It seems ironic that the same principles that make streaming platforms like Netflix so addictive can also drive the economic growth of a rural town in East Africa. Yet, this is exactly the heart of the problem User Experience (UX) designers are facing when looking to expand their expertise outside of the Global North. With the rapid advancement of technology, globalization has ensured that modern innovations can reach even the most remote corners of the world. However, this widespread use of technology comes with an equitable cost. One of the central problems that arises with the globalization of modern technologies is that it is grounded in the assumptions that its users possess a certain degree of digital literacy. In reality, foreign technologies are being introduced to populations who are unfamiliar with the steep learning curve it takes to be fluent in them. Currently, solutions to this issue often involve teaching people to adapt to technologies that are foreign not only in use but also in culture and characteristics. While consumers are expected to learn how to use new technologies, developers also bear the responsibility of making design choices that are accessible and tailored to diverse demographics. This is where the art of UX comes in: by leveraging universally understood symbols and design patterns, this growing discipline has the power to transform not only economies but livelihoods.
The term ‘UX,’ or User Experience, refers to an interdisciplinary field dedicated to improving the usability, accessibility, and overall satisfaction of interactions between users and digital platforms. For example, social media platforms such as TikTok enable an ‘infinite scrolling’ feature that aims to keep users engaged for longer periods of time. By integrating principles from psychology, design, information architecture, and graphics, the field of UX aims to improve both functionality and consumer satisfaction across a diverse range of products and contexts. Designing a ‘good’ user experience is often discussed alongside ‘UI,’ or User Interface, as both focus on digital design that considers the user, platform, context, and specific goals. UI design has been further discussed in the context of ‘design for transcendence’ which refers to the idea that products are uniquely individual to the person who is using them. Designing for transcendence means creating an experience that is cumulative, personal, and residual for the user. UX Expert Jod Kaftan argues that ‘our jurisdiction as designers can never exceed this space of shared understanding.’ Kaftan is referring to the idea that designers cannot directly create an emotionally transcendent experience for users, but rather ‘find the greatest common denominator – a mythic space in which these personal meanings are drawn.’
By understanding the field of UX as one that is related to emotional transcendence and shared spaces, it becomes evident how this practice might and should be applied to populations who can benefit from it the most. Simply distributing iPhones to populations with no prior experience of modern technology is not enough. Instead, tech developers should partner with expert user interface designers to create platforms that are accessible and equitable for vulnerable groups. As Hugo Bernier, the Principal Program Manager at Microsoft, stated: ‘Designing with accessibility in mind makes a difference because it gives everyone the same opportunities.’ As modern technologies continue to advance and build on existing principles, it is more important than ever to ensure that no one is left behind.
Accessibility consideration in interface design can come in many forms of digital illiteracy. This may include sensory disabilities such as visual and auditory impairments, or cognitive based-impairments among people who have learning and/or attention disorders. Accessible design must be equated with better design, argues disability rights lawyer and design expert Elise Roy. She contends that ‘when we design for disability first, you often stumble upon solutions that are better than those when we design for the norm.’ Therefore, accessible, inclusive, and equitable technological design is not only a technological challenge, but a humanitarian one which will further be discussed in the context of developing nations.
Discussions of accessible UX are incomplete without understanding the growing digital divide that continues to persist as technology development outpaces equitable implementation. The digital divide reflects the disparity between individuals with ready access to digital resources, such as computers and the internet, and those without. This divide places individuals at social and economic disadvantages, limiting their ability to engage in society and invest in education or skill development. Addressing this issue is particularly pressing in developing countries, where limited funding and inadequate infrastructure risk widening the gap for those already disadvantaged.
While internet access is a critical factor, the digital divide in developing nations is multifaceted. Contributing factors include inadequate internet bandwidth, insufficient digital literacy training, unreliable infrastructure, lack of access to technology, and limited secure storage for devices. Developing countries, classified as low- or middle-income economies, generally lack the wealth and tax base to support robust infrastructure, leading to issues like unreliable electricity and internet access. Consequently, without targeted global efforts, the digital divide will continue to grow in these regions, deepening existing inequalities.
