The Next Wave of Internet Users
Huria | Kupang, Indonesia
"If I click the wrong button, my money might go somewhere else."
Mamta | Jaipur, India
“Talking is easy,
typing is hard.”
typing is hard.”
Mamta just got her first smartphone, and she loves watching videos on YouTube to discover recipes, learn stitching techniques, and listen to her favorite Bollywood songs.
Her phone, a Samsung J2 with a cracked screen, was passed down to her by a family member. Typing is difficult, so she finds it easier to use voice when looking for videos. It doesn't always go as intended though. When using her phone outside in a loud environment and it simply doesn’t understand her. She blames herself when it doesn’t work.
Elijah | Kampala, Uganda
"Being able to send customers photos of my projects has transformed my business."
Elijah is a metalworker who builds fences, bedposts, and furniture. He uses WhatsApp to close deals with customers and share progress as he works on a project.
Despite Elijah's low English literacy, he keeps it as the primary language on his phone because according to him, "technology is supposed to be in English." This makes it nearly impossible for him to read the words on the screen. He’s able to run his business by memorizing where all of the important WhatsApp features are and texting photographs back and forth with his customers.
Despite Elijah's low English literacy, he keeps it as the primary language on his phone because according to him, "technology is supposed to be in English." This makes it nearly impossible for him to read the words on the screen. He’s able to run his business by memorizing where all of the important WhatsApp features are and texting photographs back and forth with his customers.
Focus Areas
Explore common obstacles facing new users
Onboarding
Navigation
Accounts
Discovery
Assistance
Voice
Visuals
Language
Transactions
DataDesigning for digital confidence requires a new way of thinking
Tosh Juma
Managing Director, ideo.org Nairobi
“The switch from designing for to designing with is super powerful.”
Tracey Lindsay Chan
Senior User Experience Researcher, Google Next Billion Users
“The first day of people having their very first smartphone is full of a lot of emotions.”
Rikin Gandhi
CEO, Digital Green
“At present, there’s not all that much content out there that’s relevant and they can identify with.”
Jason Fund
Design Lead, IDEO
“Voice is opening the floodgates to the digital world for hundreds of millions of people.”
Ajaita Shah
CEO, Frontier Markets
“Our perspective is high tech with high touch. People need assistance, handholding, and patience.”
More Resources
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Designing For Low-Literate Users
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Challenges And Learnings Of Building For The Next Billion Users
Building products and services that work for everyone regardless of where they live, what language they speak, which devices they use, or the network they're connected to presents exciting opportunities and challenges.
The Digital Confidence
Design Tools
Design Tools
The tools – developed by IDEO, Google, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – help teams design digital services for the next wave of internet users. Use them to see your app with fresh eyes, design new flows, develop innovative interaction patterns, or even brainstorm a brand-new product.
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