Designing ICT systems in the developing world is perceived to be a challenge.
But is this really a challenge if we use state-of-the-art development methods?
Will the fact that most standards, guidelines and heuristics are made in the
western world render them useless as tools of making modern computer
software for the developing world?
In this thesis I will analyze the findings of a software development project I did
for my employer, National Center for Fetal Medicine (NCFM) at St. Olav’s
Hospital in Trondheim, Norway. In this project I used a user centered
development process as defined in ISO 9142-210 to develop and test the
prototype of an ultrasound help system. I tested the prototype using two
different user groups: midwives in KwaZulu-Natal participating in an ultrasound
teaching and training program held by NCFM and midwives in Trondheim,
Norway, receiving a post-qualification course in ultrasound diagnostics also held
by NCFM at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in
Trondheim. I analyzed the test results and then did an evaluation of the methods
used – both the user-centered design process and the usability methods to see
how well the methods have worked in my project.