BoP Base Of Piramid by ACUNAR

Designing for Emerging Markets

Industrial Design Engineering

Design of Products and Services

Designing for Emerging Markets

Design of Products and Services

Edited by

Prabhu Kandachar Ilona de Jongh Jan Carel Diehl

Colophon Printed on recycled paper Editors: Prabhu Kandachar, Ilona de Jongh and Jan Carel Diehl Cover design: Ilona de Jongh Designing for Emerging Markets, Design of Products and Services IDE Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Projects - 3 Edition March 2009 ISBN 978-90-5155-052-8 ÂŠ 2009 Delft University of Technology All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any other information storage and retrieval system without explicit written permission from the authors. Delft University of Technology Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering Landbergstraat 15 2628 CE DELFT www.io.tudelft.nl/BoP Phone +31 (0) 15 278 3034 Fax +31 (0) 15 278 1839 E-mail p.v.kandachar@tudelft.nl j.c.diehl@tudelft.nl i.k.dejongh@tudelft.nl bop-io@tudelft.nl

Project Focus

Education

Each project in this booklet is performed with thought for all three pillars of responsible business: People, Planet and Profit. Sometimes however, a more nuanced focus is

Health

distinguished. This distincton is indicated for each project on the upper left side of the page, using the following symbols.

€

People

Food & Nutrition

Planet

Water

Profit

Energy

Legend

Housing

On the right side of the pages with project summaries, the specific domain(s) of the project are indicated with use of icons. On the right side of this page all icons are shown with

Materials

the correspding domain in words. This can be used as a reference throughout this book, or as a search tool for cases in a specific domain. €

Company

Graduation date

Kamworks

December 14, 2007

Connectivity

www.kamworks.com

Mobile Solar Kiosk for Micro-Entrepeneurs Miriam Reitenbach Despite recent progress, the Cambodian economy still has to reconstitute from the effects of the civil war. The

eye-catching form of the carrier could be achieved.

population often lacks education and productive skills,

revealed that Cambodians were not yet familiar with solar

In the context of a holistic approach this project did not

energy in general and that the way of communicating and

only focus on the design and construction of the kiosk, but

the countryside. About 40% of the population lives below

explaining products forms a major criterion for the success

also presented recommendations on how to communicate

poverty line and has to live of less than 1$ per day. As

of the sales results.

to the local customers in an effective and adequate way,

90% of the Cambodian population does not have access

The outcomes of this research were translated into a final

such as a LED display and posters explaining the benefits

to a secure electricity infrastructure, economic and social

concept that was refined by means of iteratively building and

and cost savings of solar products. Additionally, a new

progress are slowed down as well.

testing the prototype to guarantee not only the technical

bilingual brand name and logo was created that made it

feasibility of the mobile store, but also acceptance among

possible to communicate with Khmer customers as well as

These circumstances set the framework of Kamworks’ business idea: securing sophisticated energy and light the country receives approximately five full sun hours each day, solar energy is one of the promising technologies. The objective of this graduation project was the design and development of a mobile solar kiosk for Cambodian microentrepreneurs,

enabling the setup of a self-sustaining

business by distributing solar products to the rural area of Cambodia, in continuation of the intensive collaboration between Kamworks and Delft University of Technology, see

Interviews with potential customers of the solar products

application of glass fibre reinforced plastic an attractive and

which leads to a high unemployment rate, especially in

supply and creating new jobs for young Cambodians. As

In order to get an understanding on how the anticipated customer reacted on the mobile store, the Cambodian translator was asked to drive around the rural areas to obtain feedback. In the first place he acted as microentrepreneur who sells products, consequently he interviewed the potential customers.

technical requirements.

page 116 .

Extreme road conditions

the future users - the micro-entrepreneurs.

Biking without pedaling

Designing & Tools

Western stakeholders and contributes to a quality image of the mobile solar kiosk.

The final design was a three-wheeled electric bicycle that

Local Production and maintenance

can be recharged by solar energy. By making use of this

When designing the mobile kiosk, only locally available

renewable energy technology and being remarkably lighter

materials and production techniques were considered in

than existing mobile stores, this vehicle is less polluting than

order to generate local income, as local manufacturing was

traditional motorised stores and can contribute to promote

one of the greatest requirements for the design. These

sustainable energy in an effective way. User tests showed

manufacturing experts of the kiosk would also be able to

that an electric bike caught the attention of the customer

take care of the maintenance and reparations, keeping all

immediately as most rural people never saw someone

the work and the money local.

driving on a bike without pedalling before. In order to cope with the bad road conditions a new

Through intense user and context research in Cambodia,

suspension system was developed that can damp the

technical and usability criteria were defined, as well as

wheels individually which makes it much easier to drive and

social and cultural influences. These formed the framework

steer the vehicle, even on bumpy and unpaved roads.

of this project. The first constraint was the underdeveloped

In the front part of this mobile solar kiosk a yellow carrier

road network and the extremely bad road conditions. Also,

is mounted that serves not only to transport the solar

with heavy rain seasons from May until October the road

products, but also as a store front when the lid is opened.

conditions get even worse which poses a challenge to the

Due to the, for the local context, innovative material

€

The bilingual logo on the side of the glass fibre reinforced carrier.

Entrepreneurship

€

Photo: Jimmy Ho

Rice Fields near Culik Bali, Indonesia

Preface

The number of student projects at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering relevant to the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) has increased enormously since 2002, when the course “Advanced Products” for Master’s students started a small experiment with projects focused on developing countires was started. The increase of projects is due to several reasons. Firstly, students of our Faculty have shown great interest and enthusiasm to design products and services to meet the needs of the citizens of the BoP. Secondly, the concept of BoP has attracted the attention of many Dutch and European entrepreneurs, leading to several assignments for Base of the Pyramid projects executed all over the world by students from Delft University of Technology, in the time period between 2004 and 2009.

our students, often in collaboration with people living at the economic BoP. Thirdly, the supervising staff of our Faculty is equally active in supporting such initiatives. And lastly, more and

Non-Governmental

Organizations (NGOs), both in the Netherlands and in some BoP countries, have been opening up their doors to such trials. But what is this BoP? Base of the Pyramid (or Bottom of the Pyramid, as it is sometimes termed) refers to the 4-billion plus poor mostly in non-western countries in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, living on incomes less than $32601 per year. Some parts

these

geographical

regions, such as China, India, Brazil,

Russia,

have

experiencing

markets

phenomenal

economic growth not unnoticed 1 Monica Touesnard, http://www.bopnetwork.org/

Millennium Development Goals

Although the BoP strategy to serve the underserved,

The extensive response to these ideas is likely due to the

namely the poor in developing countries, has attracted the

limited success of developmental assistance to alleviate

attention of scientists and entrepreneurs worldwide, the

poverty in the past 50 years. For more than 50 years, the

scientific publications in this area until now are often from

World Bank, donor nations, various aid agencies, national

management sciences, often extending the concepts of

governments, and civil society organizations have all fought

corporate social responsibility, sustainability, etc.

the good fight, but have not been able to eradicate poverty

The uniqueness of our Faculty of Industrial Design

yet. The adoption of the Millennium Development Goals

Engineering lies in its human centered approach. Needs are

(MDG) by the United Nations only underscores that reality.

the central driving force uniting technology and business.

Poverty has remained one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most daunting

By tradition our Faculty has propagated the practice of

problems even as we enter the 21st Century. Prahalad

designing products and services to meet the human needs.

advocates an alternative approach to help the poor.

The BoP strategy has stimulated us to look also at the needs of the underserved, which represent a huge market and was hitherto unattended. The foundation for the BoP strategy was laid by Prahalad & Hart2, in their publication published in the first quarter of 2002, promising fortune for entrepreneurs and at the same time offering perspectives to the poor world majority to escape from the poverty. This caught public attention and unleashed an extensive response from academics, businesses, NGOs and others. Prahaladâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book3 delves in depth by proposing a framework for the active engagement of the private sector and suggesting a basis for a profitable win-win engagement. This vision of untapped great wealth in the world waiting to be explored & exploited by human ingenuity, by designing products and services to meet the needs of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poor, and then efficiently manufacturing

Preface

by the affluent west.

Science Spread over the World The projects described in this book are a result of several students, entrepreneurs and academic staff stimulated by this strategy. The BoP concept is spreading to all parts of the world, both within the rich and in the poor countries. This is also reflected by the geographical spread of the projects executed at our Faculty, as can be seen in the picture on the opposite page. It can also be observed that the projects cover very diverse needs, from Water to Energy, from Healthcare to Education, and more. These projects could not have been executed without the involvement of students, companies, NGOs, and professors. Together they have set up a base to develop a new knowledge domain full of challenges and opportunities. Thank you all!

