"Non-Blog" Observations - NBO, February 18, 2009

Occasionally, when time does not allow for full posts - or when I simply want to share a thought that is fleeting - I will post "weekly" or "daily" observations: a set of bullets with either links or one-liners or short thoughts for your contemplation. Since it does not come in typical format for me, I call this the first of my "NBO" posts:

• I recently read about Google’s funding of internet activities in Africa, courtesy of Cindy Chen and the Global Initiatives Blog. (One interesting side-note was the reason for slow penetration. Obstacles of computer literacy and the time people have to learn by trial-and-error is another example of how important it is for designers to design for context.
• Consider my two-second foray into thinking about Celtel’s business model (at the bottom of this post). The importance is that cell phone designs, network features, and the payment model were all tailored to developing economy needs. I can’t tell you how thankful I was to have a full-powered flashlight, detailed conversion programs, and little need to constantly recharge last summer in that rugged environment!
• For you UC Berkeley students and Net Impact members, you should check out the Capitalism Next series' next seminar on March 3: Sustainable Design for the Greater Good. (Yes, I am not so good with embedding things... so we'll use published docs and websites for now. I'll get on doing a better job of designing my posts as I can!)
  

Happy designing!
-Stan

The Celtel File: