MI 488/IAH 205 is a course that merges topics from the fields of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) with topics
from African studies. Students will explore how African history, culture, decolonial theory, ethics,
multilingualism, and related topics can inform their understanding of the use and design of technology
(both analogue and digital). We will primarily explore these topics within the Kenyan context.
Students will also learn from and collaborate with Technologists-in-Residence (TIR).
These are students from Kenya’s Egerton University, who will participate virtually in the course and
mentor small student groups. A significant portion of the course involves working in these smalls groups and
applying the Human-Centered Design (HCD) process to developing design solutions to global challenges
(resource exploitation, food production, misinformation, youth unemployment, etc.).
Groups will work virtually with Kenyan designers to develop prototypes of these design solutions.
At the end-of-semester, these groups will participate in a campus wide event where they will showcase
their projects. TIRs will attend this event in-person. This course is funded by a generous award from the
Mozilla Foundation’s
Responsible Computing Program.
A significant part of the course was devoted to using human-centered design (HCD) to develop a design
intervention. Students drew from the readings, class discussions, assignments, and conversations with TIR
and guest lecturers to identify a design problem. They then used the HCD process to explore possible
technical solutions. They began their project by sketching various design concepts and building low-fidelity
prototypes. Groups then worked with TIR to develop a 'design brief' to share with the Kenyan designers.
Afterward, student groups collaborated with these designers to develop a high-fidelity prototype of their project
that effectively communicated their design concept and how it could potentially address the chosen problem.
This process required meeting with the Kenyan designers at least once (via Zoom). Groups documented
their design process, which was incorporated into an end-of-semester final report and presentation.
A selection of the numerous project prototypes conceptualized, modelled and created by our talented student body.
Susan Wyche is an Associate Professor in the
Department of Media and Information
at Michigan State University and has a courtesy appointment in MSU's
African Studies Center. Her research focuses on human computer
interaction (HCI) and information and communication technologies and development (ICTD). Her work has been
supported by Google, Facebook, the Mozilla Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Wyche is a 2015 recipient of an NSF CAREER Award.
Wyche received her Ph.D. in Human-Centered Computing from Georgia Tech, an MS from Cornell University and
an undergraduate degree in Industrial Design from Carnegie Mellon University.
Jonathan Choti is an Assistant Professor of African Languages and Cultures, teaching Swahili and a
course on African cultures, languages, and literature at CISAH. He leads a 6-week summer program on
Sustainable Community Development in Tanzania.
His research interests include Bantu languages,
Swahili, minority language pedagogy, and language documentation. He has received multiple awards,
including the 2019 Mid-Michigan Spartans Quality in Teaching Award and the 2020 Excellence Award in
Interdisciplinary Scholarship.
