Great Article about Product Design for Social Good
I just read a great article sent to me from my GHC mentor about product design and wanted to share: When Technology Flops: 6 Common Pitfalls for Product Design for Social Good
Pitfall #2 hit home for my project.
Pitfall #2: Using technology to solve a culture-based problem. Sometimes, the most fundamental issue isn’t tech-related. For instance, female infant mortality in many countries is largely the result of cultural value systems rather than lack of sufficient healthcare (although the latter is necessary as well). In these cases, well-designed medical devices aren’t going to solve the underlying problem of gender-based discrimination. Other forms of intervention are necessary for changing people’s mindsets.
Though there are many technologies that can and will help the health system in Tanzania, so much more work needs to be done that isn’t based just in developing a technological platform or tool. Unfortunately, solving culture based problems requires changing cultures which is often a much more difficult challenge to tackle with a more nebulous path towards a solution; especially when you don’t know the culture you’re trying to change that well in the first place.
Fortunately the GHC system for pairing local and American fellows has been incredibly helpful for navigating cultural issues and Goodluck and I are starting to see some real seeds of change.
2 comments
that’s a great article…though I’d argue that pitfall #2 over-simplifies the issue a bit. I don’t think it’s as simple as it’s either a “cultural” problem or a “technological” problem. And I would definitely not agree that female infant mortality is primarily attributable to culture, and not a lack of medical resources. I think what the larger article points out better is that culture, technological innovation and capacity/infrastructure issues are all intermingled. Where technological innovation can help, is in easing the tension between some of these issues, not exacerbating them.
Thanks for the comment Ang. I actually agree that the example he uses for this point is a weak one but you’d definitely know more about the specifics of infant mortality
I also agree that this point taken alone isn’t as strong as what the overall article is trying to convey. I think this particular point is more of a common pitfall for engineer types who are too focused on the tools as the means to solve problems instead of thinking about problems rooted in culture (like women not delivering in health centers because of how poorly they are treated by the health workers or how much more expensive it is to deliver in a health center or just the extra expense to get transportation to the health center).
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