& distributing by the capabilities of the modern corporation, Prahalad contends, needs innovations. 2 The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, Strategy+business, issue 26, First quarter 2002, p. 1- 14 (Booz Allen Hamiliton) 3 The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits, ISBN-10: 0-13-146750-6; ISBN-13: 978-0-13146750-7 (Published 2004) Pages: 432.

Prabhu Kandachar Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering Delft University of Technology March 2009 8

Table of Contents 9

Project Focus

Preface

Introduction

Prabhu Kandachar

Challenges for Industrial Designers

Student Projects Inge van de Wouw

Dec 8, 08

Lamp with insect repellent

Aparna Bhasker

2009

India Moves: Economic Empowerment of Rural Disabled

Ambika Samabasivan

Oct 30, 08

Global Opportunities in Renewable Lighting

Lieke Pijpers

Oct 24, 08

PRO-PORTION Affordable milk for kids

Sierk Hennes

Sep 23, 08

Design a PSS for drinking water

Kirsten Rijke

Aug 26, 08

Solar shop in rural Cambodia

Tom van Diessen

Aug 22, 08

Solar Home System for rural Cambodia

Linda Schnieders

Jul 28, 08

Redesign of a Smoke free Batana Extractor

Lumen

Jun, 08

LUMEN light solution

Judith Goor

Apr 04, 08

A battery charging system for youngsters

Jan Willem Findlater

Feb 8, 08

Culturally appropriate coffins for Botswana

Water4Kenya

Feb, 08

Water4Kenya

Alexander van der Kleij

Feb 1, 08

Comparing Contexts; Solar Dew Technology

Miriam Reitenbach

Dec 14, 07

Mobile Solar Kiosk for Micro-Entrepeneurs

Koos Munneke

Oct 24, 07

Better Brace Project

Bernard Hulshof

Oct 19, 07

Affordable Solar Lighting for rural Madagascar

Rutger Bonsel

Oct 12, 07

Holy Cow or Cash Cow

Hoi-Kee Wong

Aug 8, 07

Cooking in rural China

Fire4India

May, 07

Fire4India

Yu-Kuan Chang

Nov 27, 06

Knowledge Gaps in Product Development

Culture & Design Annemiek van Boeijen

Design & culture in the BoP Domain

Annemarie Mink

Nov 10, 06

Reeling Machine for Silk Yarn Producers

Marion de Groot

Sep 21, 06

Support Tool for the Chinese Village Doctor

Cathelijne Huis in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;t Veld

Aug 31, 06

Design of a Malaria Diagnostics Device

Roelie Bottema

Aug 4, 06

Personal Water Purifier

Mijntje de CaluwĂŠ

Jul 29, 06

Knowledge Framework: Design4Billions

Jul 7, 06

Product Service System for Plant Oil Stove

GhanaMoves

Jul-06

Tricycle for Disabled Entrepreneurs

Willem Glasbergen

Jun 21, 06

Human Powered Bamboo Splitting Tool

Marike Bijtelaar

Jun 16, 06

Improving the Climate of Cooking Areas

Maria Nguyen

Apr 28, 06

Safe Drinking Water

Leonie Ideler

Apr 4, 06

Adoptable Woodstove

102

Fernando Del Caro Secomandi Apr, 06

Water Supply in Slums:P.I.P.A. System

104

Jon Rodriguez

Contextualizing Products

106 108

Feb 3, 06

Cale Thompson

Sep 14, 06

Online Microfinance: into(context)

Jonathan Stranders

Dec 23, 05

Creating Market Insight for Designers

110

Suzanne Hendrikse

Nov 11, 05

Device for Early Oral Cancer Detection

114

Stephen Boom

Oct 28, 05

Solar Lighting

116

Roseliek van der Velden

Oct 21, 05

Adoptability of the U-Specs

118

Joan Boekhoven

Oct 18, 05

Natural Fibres in Doors and Windows

120

H.S. Smallenbroek

2004

Small scale cassava starch processing

122

Epilogue

J.C.Diehl

The first learning experiences of Design for the BoP

126

Acknowledgements

130

About the Editors

131

Photos P.I.P.A. system

Brazil

Fernando Del Caro Secomandi

Cover

Rice Fiels near Culik

Bali, Indonesia

Jimmy Ho

Kids swimming and playing

Jakarta, Indonesia Ilona de Jongh

Girl

Java, Indonesia

Mirjam Lindgreen

Man Fishing on Citarum River Java, Indonesia

Kees van Gastel

Man and horse at work

Java, Indonesia

Mirjam Lindgreen

Market for Holi Colours

India

Prabhu Kandachar

Boats

Cambodia

Stephen Boom

Girl Getting Water in Favela

Rio de Janeiro

Ferry

Girls in Favelas

Rio de Janeiro

Linda Schnieders

100

Man at Home

Chongming Island

Jaap Daalhuizen

112

Toilet in a Rural Village

Chongming Island

Jaap Daalhuizen

124

Table of Contents

Elselien Epema

Introduction

Challenges for Industrial Design Engineers Prabhu Kandachar About two thirds of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population of 6 billion people spend their lives searching for food and shelter, fighting for physical survival, and fearing for the future. These are the individuals who earn less than three dollars per day: the people living at the economical Base of the Pyramid (BoP). This does not go unnoticed. Global poverty, its extent and distribution, is of daily news screaming for the attention of all world citizens. The challenge at world level is enormous. In Africa alone, poverty and hunger, unemployment, disease, malnutrition, lack of shelter, gender inequity and environmental deterioration are some of the main challenges in addressing poverty.

Millennium Development Goals

Eight Millennium Development Goals, to be achieved in 2015. Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women Goal 4: Reduce child mortality Goal 5: Improve maternal health Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

Millennium Development Goals The developments in the last century have attracted the attention of world leaders. At the Millennium Summit in September 2000 the largest gathering of world leaders in history adopted the UN Millennium Declaration, committing their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and set out a series of targets with a deadline of 2015, which have become known as the Millennium Development Goals1. The image on the left shows the eight goals. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time-bound and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions - income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion - while promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability. Also included are basic human rights - the

Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

right of each person on the planet to health, shelter, and 1 http://www.undp.org/mdg/basics.shtml

beyond the immediate horizon and opportunities, and for

mortality, AIDS, Malaria and other diseases.

having a voice in public decision making. A sustainable

The MDGs are an agreed set of goals that can only be

end to world poverty as we know it, as well as the path to

achieved if all actors work together and do their part. Poor

peace and security, requires that citizens in every country

countries have pledged to govern better, and invest in their

are empowered to make positive choices and provide for

people through health care and education. Rich countries

themselves and their families. This can only be achieved

have pledged to support them, through aid, debt relief, and

if everyone is given a chance to learn in a high-quality

fairer trade.

schooling environment at least through primary school.

As an institution which is an expert in designing products

At a country level, education is considered to be an

and services to meet human needs, it could be that some

important determinant of economic growth and is frequently

of the needs of the population at the Base of the Pyramid

hailed as one of the primary contributing factors to the

are addressable by the expertise available at the Faculty

dramatic economic growth in East Asia. Individuals with a

of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of

strong educational attainment also have good earnings. A

Technology. Most problems can be grouped in the domains

greater access to good quality education is a key poverty-

of education, healthcare, food & nutrition, water, energy,

reduction strategy advocated throughout the developing

housing, materials, connectivity, designing & tools, and entrepreneurship. Each of these domains will be discussed, giving an overview of the needs and problems. The rest of the book presents student projects that aim at solving problems within one or more of these domains, with two different chapters: on page 74, an insight is giving on â&#x20AC;&#x153;design and culture at the BoPâ&#x20AC;?, and the epilogue on page 126 reflects on the student projects and draws some preliminary conclusions about the lessons learned.

Education

Introduction

security and there are specific aims at combating child

world. More and more children, youth and adults have a chance to learn and the number of children in school continues to grow. Today 680 million children are enrolled in primary schools around the world. Yet, a lot more still needs to be done. More than 100 million children, over half of them girls, never get a chance to see the inside of a classroom. Furthermore, the poor quality of education provided, resulting from irrelevant and obsolete curricula, overcrowded classrooms, untrained teachers, etc., causes high incompletion rates.

