An approach to user interface design with two indigenous groups in Namibia

Abstract

It has been widely reported that interactions with and expectations of technology differ across cultural contexts.dependent, thus user interfaces intuitive to one group of users appears counter-intuitive to the others. In an attempt to localise a user interface of a tablet based system aimed at preserving Indigenous Knowledge for rural Herero communities, we present findings from two sites in Namibia, complementing prior research. Participants who had little or no previous experience with technologies informed our endeavour of aligning local indigenous knowledge practices with digital object taxonomies. We present a method (picture card sorting) of discovering taxonomies that influence the users' interaction with a prototype system to preserve indigenous knowledge. Finally we describe the design implications, a new design approach based on findings and present preliminary evaluations in a collaboration village as well as design export results with another indigenous group.

Indigenous Storytelling in Namibia: Sketching Concepts for Digitization

“…Since 2008, our research team consisting of local academics (many with indigenous roots), international collaborators and partnerships with NGOs and governmental bodies have been engaged in digitization of indigenous knowledge as well as practices and technology design with the OvaHerero (an indigenous group in Namibia) [8,9,10]. The research approach is based on principles of mutual respect and learning and participatory actions.…”

“…Together with rural OvaHerero Elders we have for instance co-designed tablet-based systems to enable storytellers with tools that can facilitate knowledge transfer of local concepts in relation to spaces and places which have shown to be of significance to the OvaHerero(see for example [8][9]). Concurrently we have also been evaluating technologies for their inherent abilities to preserve specific cultural practices such as tribal weddings.…”