mFisheries: Lessons in First Cycle Design of a Context-Appropriate Mobile Application Suite
Kim I. Mallalieu, Candice Sankarsingh · International Journal of Technology and Inclusive Education · 2012
The impact of technological innovation on mobile telephony is evident.The development of mobile web as a platform in particular has benefited from rapid expansion and consistent advances regarding information and communication infrastructure, services and applications.The increasing ubiquity and affordability of mobile devices indicate that the users' expectations are also evolving.Mobile application markets have emerged as a major player to support user experience in meaningful ways, as they often provide a selection of independent programs that cater to the individual's needs and desires.Though most mobile applications have focused on commercial opportunities, there is also interest in those that target human development opportunities.Nevertheless, the question of how the application of a disruptive technology such as the mobile phone can be applied to development in the Caribbean region remains obscure as there is little by way of case studies to craft a formal strategy.The mFisheries project 2009-2012 allowed a team of mobile application designers and developers from The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine to explore the design, development and implementation of a mobile intervention targeting first-time users in the small-scale fisheries sector of Trinidad and Tobago.