An essential ingredient for the full realization of human

Literacy empowers and nurtures inclusive societies and

capacity, education is considered to provide everyone the

contributes to the fair implementation of human rights. In

opportunity to make a better life for themselves. Education

the case of mothers, literacy leads to an enhanced quality

provides the basis for making informed choices, for seeing

of life for their families and improved education outcomes

for their children. Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; education, and particularly mothersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; education, is seen to result in lower fertility, lower maternal mortality, and better child health and nutrition

World Income Distribution 2000

status. It is also suggested that individuals with at least some education respond better to HIV/AIDS prevention messages. Nevertheless literacy remains a low priority for national governments and the donor community. Worldwide, 781 million adults are illiterate (as of April 2006) and about 100 million children are out of school. A large number of those who enrol drop out before attaining literacy skills and some of those who complete primary education remain illiterate. Literacy is an indispensable means for effective social and economic participation, contributing to human development and poverty reduction. Goal 2 of the Millennium Development Goals has set out by the year 2015 to ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling. The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in and for education is rapidly expanding in many countries, and is now seen worldwide as both a necessity and an opportunity. In different countries policies and strategies to integrate information and communication technologies in education are being developed. While ICT use in education in developing countries is relatively recent, it has nevertheless made an impact on the education system. It has generated a wealth of experience, good practices and lessons for the benefit of countries where ICT application and integration in education are being established2.

Everyone knows the resources in the world are not divided evenly over the entire population. This inequal distribution of money and power needs action.

2 http://portal.unesco.org/en/

Healthcare

the challenge of providing access to sustainable healthcare

Differences in health standards between rich & poor

in developing countries. Money is the single biggest barrier

countries are very high. Life expectancy varies between

to improving healthcare in the developing world. In many

36 and 85 years. A child born in a rich country receives

countries people do not have enough food or access to a

vaccinations, adequate nutrition and good schooling. When

clean water supply, no hospital or clinic in which to receive

a girl becomes a mother she will benefit from high-quality

treatment and few healthcare professionals to care for them.

maternity care. Growing older, she may eventually develop

Often the governments of these countries simply do not

chronic diseases, but excellent treatment and rehabilitation

have the resources needed to address the healthcare needs

services will be available. On the other hand, a child born in

of their people. The World Bank estimates that an annual

a poor country has little chance of receiving immunizations

healthcare expenditure of $14 per person is the minimum

and a high probability of being underweight throughout

needed to provide the most fundamental services. Yet the

childhood. She will probably marry early and give birth

average expenditure in sub-Saharan Africa, for example, is

to many children without the assistance of a trained birth

currently only $63.

attendant. One or more of her babies will die in infancy, and

Food and Nutrition

she herself will be at high risk of death during childbirth.

Food security and insecurity are terms used to describe

If she survives middle age she, too, will develop chronic

peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s access to sufficient quality and quantity of food.

diseases but, without access to adequate treatment, she will

They are affected by factors such as poverty, health, food

die prematurely.

production, political stability, infrastructure, access to markets,

This illustrates what medicine and public health can

and natural hazards. Improved food security is important for

achieve, and shows unmet needs in a world of vast and

global reduction of hunger and poverty, and for economic

growing health inequalities. The key task of the global

development. One aim of the Millennium Development

health community is therefore to close the gap between

Goals (MDG) is to eradicate poverty and hunger, including

such contrasting lives. Real progress in health depends

â&#x20AC;&#x153;to reduce by half the proportion of people who suffer from

vitally on stronger health systems based on primary health

hungerâ&#x20AC;? between 1990 and 2015. However, by 2003 the

care. Attention is needed across all levels of the health care

proportion of world population that was undernourished

system to integrate health promotion and disease prevention

had only decreased from 20% to 17% (823 to 820 million

on the one hand and treatment for acute illness and chronic

people). It is predicted that many regions will not reach

care on the other.

their MDG targets, particularly sub-Saharan Africa where

Experiences from past decades, fighting against diseases across the world, show that there are no easy solutions to

a third of the population is food insecure and there is an 3 The World Health Report 2006, http://www.who.int/

actual increase (through population growth) in the number of hungry people. Southern Asia is also not expected to meet its goal, with increasing numbers of undernourished people in countries such as Bangladesh and Nepal. The factors affecting this problem include: (1) availability of food, or the amount of food that actually exists (local production and other sources) (2) peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s physical, economic and social access to food (3) the quality or nutritional adequacy of that food; and (4) peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to utilize this food, including the patterns of control over who eats what and the physical ability to absorb nutrients (affected by health status factors such as intestinal parasites). Malnutrition, a widespread problem, is caused by deficiencies or imbalances in energy, protein and/or other

Shortage of Health Service Providers

nutrients.

Signs

include

wasting

(thinness),

stunting

(shortness), or being underweight (low weight for age due to wasting/stunting). Protein-energy deficiency is a leading cause of child death in developing countries. Deficiencies in micro nutrients (vitamins and minerals) can also affect mental and physical health. Micronutrient malnutrition is a major global public health problem affecting more than a third of the world population. Consequences of this malnutrition are widespread and severe. For example iron deficiency anaemia remains a major health problem and can negatively impact on health, life expectancy, work productivity and economies. It has been estimated that iron deficiency impairs the mental development of 40 to 60%

Countries with a critical shortage of health service providers (doctors, nurses and midwives) are coloured dark. [World Health Organization, Global Atlas of the Health Workforcehttp://www.who.int/globalatlas/default.asp]

of children in developing countries. Also, vitamin A deficiency affects 40% of children, and is a factor in 1 million child deaths per year. Thirdly, iodine deficiency during pregnancy

Households (%) That Lack

causes mental impairment in 18 million babies born every year. Several strategies have been proposed to address these problems. They include food fortification, dietary diversification, dietary supplementation, nutrition education,

In-House Connection to Water

Improved Drinking Water

Improved Sanitation

and public health measures to control intestinal parasites

China

and other infectious diseases. Also, when people do have

Russia

access to food, more efficient and healthy food preparation

Mexico

methods and tools can address the problem of unhealthy

Colombia

Peru

preparation.

Water The most common substance on earth is water. Ninetyseven percent of it is seawater, unfit for human use. Of

In China two-fifth of the households lack an in-house connection to water, almost a quarter lacks improved drinking water and more than half of all Chinese lack improved sanitation [United Nations Habitat].

the remaining 3%, two-thirds is locked up in glaciers or ice and snow around the poles. Only 1% of the entire worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water is available for human consumption. Even this small percentage should be enough for all, water being infinitely renewable. However, water is not distributed evenly. Canada, Austria and Ireland, have more water than they can possibly

The Global Water Challenge

use; Australia, northern China and the Middle East, have too little. In India and Bangladesh, rainfall is highly seasonal: almost all the year's supply may arrive within a few months. Water is also heavy, which makes it costly to transport over long distances. In many countries, millions of poor people (usually women) must walk for several hours a day to get water; or they pay exorbitant prices to private water vendors. And often water quality is poor. Inadequate sanitation makes matters worse. As much as 60% of the world's illness is water-related. Water shortage is expected all over the world in the coming 20 years as shown in the figure on the right4. 4 Water Scenarios in 2025, WBCSD, August 2006, http://www.wbcsd.org/

In developing countries, less than 10% of the naturally available water is withdrawn [Adapted from Grey and Sadoff, 2006, The Global Water Challenge].

One of the millennium targets requires that an additional 1.5 billion people gain access to some form of improved water supply by 2015, which is 100 million people each year (or 274,000 people each day).

Energy Energy is required for most of the human activities. In 2003, no less than 80% of the world's energy consumption came from fossil fuels. The extensive use of energy technologies, especially when utilizing fossil energy resources, has also generated undesirable by-products, wastes and pollution

Worldwide Energy Consumption

that threaten human health, climate and ecosystems. The extraction, conversion to useful energy (such as electricity for a home or gasoline for a car), and combustion of fuels like oil, coal, natural gas, etc, releases into the atmosphere approximately 80% of human-induced (termed anthropogenic) greenhouse gas emissions. The environmental consequences are causing concern firstly from the reliance on natural resources, and secondly from the damage to global, regional, and local environments from emissions. The global requirements for energy are increasing rapidly as the global population increases and the under-developed nations become more advanced. Nearly two billion people in our world of rapidly approaching six billion people currently do not have access to commercial energy services. Understanding and assisting in putting to use the laws of nature for the transition towards a sustainable energy system is the fundamental challenge of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Prognosis after 2000 assumes a global economic growth of 3% and a global population of 9 billion people by 2050 [Deutsche Shell, http://www.spiegel.de/ international/spiegel/0,1518,grossbild-685811-429968,00.html].

scientists & engineers. One of the greatest challenges ahead is to connect the 1.6 billion people in developing countries currently without access to modern energy services in an

environmentally benign manner. Other challenges include the

Housing and Urbanization

ongoing urbanization throughout the world creating higher

Some 1.2 billion people worldwide live on the equivalent

and higher energy demand densities, increasing demand for

of less than one dollar per day. The United Nations Centre

mobility, especially in developing countries, and additional

for Human Settlements (UNCHS) has estimated that 1.1

energy needs for new processes such as desalination.

billion people are living in inadequate housing conditions in

Clearly, meeting such a challenge requires a proactive & a

urban areas alone, and that figure is expected to double by

co-operative contribution from all involved.

