The objective of this study was to understand and apply Contextual design methods. Contextual Design (CD) is a user-centered design process developed by Hugh Beyer and Karen Holtzblatt. It incorporates ethnographic methods for gathering data relevant to the product via field studies, rationalizing workflows, and designing human-computer interfaces. In practice, this means that researchers aggregate data from customers in the field where people are living and applying these findings into a final product. Contextual Design can be seen as an alternative to engineering and feature driven models of creating new systems.
Contextual inquiry is a field data collection technique used to capture detailed information about how users of a product interact with the product in their normal work environment
Data from each interview is analyzed and key issues and insights are captured. Detailed work models are also created in order to understand the different aspects of the work that matter for design. Contextual design consists of five work models which are used to model the work tasks and details of the working environment. These work models are as follows
Cultural model - represents the norms, influences, and pressures that are present in the work environment
Stakeholder map
Physical model - represents the physical environment where the work tasks are accomplished; often, there are multiple physical models representing, e.g., office layout, network topology, or the layout of tools on a computer display.
Sequence model - represents the steps users go through to accomplish a certain activity, including breakdowns
Flow model - represents the coordination, communication, interaction, roles, and responsibilities of the people in a certain work practice
Artifact model - represents the documents or other physical things that are created while working or are used to support the work. Artifacts often have a structure or styling that could represent the user's way of structuring the work
Following are some of the insights that we got from the user studies.
Insights
The small shopkeepers are now pursuing formal education to expand their business.
•Established businesses do not need advertising as most of it is word-of-mouth advertising and a loyal customer base.
•Even in smaller shops, competition leads to lower margins, divided profits and loss of customers.
•Today, past experiences and brand knowledge has lead to customers preferring branded products.
•People from the lower income groups prefer Chinese products as they are cheaper compared to their Indian counterparts. For these income groups, low price has a major influence over non-warranty and non-durability of the product.
•Government schemes should be communicated better to the intended audience, for them to obtain full benefit.
•There should be better tax policies that would benefit the small shopkeepers and those from the unorganized sector.
•Corruption and inefficiency in the system affects the effectiveness of the policies
•Technology is helpful only when it is cheap, accessible and affordable.
•Due to the awareness created in the recent times about genetically-modified foods, people are preferring home-grown vegetables
•Established businesses do not need advertising as most of it is word-of-mouth advertising and a loyal customer base.
•Even in smaller shops, competition leads to lower margins, divided profits and loss of customers.
•Today, past experiences and brand knowledge has lead to customers preferring branded products.
•People from the lower income groups prefer Chinese products as they are cheaper compared to their Indian counterparts. For these income groups, low price has a major influence over non-warranty and non-durability of the product.
•Government schemes should be communicated better to the intended audience, for them to obtain full benefit.
•There should be better tax policies that would benefit the small shopkeepers and those from the unorganized sector.
•Corruption and inefficiency in the system affects the effectiveness of the policies
•Technology is helpful only when it is cheap, accessible and affordable.
•Due to the awareness created in the recent times about genetically-modified foods, people are preferring home-grown vegetables
Following are some of the design ideas that we got from the user studies.
Design Ideas
•A system can be incorporated which analyzes the physical features of goods like fruits, vegetables, pulses etc. It will give the information of the freshness, quality, geographic area of harvest or pest infection by observing size,smell,texture and color.
•Since in villages, people have large homes with garden space the area can be used for farming. Also some people have domestic animals. By developing a barter system people can enjoy locally grown food. Conserving a lot of energy resources.
•A mobile/portable cold storage service may extend life of fruits,vegetables,fishes etc. Leading to profit of shopkeepers and serving fresh product to customer.
•The Grahak panchayat system can be redesigned for daily wage poor customers.
•An automated system can be made where issuing of licence for vendors would be much easier and without administrative hinderance.So as to avoid corruption.
Design Ideas
•A system can be incorporated which analyzes the physical features of goods like fruits, vegetables, pulses etc. It will give the information of the freshness, quality, geographic area of harvest or pest infection by observing size,smell,texture and color.
•Since in villages, people have large homes with garden space the area can be used for farming. Also some people have domestic animals. By developing a barter system people can enjoy locally grown food. Conserving a lot of energy resources.
•A mobile/portable cold storage service may extend life of fruits,vegetables,fishes etc. Leading to profit of shopkeepers and serving fresh product to customer.
•The Grahak panchayat system can be redesigned for daily wage poor customers.
•An automated system can be made where issuing of licence for vendors would be much easier and without administrative hinderance.So as to avoid corruption.
