Blue sky thinking meets green field usability: Can mobile internet software engineering bridge the rural divide?

Andrew Morgan,Chris House,Alan Dix,Mike Phillips

doi:10.1177/0269094214548399

Andrew Morgan, Chris House + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/0269094214548399

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Abstract

Mobile applications (apps) are becoming more commonplace as mobile phones and tablets begin to replace traditional desktop devices. Software developers are usually located in areas where good connectivity is the norm, but large numbers of users are located in other areas where 3 G connectivity is at best poor or non-existent. This results in app development which is unsuitable for many areas of the world and, as well as being a problem in rural areas of the UK, has ramifications for mobile app use in third world countries where fixed broadband services are largely absent. Drawing on experiences of users on the margins of connectivity, this paper discusses difficulties of mobile internet access in Wales and recommends changes to app development methodology to maximise bandwidth in areas of limited network coverage.

Highlights

In 2012, UK was ranked as the world’s sixth largest economy (Aldrick, 2012), butThis could be viewed as a minor irritation if it were not that IT has become an essential or significant part of many areas of personal and business life
Where it was possible to obtain WiFi access in a variety of cafes, hotels and bed and breakfasts, the connection was relatively low bandwidth, but often ‘patchy’; that is the service would often drop for a few seconds or minutes
Use of mobile internet was tested in a number of areas within urban and rural areas, focusing on tourism apps and feedback received from other users regarding issues experienced at margins of connectivity

Summary

Introduction

In 2012, UK was ranked as the world’s sixth largest economy (Aldrick, 2012), butThis could be viewed as a minor irritation if it were not that IT has become an essential or significant part of many areas of personal and business life. This problem is even more acute for those who live in these areas, and in particular, rural Wales has both poor broadband and mobile coverage.

Results

Conclusion