2030. UNCHS has also estimated that some approximately

In Africa, for instance, overcoming energy poverty is one of

35 million new housing units are required each year in

the main challenges. The majority of Africans currently have

developing countries to accommodate growth in the number

no access to modern energy services and technologies.

of households during the period between 2000 and 2010

This

has

wide-ranging

social

and

environmental

period. The bulk of these, some 21 million units, are required

consequences. Lack of access to electricity means no

to cater for the needs of the increasing number of households.

refrigeration for medicines or food, limits on what type of

The rest is needed to meet the requirements of people who

businesses can be developed, as well as no effective lighting.

are currently homeless or living in inadequate housing. In

As a result, children cannot easily study in the evenings.

other words, some 95,000 new urban housing units have to

Most Africans, even in urban areas, still use firewood, crop

be constructed each day in developing countries to improve

residues or charcoal for cooking and cook on inefficient

housing conditions to acceptable levels. Some 14 million

stoves, resulting in a high incidence of respiratory diseases

additional units would be required each year for the next

because of smoke. Many women and girls have to spend

20 years if the current housing deficit were to be replaced

hours collecting firewood, and cutting trees contributes to

by 2020. Among an estimated 100 million homeless people

deforestation.

around the world, available data suggest that increasing

There are also opportunities. A recent study5, by the

proportions are women and children.

German Aerospace Center and Ecofys in The Netherlands,

But the main event of the demographic change is in the

commissioned by Greenpeace and Europe's Renewable

cities of the developing world â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and most of it in squatter

Energy Council. claims that half of the world's energy needs

cities, the teeming slums of the uninvited. A billion people

in 2050 could be met by renewable energy and by improved

live in squatter cities now. Two billion more are expected by

efficiency. According to this study, alternative energy sources,

2050. Squatters are nearly one-sixth of all humans now, one-

such as wind and solar, could provide nearly 70% of the

fourth to one-third in the nearby future.

global electricity demand and 65% of global heat demand. 5 Report: Energy Revolution, Jan 2007

Historically, cities have been the driving force in economic and social development. At present approximately 307 million

Indians (31% of the population) live in nearly 3700 towns and cities spread across the country. This is in sharp contrast to only 60 million (15%) who lived in urban areas in 1947 when the country became independent. During the last fifty years the population of India has grown two and half times, but Urban India has grown by nearly five times. In numerical terms, India's urban population is second largest in the world after China, and is higher than the total urban population of all countries put together barring China, USA and Russia. Facilities in houses are also of big challenge. Less than 20% of households in Africa are connected to piped water, and only 40% have piped water within 200 meters of their home. In the developing world, 29% of cities have areas considered as "inaccessible" or "dangerous" to the police. In Latin America and the Caribbean, this figure is 48%. Less than 35% of cities in the developing world have their wastewater treated. In countries with economies in transition, 75% of solid wastes are disposed of in open dumps. Housing problems have far-reaching consequences. The high cost of housing leaves low-income families little money for other basic necessities like food, clothing or health care. Substandard housing can endanger the health and safety of its occupants, erode their hope and self-worth, and impair their children's ability to succeed in school.

Materials and Resources Developing

countries

are

concerned

with

promoting

technological advancement as a means of economic development, which in turn contributes to social development. Raw materials and local resources provide basic building blocks for such developments. Developed countries are much

further in application of material and resources by means

contribute significantly to the income and food security

of industrial production wherein energy and raw materials

of poor farmers and workers in fibre industries. For some

are fed continuously into the production process, resulting

developing countries natural fibres are of major economic

in useful products as well as waste or other by-products.

importance, for example, cotton in some West African

Increasing concern worldwide for environmental protection

countries, jute in Bangladesh and sisal in Tanzania. In other

and growing economical constraints have led to development

cases these fibres are of less significance at the national level

and utilization of new materials based on renewable

but are of major local importance, as in the case of jute in

resources such as natural fibres and plant materials, as well

West Bengal (India) and sisal in northeast Brazil.

as recycling of industrial by-products.

Challenges in this area include attaining economic growth

Developing countries have often abundant local renewable

by designing and commercializing products based on such

materials and basic expertise. For instance natural fibres

local renewable natural resources without raising the

produced from animals or plants are plentifully available in

ecological pressure on the planet.

developing countries. Animal fibres are derived from sources

Connectivity

such as sheep, goats and rabbits, and the cocoon of the

Communications in the richer part of the world by means

silkworm. Vegetable fibres are derived from the stem, leaf or

of newspapers, radio, TV, telephones are self-evident. The

seed of various plants. Close to 30 million tonnes of natural

latest technology, mobile phones, has become indispensable

fibres are produced annually in the world, of which cotton is

in the rich world. But they are even more useful in the

dominant with 20 million tonnes, wool and jute each around

developing world, where the availability of other forms

2 to 3 million tonnes followed by a number of others.

of communication—roads, postal systems or fixed-line

Natural fibres form an important component of clothing,

phones—is often limited. Even though there is a substantial

upholstery and other textiles for consumers, and many of

subscriber growth in much of the developing world, only

them also have industrial uses in packaging, papermaking

a small proportion of people (affordability is the “biggest

and in composite materials with many uses, including

obstacle” to broader adoption) —around 5% in both India

automobiles.

and sub-Saharan Africa—have their own mobile phones.

Apart from their importance to the consumer and in their

Using cell phones, fishermen and farmers check prices in

various industrial uses, natural fibres are an important

different markets before selling produce. Cell phones also

source of income for the farmers who produce them. In

help people to find work, allow quick and easy transfers

some cases they are produced on large farms in developed

of funds and boost entrepreneurship. A village can share

countries, but in many developing and least developed

phones and prepaid calling plans reduce the need for a bank

countries proceeds from the sale and export of natural fibres

account or credit check.

Grameen Bank, a pioneer in the practice of micro-credit lending, has created a cell phone company to bring cell phones into the villages of Bangladesh. The bank gave loans to the borrowers to buy a cell phone and start selling phone services. It became a growing business, especially with women entrepreneurs. They never saw a telephone in their life before, but they have accepted it as a business idea, and more than 100,000 telephone ladies all over Bangladesh are doing good business while connecting Bangladesh with the rest of the world. A recent study has shown that, in a typical developing country, a rise of ten mobile phones per 100 people boosts

Number of People Without Electricity 1979-2030, by region

GDP growth by 0.6 percentage points. Mobile phones are, in short, a classic example of technology that helps people help themselves. Nevertheless, the absorption of digital technologies throughout the world has not been uniform, such that the concept of digital divide has emerged. The digital divide is the gap between those with regular, effective access to digital technologies and those who do not have that option. Also, the divide refers to those who can benefit from those digital technologies and those who do not. Countries with a wide availability of internet access can advance the economics of that country on a local and global scale. In today's society, internet is becoming increasingly important influencing jobs and education. In countries where the internet and other technologies are not accessible, education is getting affected, and uneducated people cannot compete in our

In the sub-saharian Africa and South Asia, it is projected that people are increasingly living without electricity [IEA 2002b].

global economy. The digital divide is also a term used to refer to the gap between people who have access to the

internet (the information haves) and those that do not (the

Entrepreneurship

information have-nots). It can also refer to the skills people

Entrepreneurs are regarded as bearers of risk, agents that

have – the gap between people who are at ease using digital

bring together the factors of production, or organizers of

technology to access and analyse information and those who

innovation. Entrepreneurship is essential in developing

are not.

countries, as it has played an important role in economic

The digital divide is just as much a gap in understanding as it is a gap in connectivity. There are often clear fundamental

growth, innovation, and competitiveness, and it may also play a role over time in poverty alleviation.

