Unconventional Opportunities for UX: The BRICS and Beyond

Carl Beien

While news stories often profile fast-growing parts of developing countries, these stories are exceptions. In reality, the pace of life in developing countries is typically slow. Anecdotes abound of locals sitting before teacups, joking about the frenetic pace of life in New York or London. Sitting and laughing along with these people, there is a palpable temptation to really reevaluate one’s priorities. As it may appear, this pace of life isn’t a product of some tropical mindset; very often there are huge impediments to getting things done quickly at all. In developing countries, incomplete information consistently leads to misinformed decisions, products ill-suited to their environments function poorly and break, and inadequate sanitation makes people sick. User experience professionals can help solve common problems experienced by citizens of developing countries. Here are a few examples that demonstrate how user research not only made profitable products in the world’s poorest communities, but in doing so made great steps towards poverty reduction.

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