Developing a model to design user interfaces for rural communities: An exploratory study

The book reports on a study, aimed at contributing towards understanding of factors that influence African users' support for alternative object metaphors as user interface icons. One of the great impediments for efficient utilization of information systems is the existing gap between system designs that typically follow Western cues for crafting user interfaces and actual users who use those systems within their diverse cultural frames. An exploratory study was conducted to empirically establish African rural users’ support for alternative village object metaphors, examine effects of culture on user support and investigate response characteristic among culturally diverse user groups. The Technology Support Model was developed to measure user knowledge, comprehension, skills, performance and support for alternative African village metaphors as interface icons. Results show that human cognitive factors of information technology knowledge, information technology comprehension and user performance influence African users support for alternative village object metaphors as interface icons.

Dr Heukelman has been in Higher Education for 25 years,a member of the teaching staff of Durban University of Technology, Department of IT, for the past 14 years and an active researcher in the field. She is passionate about making ICT accessible to all people everywhere. Increased access to e-learning should be promoted by ICT practitioners.