differences between what is proposed by technology

Over 400 million individuals in developing countries

visionaries, many of whom have never even seen a village,

are owners or managers of new firms. Of these, over 200

and what is actually needed by end-users, many of whom

million are found in China and India alone, compared with

have never used a telephone or a computer. A number of ICT initiatives offer a promise of closing the gap that separates the some four billion people living in rural communities from a future with greater literacy, productivity, and quality of life. While the end goal is clear – broadband connectivity everywhere – many ICT initiatives have faltered due to a lack of a well-adapted, step-by-step approach that considers social factors and the staging of capital investments as well as technology. Wireless technology has not only revolutionized the way the developed world communicated; it also offers developing countries an opportunity to “leap-frog” over wire line

just 18 million entrepreneurs in the United States. Yet, in one of the best general books on the state of research on entrepreneurship, China is mentioned on two pages and India is not mentioned at all6. Entrepreneurs in developing countries face a different set of circumstances than their counterparts in developed economies. These differences are rooted in the underlying economies in which they operate. Emerging markets lack a stable or mature market and the consistency that such markets offer. Consequently, the opportunity for entrepreneurship in emerging markets is pervasive. While Western entrepreneurs operate at the fringes of the economy, emerging market entrepreneurs operate closer to the core – the needs and

infrastructures to the forefront of communications. However,

opportunities are more widespread. Another difference lies in

since many different types of wireless technologies exist, it

the access to financial resources. Internal finance comprises

is important to choose the technology that best matches the

the majority of financing for small and medium enterprises

needs of these new markets. While some wireless techniques

in most developing countries. Another major difference lies

have been very successful in urban areas, the rural ICT market

in the access to technological advances which are largely

has its own set of unique requirements, including: low-cost,

6 Amar Bhidé, The Origin and Evolution of New Businesses, New York: Oxford

low-power, scalability, robustness, and ease of use.

University, 2000, ISBN-13: 978-0195131444

developed and held by developed countries. Entrepreneurs are a crucial link in implementing designs of products and services developed specifically to meet the needs of the BoP markets. They are the motors of economic growth and poverty reduction. Small, micro and mediumsized enterprises (SMMEs) are often the backbone of the private sector in the developing world, creating jobs and providing a tax base for local government. And frequently

Focus of Base of the Pyramid Research Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering Delft University of Technology A model for design processes for the Base of the Pyramid [Prabhu Kandachar, Jan 2008].

SMMEs offer the only employment available to millions of poor people.

Design and Research Back in 2002, an experiment was conducted to design a product to serve rural healthcare needs of China, specifically diabetes mellitus. In this project, students and staff of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering collaborated with staff from a Multinational Corporation. Almost at the same time the first paper expounding the Base of the Pyramid strategy by Prahalad & Hart appeared, promising fortune for entrepreneurs and at the same time offering perspectives for the poor world7 majority to escape from poverty. Needs of human beings are the central driving force uniting technology and business, resulting in products and services. By tradition Delft has 7 Strategy + Business, Issue 26, digitaldividend.org/ pdf/bottompyramid.pdf, first quarter 2002.

propagated the practise of designing products and services to meet human needs. Even though it is set up in an engineering environment, such an activity needs an integrative approach from several sciences: technical, social, management sciences, and working together with entrepreneurs. Although several earlier activities at Delft had been carried out in poor countries, they were almost always within the context of developmental assistance. The Base of the Pyramid strategy has stimulated this Faculty to look also at the needs of the underserved, which represent a huge market and was hitherto unattended. It provides an opportunity to apply the well tried out model at Delft (see figure at the left) for poor countries, but this time within the context of alleviating poverty by means of business endeavours.

Photo: Ilona de Jongh

Kids swimming and playing in flooded roads Jakarta, Indonesia

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Philips Consumer Lifestyle

December 8, 2008

Insect Repellent Lamp for the Indian Market Inge van de Wouw Insect bites are an unpleasant fact of life in most parts of the world. In addition to severe nuisance, mosquitoes can also spread diseases such as Malaria, Dengue, Filariasis,

Two user researches in India (48 families in 2.5 months) provided very useful insights for the improvement and further development of the IRL.

Japanese Encephalitis and Chikungunya. Malaria alone causes an estimated 1.3 million deaths and 400 million cases worldwide, and around 20,000 deaths and 15 million cases in India, each year.

Liquid repellent Philips Research Asia in Bangalore has developed the initial product idea of an Insect Repellent Lamp (IRL) to provide insect free environments for families in the Middle & Base of the Pyramid of both urban and rural India. The proposed lamp integrates an insect repellent ability with the normal household light bulb, by using the waste-heat dissipated by the lighting device to vaporize the liquid based mosquito repellent. The aim of this project was to assess if, and how, the idea could really become a successful and profitable product for Philips. The project started with a thorough analysis phase in the Netherlands to explore the mosquito problem, current insect repellents in India and the target group. Also the working principle and characteristics of the Insect Repellent Lamp were investigated and effectiveness tests were done. After the analysis phase a field test was conducted in India with the initial Philips prototype and two competitive IRLs. In India, insights were gained on the magnitude of the insect problem, current use of insect repellents, expenditure, preferences regarding the three IRLs, local culture and traditions, the actual target group and the context of use.

www.philips.com

CFL & portability With the obtained information, several suggestions for improvements were given. First of all, a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) should be used as light source instead of a light bulb. Regarding the repellent, it should be vaporized at the correct temperature of the wick and bottled liquids should be used. The lamp itself should provide more flexibility; the hanging type of lamp should be changed into a portable lamp. Lastly, instead of only in the evening, people should also be able to use the repellent at night together with a night light. The input from the field test was translated into a redesign of the IRL. The redesign of the IRL is portable with 3m of wire, uses a 14W CFL and bottled liquids, has two switches to use the lamp and repellent separately or together (day, evening and night mode) and has an additional blue night light that is lit together with the repellent. A preliminary cost price estimation showed that a selling price of Rs. 500 (â&#x201A;Ź7.50) can be possible.

First reactions With the manufactured 13 prototypes a second field test was conducted in India. The response of the target group on the improved IRL was very positive and it seemed that the insect repellent functionalities, the energy saving lamp, the portability and the two switches (different modes possible) provided very useful benefits for them.

Two switches make it possible to use the lamp and repellent separately or together (day, evening and night mode).The blue night light that is lit when the repellent is active.

Currently, different departments of Philips have shown interest in the IRL and possibilities are explored to bring the product to the market.

€

Company

Graduation date

Movendi Foundation

2009

IndiaMoves; exploratory research study Aparna Bhaskar

Cooka et al: A product-service system (PSS), also known as a functionoriented business model, is a business model, developed in academia, that is aimed at providing sustainability of both consumption and production1.

Movendi foundation strives to improve the quality of life for physically disabled people. The foundation’s primary focus is on developing countries and communities with a great need for expertise in the field of movement technology and physical therapy. The goals are achieved through start-ups

1. M.B. Cooka, T.A. Bhamrab and M. Lemonc (2006). “The transfer and

and coaching projects using local knowledge and skills to

application of Product Service Systems: from academia to UK manu-

arrive at creative solutions for different problems faced by

facturing firms”. Journal of Cleaner Production (Elsevier Ltd) 14 (17):

the physically disabled. Movendi is also involved in setting

1455–1465. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.01.018.

up rehabilitation workshops and training of local therapists and technicians.

GhanaMoves Movendi has previously worked in a business development project for disabled people in Ghana. The project aimed to improve the lives of the disabled by providing them with a means to support themselves, see page 92. Four students investigated the business opportunities for the disabled and they came up with a hand-driven tricycle with which the disabled could sell ice-cream on the streets of MadinaAccra. The tricycles were manufactured at a local workshop, MAK-D, which profited as well from the business by selling tricycles, the ice-cream was supplied by Fanmilk, Ghana’s largest dairy producer and the disabled were able to obtain a small credit (micro-credit) from a local bank at a very reasonable interest rate. For more detailed information a summary of the project is enclosed. Taking GhanaMoves as a starting point and as an inspiration, seeing the benefits it Concept areas; a market analysis of these individual concept areas and new business opportunities and product service systems for self employment of rural disabled within these areas are part of the results.

generated for disabled persons, Movendi wished to initiate a similar venture in India. This project is an exploratory first step in that direction, identifying strategies and business

www.movendifoundation.org

opportunities.

entrepreneur are presented.The second part of the project

Entrepreneurial businesses In a country like India, the poor face numerous challenges and poverty in itself is a handicap. The less fortunate often have to deal with illiteracy, hunger and daily battle for basic necessities, barely managing to make ends meet. In addition to being born poor, if one has a disability, he/ she is confronted with an uphill battle at all stages of life. The disabled poor are one of the most neglected and

focused on generating self employment opportunities suitable for locomotor disabled persons. In order to do so, it was imperative to analyse the Indian market situation. This included study of the consumer markets, with special attention to rural India, and an overview of lives of the poor in rural India. On the basis of this research, seven productservice-systems (PSS, see box on the left page) that can be operated by rural disabled persons were developed.

marginalized communities with limited access to resources

Strategies & PSSs

and employment opportunities. These issues are magnified

Ideas for product-service-systems are elaborated to levels

many times over when it comes to rural India. This strategic

of market potential, consumer segmentation and role of

design project focuses on identifying and developing

different stakeholders in the enterprise system. Ideas are

business opportunities that would empower the disabled

provided for enterprise alliances with private, governmental

poor in rural India, by creating entrepreneurial businesses.

and non-profit sector.

