Lessons from the pilot of a mobile application to map assistive technology suppliers in Africa
A pilot project to develop and implement a mobile smartphone application (App) that tracks and maps assistive technology (AT) availability in southern Africa was launched in Botswana in 2016. The App was developed and tested through an iterative process. The concept of the App (AT-Info-Map) was well...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2018-03-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Disability |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/422 |
| _version_ | 1828280852637810688 |
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| author | Surona J. Visagie Rebecca Matter George M. Kayange Mussa Chiwaula Mark Harniss Gubela Mji Elsje Scheffler |
| author_facet | Surona J. Visagie Rebecca Matter George M. Kayange Mussa Chiwaula Mark Harniss Gubela Mji Elsje Scheffler |
| author_sort | Surona J. Visagie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A pilot project to develop and implement a mobile smartphone application (App) that tracks and maps assistive technology (AT) availability in southern Africa was launched in Botswana in 2016. The App was developed and tested through an iterative process. The concept of the App (AT-Info-Map) was well received by most stakeholders within the pilot country, and broader networks.
Several technical and logistical obstacles were encountered. These included high data costs; difficulty in accessing AT information from the public healthcare sector, the largest supplier of AT; and the high human resource demand of collecting and keeping up-to-date device-level information within a complex and fragmented supply sector that spans private, public and civil society entities. The challenges were dealt with by keeping the data burden low and eliminating product-level tracking. The App design was expanded to include disability services, contextually specific AT categories and make navigation more intuitive.
Long-term sustainability strategies like generating funding through advertisements on the App or supplier usage fees must be explored. Outreach and sensitisation programmes about both the App and AT in general must be intensified. The project team must continually strengthen partnerships with private and public stakeholders to ensure ongoing project engagement. The lessons learnt might be of value to others who wish to embark on initiatives in AT and/or implement Apps in health or disability in southern Africa and in low-resourced settings around the world. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:06:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e1502deed8d24b4b95f7b775ece2bd16 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-9170 2226-7220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:06:17Z |
| publishDate | 2018-03-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Disability |
| spelling | doaj.art-e1502deed8d24b4b95f7b775ece2bd162022-12-22T02:55:09ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Disability2223-91702226-72202018-03-0170e1e410.4102/ajod.v7i0.422144Lessons from the pilot of a mobile application to map assistive technology suppliers in AfricaSurona J. Visagie0Rebecca Matter1George M. Kayange2Mussa Chiwaula3Mark Harniss4Gubela Mji5Elsje Scheffler6Centre for Rehabilitation Studies, Stellenbosch UniversitySchool of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa; International Program on Disability, Technology and Rehabilitation, University of WashingtonSouthern Africa Federation of the Disabled (SAFOD), GaboroneSouthern Africa Federation of the Disabled (SAFOD), GaboroneRehabilitation Medicine, University of WashingtonCentre for Rehabilitation Studies, Stellenbosch UniversityCentre for Rehabilitation Studies, Stellenbosch UniversityA pilot project to develop and implement a mobile smartphone application (App) that tracks and maps assistive technology (AT) availability in southern Africa was launched in Botswana in 2016. The App was developed and tested through an iterative process. The concept of the App (AT-Info-Map) was well received by most stakeholders within the pilot country, and broader networks. Several technical and logistical obstacles were encountered. These included high data costs; difficulty in accessing AT information from the public healthcare sector, the largest supplier of AT; and the high human resource demand of collecting and keeping up-to-date device-level information within a complex and fragmented supply sector that spans private, public and civil society entities. The challenges were dealt with by keeping the data burden low and eliminating product-level tracking. The App design was expanded to include disability services, contextually specific AT categories and make navigation more intuitive. Long-term sustainability strategies like generating funding through advertisements on the App or supplier usage fees must be explored. Outreach and sensitisation programmes about both the App and AT in general must be intensified. The project team must continually strengthen partnerships with private and public stakeholders to ensure ongoing project engagement. The lessons learnt might be of value to others who wish to embark on initiatives in AT and/or implement Apps in health or disability in southern Africa and in low-resourced settings around the world.https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/422Assistive devicesMobile application |
| spellingShingle | Surona J. Visagie Rebecca Matter George M. Kayange Mussa Chiwaula Mark Harniss Gubela Mji Elsje Scheffler Lessons from the pilot of a mobile application to map assistive technology suppliers in Africa African Journal of Disability Assistive devices Mobile application |
| title | Lessons from the pilot of a mobile application to map assistive technology suppliers in Africa |
| title_full | Lessons from the pilot of a mobile application to map assistive technology suppliers in Africa |
| title_fullStr | Lessons from the pilot of a mobile application to map assistive technology suppliers in Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lessons from the pilot of a mobile application to map assistive technology suppliers in Africa |
| title_short | Lessons from the pilot of a mobile application to map assistive technology suppliers in Africa |
| title_sort | lessons from the pilot of a mobile application to map assistive technology suppliers in africa |
| topic | Assistive devices Mobile application |
| url | https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/422 |
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