience

Conclusion

UX Elements for Mobi-Incubation

Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) (1/3)

MSEs are a major contributor to economic growth and job creation

40% drop in the number of start-ups in 2009 compared to 2008 (GEM Report, 2010)

Existing MSEs are struggling to survive.

8% New MSEs are from urban areas compared to 2% in rural areas

MSEs 2/3: Creation of New Firms

• Identify the products or services

• access resources • set up infrastructure, which

would include staff.

• Trades and competes

Phase 3: Persistence Phase> 42 months

Phase 23-42 Months

Phase 1 (3 Months)

New Firm Phase

Start up Phase

Established Firm

75%

Fai

l

Challenges facing MSEs (3/3)

Cultural and social Norms

Lack ofFinancial and Business support

Regulatory and Government Policies Challenges

Unknown and inaccessible Support structures

Low education level

Business incubation process

Business incubation is one of the ways to curb the challenges facing MSEs in South Africa

Business Incubation Services

Current challenges in Business incubation

Incubation theory designed for the developed industrial countries does not have the same application in South Africa

The large geographical areas is one of the crucial differences and challenges to South Africa, individuals require access to support in remote and rural areas, but it is naturally not possible for Incubators to be established in each of these areas.

In addition, a large proportion of the rural South African inhabitants have limited access to education, live in poverty, and generally experience a low quality of life. These are unique needs

A lack of available and appropriate premises, or real estate;

Lack of funding to sustain incubation programmes.

What is the alternative?

Mobile phone has the potential to facilitate business incubation process to improve the sustainability of rural entrepreneurs

Mobi-Incubation

Mobi-Incubation can be defined as a process of nurturing MSEs by providing various business support activities which assist them to grow, a mobile phone is used to facilitate this process.

The concept of Mobi-Incubation

“Interaction between the rural MSEs and the Mentor is done via a mobile phone

Proposed Services

Problem

How can one offer these services over a mobile phone?

Considering the mobile phone challenges i.e screen size

Mobile incubation is dependant on the uptake of the rural entrepreneurs as end-user

There is limited understanding of the design of mobile application for users in the rural areas.

Brings us to user experience

From Technology Centred to Human Centred products

Adapted from Roto (2007) ; Seidel, M., Loch, C., Chahil, S. (2005); Pine, J. & Gilmore, J. H. (1999).

UX definition

ISO (2008) defines UX as

“...a person’s perceptions and responses that result from the use or anticipated use of product, system or service”

Common Components1. User2. Context3. System/Content

User Experience

Context

User

Product/Content

User – Rural MSE Context – Rural South AfricaProduct – Mobi-Incubation application

Mobile User Experience

Mobile technologies are more complex than traditional information technologies

Mobile technologies present visual and motor challenges

Are unique to mobile

Are sympathetic to the context

To achieve great mobile UX one should focus on the need and solution

Research Question

What user experience elements should be included in a mobi-Incubation to ensure a seamless user experience?

Proposed Guidelines for UX Elements for Mobi-Incubation application

Future Work

• Ongoing PhD study

• Develop the actual Mobi-Incubation application

• Further identify UX elements

• Investigate the impact of Mobi-Incubation in rural areas

Conclusion

• we are trying to reduce poverty and build a vibrant economy at the same time.

• Entrepreneurs and particularly rural entrepreneurs find themselves in the midst of both interventions.

• we propose that mobile technology be used during the business incubation process

• To ensure sustainability of both entrepreneurs and the growing economy, it is necessary to design and develop a mobi-Incubation application that considers all aspects of the users’ interaction

Thank you

Further Enquiries

Edna Chelule

NMMU

and

DStv Online

Email: edna.chelule@dstvo.com