The first step is research.

Disability at the BoP India In order to

develop business opportunities, a thorough

analysis of disability at the BoP in India was performed; an in-depth understanding of the disability sector and disabled persons in rural India. The need for employment amongst rural disabled was confirmed and the target group was defined clearly. It answers questions such as; who amongst the rural disabled or what sections of the disabled population require additional support in terms of employment? Who amongst locomotor disabled are capable/ not capable of taking up responsibility of entrepreneurship? Additionaly, symbiotic business opportunities with benefits for Hindustan

The project was initiated by the Movendi team and the results are primarily intended for use by Movendi. The report and its content are meant to support future initiatives by Movendi in India. The report provides a comprehensive overview to disabled persons and disability sector in India, and would be of value to future Movendi project teams in India. However the content of report is of value to other reader groups as well: Disability Institutions, Rehabilitation organization and NGOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in India: The report highlights new possibilities and approaches for the betterment of locomotor disabled in India. Organizations working in disability sector are ideally placed with appropriate resources and prior experience.

â&#x201A;Ź

Unilever Limited and Project India Moves & the disabled

€

Company

Graduation date

Philips Light

October 30, 2008

Energy as a consumer product Ambika Samabasivan

In recent years, the poor are slowly being recognized as consumers in their own right and therefore as potential markets for business. Philips is one of the few global companies committed to developing such markets. The BoP, represented by the 4 billion poorest people around the world, are becoming both a strategic focus for long-term growth and critical for promoting social equity in line with the company’s sustainability policy. Energy represents one such growing market. This project focuses itself to electricity access. Electricity has traditionally remained in the realm of public infrastructure. However, from various insights, it is abundantly clear that the conventional grid is not the answer to the electricity problem of the poor. Only about 56% of the BoP is connected to the grid. A large number of poor households cope with candles, kerosene, generators or rechargeable car batteries. These energy sources are unsafe, inefficient and expensive in the long-run. Despite this, end-use patterns are changing dramatically. Households are investing in comfort and entertainment. Changes in consumption are driven by changes in preferences, by big declines in prices for consumer electronic goods, and by the increasing energy efficiency of these goods. Studies indicate that BoP customers are ‘tired of waiting’ for governments to act and feel empowered by the choice offered to them in the market. Opportunities in Base of the Pyramid markets: Powered by the four global energy providers, consumer electronic applications could include mobile phone chargers, lanterns, radios, table fans and more.

‘Buy and Play’ There is a need for clean, safe and affordable energy solutions that can be available to BoP customers on the

www.philips.com

short term. With the rise of renewable energy, it is possible

delivered in a unique way. To hone a keener competitive

to think of energy as a consumer product, where customers

edge, it is essential to work deeply with local communities

have greater choice, flexibility and control over the range

in order to bring out the variations in product needs and

of technology and solutions. This project defines a market

desires, bringing about a feeling of ‘this is our solution’. To

niche for Philips using supporting arguments from contextual

achieve this, Philips must consciously work with a variety of

analysis, customer research and competitor mapping. This

social organizations and informal partners. In addition, it is

market niche is labeled as ‘buy and play’ energy designed

crucial to invest in building local capacity to fulfill societal

to cater to small-scale household requirements, pertaining

and business goals. Small-scale ‘buy and play’ energy can

to an energy output of <0.1kWh/day. Two categories of

deliver a variety of benefits:

products are of interest. The first is individual appliances

• Provide basic energy services to those who are

with a built-in power source (~ <0.01kWh/day). The

currently off the grid, taking the first step towards energy

second is an energy platform or a power pack (~0.1 kWh/

independence. Complete energy independence can be

day) that would be flexible enough to power two or more

achieved by a series of short steps, and ‘buy and play’

applications.

energy can be promoted as the first step toward this goal.

Flexible set of solutions These products can be powered by four potential energy technologies; human powered, solar PV, micro-wind and pico-hydro. Applications can include mobile phone chargers, lanterns, radios, table fans and so forth. It is almost impossible to have one standardized solution for BoP customers. Renewable energy choices are dependent on

• Offer energy services for those who expect to be connected in the near future as a transition to the grid. Communities living close to the grid are often temporary and/or extra-legal settlements. • Promote the use of renewable energy for those who are connected to an often unreliable and expensive grid as a back-up for power shortages, a grid supplement.

geographical variations. Product choices are dependent on

Global sustainability

household requirements. As in the case of the product, the

Energy is an important enabler for a more modern lifestyle

business system is influenced by a range of local factors;

for the poor. The wide range of energy services can have a

the target customer group, value proposition, partner

major impact in facilitating sustainable livelihoods, improving

network, available infrastructure and cost structures. To

health and education and significantly reducing poverty.

serve such diverse markets, Philips needs to have a flexible

By addressing the needs of base of the pyramid markets

set of solutions or a toolbox of options and conduct multiple

through ‘buy and play’ energy, Philips hopes to firmly

market experiments. This will help identify key value

establish itself as both a future-oriented business and a

propositions for BoP families and communities that can be

committed contributor to global sustainable development.

€

Company

Graduation date

Friesland Foods & reggs

October 24, 2008

PRO-PORTION Affordable milk for kids Lieke Pijpers Friesland Foods, a dairy multinational, conducted a deeplistening project in 2006 among consumers at the BoP, called ‘Reach’. This research was conducted in several developing countries, where they measured an enormous lack of nutrition amongst the BoP population.

Alternative protein sources Milk is currently not affordable for the Vietnamese at the Base of the economic Pyramid, as the dairy prices Storyboard of the strategy that makes milk protein affordable for children at the Base of the Pyramid in Vietnam.

in Vietnam are with an average of $0,82/kg the most expensive in the world. Friesland Foods subsidiary, Dutch Lady Vietnam (DLV), is one of the biggest players in the liquid milk market in Vietnam at the moment and aims to maintain and preferably improve its market share. To expand its consumer base worldwide makes reaching the BoP a necessity. DLV tries to reduce the prices by technological improvements, like the use of alternative protein sources (e.g. algae and soy). These attempts are unfortunately not

KINDERGARTEN

likely to succeed in the near future, and it was concluded that the main challenge in reaching the customers at MILK M

the BoP was in the provision of nutrition enhanced dairy products. Children between two and six years of age were selected as the most important target group, since milk protein is particularly important for the physical and mental development in early childhood.

INFORMATIVE MATERIALS

Synergy A design office, called reggs, believes that the affordability of milk protein can also be achieved differently. Besides nutrition, children have other needs, such as education, safety and healthcare. They wondered to which extent it

www.frieslandfoods.com www.reggs.nl

was possible to combine these necessities (portions) and

be embodied by a cartoon character, which teaches the

initiated the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pro-portionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; strategy. This approach proposes

children about important lessons in life in an attractive

that by combining the strengths of different organizations

way. Altogether this concept increases the accessibility and

such as local entrepreneurs, NGOs and multinationals, an

quality of preschool education and the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future

innovative business model could be achieved that creates a

chances of success (health and academic performance).

win-win situation. On the one hand the needs of the BoP are

The government benefits from the higher enrolment

better fulfilled, while on the other hand operations become

of kindergartens and the increased mental and physical

more cost-effective. The developed pro-portion strategy will

development of children. This contributes to the national

eventually increase the affordability of milk for the poor as

goals on education and development. Organizations like

well as the profitability for the stakeholders. A field study

UNICEF and Unilever could benefit from the opportunity

in Vietnam revealed that the most effective place to reach

to communicate with young children. This allows them

young children is the kindergarten.

to educate children on their rights or on the importance

Multi-stakeholder business model The proposed concept aims to provide the BoP children in kindergarten with milk and informative materials. Three times a week, the children are given a cup of milk, for which their parents pay a contribution that is based on their average level of purchasing power. Together with the milk, educational material is provided to kindergartens, which improves the quality of education and increases awareness among the children on different topics. Every month will have a different, important theme. The children that structurally attended kindergarten during the course of one theme receive a reward, which increases their motivation to participate. Additionally, the information will be bundled in educative comics, on which the kindergartens get a monthly subscription and could start a library with. These comics could be borrowed by the children and brought home to read together with their family. The whole campaign will

of personal hygiene. Creating awareness among children supports the strategic objectives of those commercial and social organizations. Local communities clearly benefit, as it helps their children to develop themselves. It stimulates parents to send their children to kindergarten, which in turn enables them to work. On top of this, it creates teaching jobs for the community. Teachers will earn some extra income in exchange for distributing the milk in the classroom. Last but not least, Friesland Foods can now serve poor children they could not reach before. Although at cost price, it supports their strategic goal of serving 1 billion customers in 2015 globally. On a local level it increases their market share in Vietnam and makes them market leader. In the long run, Friesland Foods can benefit from the created customer loyalty among poor families. As soon as a poor family gains purchasing power, they will be more inclined to purchase Friesland Foods products.

