managing to directly assist them,
has always been the primary interest
of our university, and therefore of
our laboratory. For this reason, our
participation in this project has brought
us great joy, not only because of the
technology we developed, but also due
to the fact that the project aims to serve
a remote community in Oaxaca.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We profoundly thank the women of the
Ita-Viko project from the community
of Santos Reyes Yucuná, as well as all
the Mexican Science Council Conacyt,
the Red TIC researchers, the members
of the Enactus-UTM student team, the
UsaLab Laboratorio de Usabilidad, and
our software development company,
KadaSoftware.
Mario A. Moreno Rocha is a professor and
researcher in HCI and the leader of UsaLab in
the Institute of Computing at the Universidad
Tecnológica de la Mixteca in Huajuapan de
León, Oaxaca, Mexico. He has experience in the
development of usability studies, contextual
studies, and cross-cultural usability.
→ mmoreno@mixteco.utm.mx
Carlos A. Martínez Sandoval is manager
of the UsaLab team at the Universidad
Tecnológica de la Mixteca in Huajuapan de
León, Oaxaca, Mexico. He has experience
with cross-cultural usability and contextual
studies and is a distinguished Enactus-UTM
team member with experience in developing
sustainable projects for vulnerable groups.
→ carlosmtz@outlook.com
Yucuná. We conducted five on-site
interviews in Santos Reyes Yucuná
inside users’ houses. We asked them
to show us the technologies they used
and how they used them. We also
invited them to use an Apple iPad
(see Figure 2).
We were surprised and glad
that the iPad sparked a great deal
of interest among the users. They
listened carefully to our explanation
and then proceeded to use it. Several
of them drew flowers on it. They
passed the tablet from woman to
woman, and finally it reached the
children. They all got really excited
to use the tablet, regardless of their
literacy level.
Observations in the Palacio del
Gobierno de Oaxaca Museum.
With the objective of testing a higher
number of technologies and observing
their interaction, we asked users
to use six devices with particular
characteristics (e.g., headphones,
videos, interactive tables, trackballs).
We did this at a museum in the city
of Oaxaca (the Oaxacan Government
Palace Museum). Again, the result was
joyful receptiveness. The users shared
headphones, toyed with the interactive
tables, and finally accepted technology
as a way to learn, have fun, and have a
presence in this new Ita-Viko phase.
Ethnographic study results. Based
on our observations and interviews,
we learned that the women use and
appreciate technology (e.g., televisions,
cellphones), don’t have experience with
tablets or large interactive displays
but welcome them, can learn through
training videos, prefer a tabletop to a
vertical display for interactions, and
have difficulty using technologies that
require reading or writing.
DESIGN AND
USABILITY TESTING
We developed two designs of the system
and obtained feedback from users in
the community through an iPad. This
was useful for us to gain feedback on
the visual design, and helped us correct
issues that led us to our final prototype.
The final protoype was developed
using a Wizard of Oz setup wherein
one of us performed the functions of
the computer. Our end goal was to use
an interactive tabletop display, but we
didn’t have access to one, so we used a
40-inch Samsung LCD, Full HD 1080p
connected to a Windows 7 laptop instead.
We asked the users (in groups of three
or four, depending on the previously
considered demographic characteristics)
to use the equipment. One of us would
see where the users interacted and
operated the software from the laptop.
We conducted the tests at Santo Reyes
Yucuná’s communal lounge.
Again, with the help of an
interpreter, we conducted two tests
using the think aloud protocol as well as
two other tests using the co-discovery
method. We noticed that the second
method was more useful. After the tests,
we conducted a focus group to obtain
further opinions. Figures 3 and 4 show
the development of these tests and the
prototype evaluated.
NOT QUITE A CONCLUSION
Based on our testing, the prototype
worked quite well and came very
close to solving user needs. The next
challenge is implementing a final
product and delivering it in a way that
is sustainable and can support the
continued growth and independence
of the community. Currently, we are in
search of additional funding to continue
this project.
Developing projects for marginalized
communities and, consequently,
Figure 4. Main screen of the system tested, after repeated improvements.