UX experts who design accessible and equitable interfaces for developing nations play a key role in addressing this global digital divide. By developing platforms that work on low-cost devices and function in areas with limited connectivity, they ensure that technology becomes more accessible to underserved populations. Simple and intuitive designs help reduce the learning curve for those unfamiliar with modern technology, empowering them to engage more confidently. Additionally, by aligning interfaces with local languages, cultural norms, and user behaviours, these designs become both practical and effective. Prioritizing the needs of marginalized groups, such as individuals with disabilities or those living in rural communities, ensures inclusivity and fosters greater participation. Through these efforts, UX experts can help connect communities to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, making technology a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.
In recent years, the agricultural industry has undergone a remarkable global transformation that is largely fueled by advancements in technology. New technologies such as precision farming and crop monitoring systems have revolutionized the way farmers manage their day-to-day operations. User Interface design and experience is the basis of this transformation, for it ensures that agricultural applications are not only functional but also accessible and user-friendly across a wide variety of cultural and economic contexts.
Agriculture represents a cornerstone of many East African economies, contributing significantly to their GDP and employment rates. It continues to contribute from 25% to 40% of GDP and employs over 80% of the population across East African Community member states, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan. Agriculture also supplies over 70% of raw materials for regional industries and represents around 65% of intra-regional trade within this community, underscoring its foundational role in the region’s economy. The introduction of FarmConnect, an app that connects farmers with prospective buyers from neighbouring cities, is just one of the many apps in progress that have changed the way farmers organize their businesses. The app relies on the use of universal icons and widespread images that have made it easy and intuitive for farmers in East Africa to use. Furthermore, it has an automatic language option that is catered towards the farmer’s native language. The app allows farmers to save both time and costs. By targeting literacy accessibility, resource efficiency, and adaptability, UX designer Gordon Otuni predicts that smart interface design is the key to overcoming many of the economic challenges that rural towns in East Africa are facing.
The application of progressive and accessible design principles, however, is not as simple as simplifying icons and adding more languages. While precision agriculture technologies offer many benefits to farmers, they risk reinforcing systems of bias, control, and Western hierarchies. When considering the intersectional effects of East African Female farmers and plants specifically, it may advocate for a decolonialist approach to governing these technologies inclusively. Therefore, designers must be aware that global approaches to digital design are multifaceted and be prepared to account for intersectional differences in their implementation.
Despite the challenges of applying UX principles to such unfamiliar domains, there has been a growing emergence of UX companies focused on supporting developing economies. For example, Small Surfaces, founded by Gabriel White, is a consultancy agency targeted towards using human-computer interaction principles for positive social change. Small surfaces have helped influential social justice leaders such as the World Health Organization, Ushsahidi, and The World Bank. The company offers various services for low-income countries to help a diverse array of causes, from educational administration to medical diagnostic testing. In 2022, they partnered with Bridge International Academies: a network of schools based in low-income communities in Africa and South Asia. The project focused on using mobile technology to improve the operational efficiency by over 1000% in schools and offices. Through workshops, prototyping, and human-centered research, Small Surfaces created a design for mobile tools that help school managers, teachers, and field staff work, effectively using low-cost smartphones and tablets in areas of poor network connectivity.
Given the inescapable nature of technology in the modern age, equitable digital design should not be viewed as a luxury or an afterthought, but as a necessity and opportunity to create solutions that benefit not only user experiences but also humanity. Designers have the power to perpetuate potentially harmful, addictive designs, or focus their expertise on ensuring no one gets left behind in the race for innovation. Disability rights activist Eric Harris described disability as a resource for design, not a burden. While his statement was originally directed at designing for disabled consumers, its message extends to anyone facing technological disadvantage, emphasizing the universal value of inclusive and thoughtful design.
Edited by Shihun Lee
This is an article written by a Staff Writer. Catalyst is a student-led platform that fosters engagement with global issues from a learning perspective. The opinions expressed above do not necessarily reflect the views of the publication.
Megan Tan is in her third year at McGill University, currently pursuing a BA&Sc in Cognitive Science with a minor in Philosophy. As a Staff Writer at Catalyst Publications, Megan aims to bridge her background in Behavioural Science with International Development as her writing is mainly focused on the Health and Technological dimensions of global political issues. Having grown up in Singapore, Qatar, and Canada, Megan strives to use her diverse upbringing to offer a multifaceted lens through which she examines the interplay of technology, health, and cognitive science.