€

yCompany

Graduation date

BushProof

Sept. 23, 2008

BushProof Safe Water Subscription Sierk Hennes BushProof is a social enterprise that supplies drinking water and renewable energy products in Madagascar. The company is convinced that a commercial/business approach to poverty reduction is more sustainable than one based on aid. BushProof’s wish is to offer their products to the people in the countries rural areas, however their current clients are mostly non-profit organizations (NGOs) and changing local rural people into customers requires a complete different strategy.

PSS for the BoP The aim of this project is to develop a new product strategy for BushProof’s drinking water products that enables the Malagasy poor to purchase products from BushProof without the financial help of NGOs or foreign aid. During the analysis of BushProof and its context it becomes clear that their main product - the Canzee pump - is suitable for this purpose. As a starting point of the strategy development the two theoretical concepts of the “Base of the Pyramid” (BoP) and “Product Service Systems” (PSS) are used. The first discusses the possibility and opportunities of doing business with the world poor, which are seldom been considered as profitable customers. The theory stresses out that companies are able to create important market growth in low- income countries and earn the same revenues by earning small profits from many poor customers as when they sell products with high profits to relatively few highincome customers. The Canzee Pump in use. This pump has already proved to be a very appropriate product for the circumstances in Madagascar and is an affordable and reliable solution for water provision.

The concept of PSS is based on the insight people do not necessarily need to own products in order to fulfill their

www.bushproof.biosandfilter.org

needs. Substituting product components into services create

and quality checks creating the opportunity to build user

possibilities to better anticipate on customer requirements,

relationships and collect user feedback useful for further

reduce resources and stimulate customer relationships.

product development.

In order to serve the Madagascar poor with their

People have to form user-groups with their neighbours

Canzee hand pump, BushProof has to overcome different

that are willing to share one subscription. User groups pay a

problems companies in low–income countries face. People

monthly contribution. As people share one subscription and

are little aware of the positive effects of having access to

do not have to buy the pump, the system will be affordable

reliable drinking water, the current system of community

for most people in Madagascar.

management does not result in lasting solutions and local

The financial analysis shows that if 25 families use one

people have too little knowledge to execute difficult repairs.

subscription, a monthly contribution of €0,63 per family

Finally, people have little possibilities to save for major

is needed to maintain the pumps. Because revenues are

expenditures needed to purchase and maintain expensive

reinvested in creating new pumps and subscriptions, the

products while the risk exists that pumps preliminary break

system is able to triple the amount of pumps within eight

down due the hostile environment of Madagascar.

years. A start-up investment of €90.000 will result in about

Shared subscription, no maintenance responsibility A subscription that guarantees access to safe drinking water is proposed as the most suitable

500 pumps serving approximately 75.000 people and still realize an average yearly return of more than 10% (in 10 years).

solution for these problems. Offering access to safe drinking water changes the focus of selling pumps into supplying people with that what people try to achieve by buying these pumps; having easy access to an unlimited amount of safe drinking water. Since pumps will not be sold, the solution causes a change in ownership. BushProof is responsible for properly working pumps and the quality of the water it supplies, resulting in limited financial risk for the users. BushProof will regularly visit the villages for periodical servicing

Photo: Mirjam Lindgreen

Girl Java, Indonesia

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Kamworks

August 2008

Solar shop in rural Cambodia Kirsten Rijke Kamworks operates as a social enterprise in Cambodia and their mission is to provide affordable energy systems in Cambodia in order to contribute to a sustainable development of this country. The innovative no-nonsense company is in the process of developing a new brand, Kamunasal, which aims for the rural consumer market. Kamunasal provides solar and human powered products, distributed through mobile and fixed selling points which are run by micro-entrepeneurs. Several physical expressions of the brand had been defined prior to this project, along with a concept for a mobile selling point (see page 56).

Sustainable brands The internal analysis showed the identity of Kamunasal, based on the mother company Kamworks and the initial Above is the configuration of the concept as a solar shop, and below as a theatre. Switching between the configurations is possible within minutes.

Kamunasal product Angkor light (see page 116). The Kamunasal brand is innovative, with Western roots and a social mission to bring sustainable energy and employment to rural Cambodians. Brands, as builders of trust and providing consistency, play an important role in sustainable development. Before moving into the market, it is crucial to develop the Kamunasal brand to a complete concept, which will form the basis of all future brand expressions.

Importance of factors Through an extensive external analysis based on interviews, observations and a test shop, important insight in the rural Cambodian market were revealed. Most importantly an adapted version of Rogersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; theory for acceptance of innovations was developed, specifically for the Khmer culture. The importance of various factors for customers

www.kamworks.com

and micro-entrepeneurs were determined separately, but the models turned out to be rather similar. The decision model is a rational one, where many factors play a role. The three most important factors were found to be price, quality and the fulfilment of needs. The results of the internal and external analysis determined the course of the project. The results of the project can be categorized in two distinctive parts: •

A definition of the Kamunasal proposition “light and energy for a happy family” in the form of a strategy.

•

A complete concept for fixed selling points based on the Kamunasal proposition.

the rural areas of Cambodia.”

Visible stock Through an ideation and conceptualization phase, a fitting concept is developed and further elaborated, resulting in a Kamunasal solar shop; an adapted and furnished shipping container. Inside the shop a displaying cabinet contains a show and try-out model for each item. As rural customers and micro-entrepreneurs in Cambodia prefer to have stock placed visibly (which also helps keep a clear overview for the micro-entrepreneur) each product type is placed in a separate compartment, along with additional stock, see images on the left. A working solar home system is demonstrated and

For a happy family

explained through an educational display. The solar system

The strategy points out that the distinction between the

also provides the power for a number of battery charging

Kamunasal and Kamworks businesses should be more clear,

services offered in the shop.

also within the company. The strategy further describes

A shop and a theatre

how Kamunasal can use the methods of MicroFranchising,

The Kamunasal solar shop can be transformed from a

by first setting up a business and finding the right formula.

shop into a small theatre. The theatre offers educational

The next step is replicating this successful business with

video

other micro-entrepreneurs by supporting them with the

satisfied Kamunasal customers. The flexible and inviting

Kamunasal formula. Finally the complete strategy for

shop provides a culturally appropriate, friendly familiar

Kamunasal results in a market proposition that describes

environment for both consumer and micro-entrepreneur.

the brands attitude in terms of a five-P model; product,

Adding a brand expression in the form of the Kamunasal

price, place, promotion, people. A design vision was

solar shop, with the right balance between informational

then formulated, in order to design the solar shop as an

and sales aspects, supports the brand Kamunasal and its

expression of the Kamunasal proposition: “Design a concept

high quality appearance.

entertainment

and

testimonials

from

other

€

for a fixed selling and service point for home lighting and energy supply products and services of Kamunasal within

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Kamworks

August 2008

Solar Home System for rural Cambodia Tom van Diessen Cambodia has one of the lowest electrification rates in Asia. Therefore many households make good use of rechargeable car batteries for lighting and television. This is however a far from ideal situation as the heavy batteries have to be charged several times a week, in a small shop where a throbbing generator is present. Due to this charging abuse and its poor use, the batteries are entitled to a short life, bringing unnecessary high costs and a low energy efficiency. With oil prices rising and economy improving, people are in need of better power solutions. This forms the motive for this graduation project; to design an innovative userfriendly Solar Home System (SHS) for rural Cambodia.

