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<p class="MsoNormal">Hallo to everyone,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">in the Spanish mailing list about telecentres an
investigator from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Peru</st1:place></st1:country-region>
stated that he observed motoric problems of rural people in using small
and
sophisticated mouses and keyboards during their first encounter with
ICTs.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He asked, if there had been any initiative to
develop
special equipment for people (e.g. rural farmers) who are not used on
working
with such equipment.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My answer was, that generally the results of
usability
research (or human interaction research, HCI) already had been included
in the design
of ICT equipment and that several cognitive findings are universal,
thus, valid
for each human being. Further, it is rather the configuration of ICTs
in
general and Computers in special that generates usability problems.
Changing
the resolution, the size of the icons, the speed of the cursor or using
a bigger
mouse very often solves such problems to a satisfying degree.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">However, it remains a very interesting research
topic to
investigate the different (cultural) requirements on usability of ICTs.
As far
as I know, there had been little research in this area, which in my
opinion is
more than interesting. For example, it would be very interesting to
investigate
the usability problems of distinct populations during their first
encounter
with ICTs (rural vs. urban, European vs. Latino vs. African etc.). The
same
degree of attraction has the investigation of usability problems of the
same
populations once they are “trained” users of ICTs.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This kind of investigation would be very helpful
when
designing training courses with ICTs and also for the development of
usable software/hardware.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If someone has experience in this field or knows
respective
research activities/results, I would be very happy if he/she would
share it.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best wishes from a warm but not hot <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Quito</st1:City>, <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Ecuador</st1:country-region></st1:place>,</p>
Christoph Roessner
<br>
<br>
Fundación ChasquiNet
<br>
<br>
Hernando Sarmiento N39-65
<br>
entre Portete y Hugo Moncayo
<br>
<br>
Tel.: 00593 (2) 2242489 / 2453664
<br>
Fax.: 00593 (2) 2242484
<br>
<br>
E-Mail:
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:christoph@chasquinet.org">christoph@chasquinet.org</a>
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