Previous experience The idea of a SHS came from an elaborate analysis of the local contexts. Many Cambodian families were visited to map their energy needs, desires and living situations. Before this project, a number of pilot SHSs were developed. Prototypes were made on the basis of a preliminary design, to evaluate the technical functioning of the system and practically test the system in operation. The experiences of installation and production of a SHS could therefore already be taken into consideration early in the design process. Three systems The family Chum Voung consist of 3 people and belongs to social class of the rural poor. Miss Toch Komh runs a small store under the house and is home all day, her son goes to school and her husband is hardly ever home being a construction worker. The house is build traditionally, small but well maintained and is located on the corner of a road next to a battery charging station. Making it an ideal location for Kamworks to test the SHS, since its in a visible location next to the one thing it should substitute. The SHS will entirely replace their current use of a car battery and kerosene and is initialy installed under a renting construction for 3 months.

were evaluated in the field by test families. The product use, performance and appreciation was monitored technically by data logging and practically by a series of surveys. Based on this extensive design research the pilot SHS was further elaborated to a final product design, ready for production.

Functional and aesthetic value The result of this project was the design of three types of

www.kamworks.com

Solar Home Systems as one product family and one complete product. The SHS has become a true modern powerhouse for rural Cambodia. A distinctive desirable product of superb quality that matches with the Khmers culture, styling, way of living, energy consumption and house situation. The system is easy to install, durable, strong and can be produced locally at Kamworks. The solar panel can be mounted securely to the house with the use of a new composite support. The technical components are enclosed in the Dragon box, a user friendly connection station with a highly aesthetic value in terms of creating product desire, a commercial value in terms of being distinctive and a functional value by protecting the system components. A charge regulator furthermore guarantees a safe use, an extended battery life and provides the users with the desired energy feedback. All this makes the Kamworks Solar Home Systems a secure energy source, for an affordable prize. Kamworks had the desire to bring the SHS on the market soon, the outcome of this project enabled them to do so. Currently four systems have already been sold and installed according to the final designs. Many customers are already eagerly waiting for what could be seen as the new generation of Solar Home Systems in Cambodia.

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

ICCO and MOPAWI

July 28, 2008

Redesign of a Smoke free Batana Extractor Linda Schnieders Extracting Batana oil is the main way of making a living for the Miskito women in La Mosquitia, a difficult to reach tropical wetland in the northeast of Honduras. The production process of the special oil released from the kernels of the Palma Americana has remained the same for years, but is subject to changes at the moment. Health problems related to the production of Batana constitute a major constraint to the development of the people. The extraction process generates very hazardous smoke which causes respiratory diseases among the women involved in this activity. Additionally, the amounts of firewood needed in the traditional process causes extreme deforestation. These negative aspects of the Batana production render this activity unsustainable. The Non Government Organization (NGO) MOPAWI

MOPAWI initiated the Ecofogon project in 2005 and since then has taken several steps in implementing the Ecofogon in La Mosquitia.

is assisting the Miskito in selling Batana. Moreover, this organization aims to improve the current production process such that related health problems will be addressed and environmental sustainability improved. In the recent past various attempts have been made to address both the health problems and environmental damages associated to the Batana production. To date however, no definite solution has been found. In this project these attempts have been assessed and analyzed and the outcome of this reserach was used as a basis for a redesign process of the stove used for extraction of the oil, the so called Ecofogon.

Multi-stakeholder redesign This redesign process has been done with participation of The cooker hood is placed close to the pan during frying of the kernels.

www.icco.nl/en www.mopawi.org

various local stakeholders, accounting for cultural values

plan is included on how to build capacities among the future

and traditions, local infrastructure and local resources. This

constructors of the improved Ecofogon. The implementation

has resulted in a new concept with a number of essential

plan also includes the construction of a prototype and ways

improvements compared to the existing stove. One of the

to involve the end users and other stakeholders in further

main adaptations has been the provision of a vertically

shaping of the final product.

placed chimney connected to a cooker hood in combination

In view of the potential health and environmental

with correctly applying the so called rocket principle. Other

benefits MOPAWI, a local NGO, is recommended to follow

improvements include the use of a pan and a sieve to

up on the new concept by executing the implementation

separate the oil from the kernels, without the user being

plan. Financing sources need to be found for this purpose

in contact with the stove or the hot oil. Furthermore, the

and financing partners are recommended to embark on

dimensions of the entrance and the combustion chamber

this project. It is expected that by doing so this project

are optimised to ensure a more efficient combustion. The

contributes to the sustainable social economic development

new concept also provides arrangements for significant

and resilience of the minority tribe of the Miskito and

savings of fire wood, which means enhanced environmental

particularly their most vulnerable community members.

sustainability. As a result of these improvements, the women are not directly exposed to the hazardous smoke anymore, resulting in less health threats. Moreover, because

Use of the pan and sieve. Before removing the pan the skirt needs to be adjusted, N.B. In the right picture the irritating smoke coming from the oil has not been visualized.

of a more efficient use of fire wood, environmental degradation will be partly addressed. Besides a new design concept, a plan for implementation of the Ecofogon was developed during this project.

Implementation Instructions for end users as well as constructors are listed. Also a training

€

Company

Graduation date

LUMEN light solution

Kamworks

June, 2008

Integral Design Project Executed by Ana Maria Alvarez, Loucas Papantoniou, Stephanie Wirth and Doortje van de Wouw. Kamworks is a young company specialized in the supply and manufacturing of affordable solar energy solutions for rural communities and people who do not have access to reliable electricity in Cambodia. Currently the company’s core business is the installation and distribution of Solar Home Systems. One of Kamworks previous projects, the ‘Angkor Light’, is a quality lamp in the price range of $60-75 (see page 116). In order to reach the rural population, Kamworks concluded insight was needed into possibilities for a more affordable lighting solution in the range of $10-20.

An exploded view of the design; the Moonlight.

No running costs From the product portfolio of Kamworks it became clear that there was a lack of an affordable ambient lighting products. The main outcome of the technical analysis was to use white LEDs due to their energy efficiency and price range compatibility of the product that could easily be tailored around the basic needs of the target group. For the energy supply of the system, two options were possible: a battery charging system with low initial costs but higher running costs or a totally independent system with higher initial costs but no running costs.

Rural households House visits and interviews in the rural areas of Cambodia gave better insight into the context, living standards and wishes of the target group: The new lamp should completely substitute the kerosene lamp, which use is widely spread in the rural households. The poor quality of the light, the Most of the families of the final user test were enthusiastic and even willing to buy the prototypes on the spot.

flammability and health hazards as well as the highly volatile

2008 fuel prices were the main drivers. The field research lead to several main conclusions: First, people need a portable lamp. Different rooms are to be lit,

www.kamworks.com

a window open for charging. Currently, this anti-theft technique is used for TV antennas, so this technique is not new to the people.

and most consumers cannot afford more than one lamp.

The product mainly consists of two vacuum-formed outer

Furthermore, a dimmed light during the night was needed,

shells and two also vacuum-formed blisters that hold the

to orientate in the dark and to feel safe while saving energy

electronics together and buffer them at the same time for

at the same time. The dimmed light only has to last for

possible shocks.

a few hours per night, and about three hours of full light

The final user tests pointed out that the product is indeed

are needed during the evening. In addition, the inventive

an appropriate solution for the stated problem. People could

character of the Cambodians and the completely improvised

easily understand and use the product: hanging it around

style of their houses called for a flexible product that people

their neck and placing it at the walls and ceiling of their

could use as they wished, without too many restrictions.

houses. Most of the families of the final user test were

Poverty makes people use everything they have as long and

enthusiastic and even willing to buy the prototypes on the

as efficiently as possible and the usage of the new lamp will

spot. These reactions were similar to Kamworksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reactions;

not differ in that point.

Kamworks indicated they would like to start producing the

Ampoul Preahchan

MoonLights as soon as possible.

The final design is called MoonLight (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ampoul Preahchanâ&#x20AC;? in Khmer). It has a triangular shape and includes a cord that is attached at the three corner points. It can be hung from

Installing a 0.5 Wp solar panel on a pole, to prevent theft.

a wall or ceiling, carried by hand or hung around the neck. It has 6 wide-angle LEDs with a total luminous flux of 42 lm in the normal mode which is equivalent to the light output of about four kerosene lamps. The dimmed mode provides a light output of 7 lm. It comes with a 0.5 Wp solar panel which can be fixed to a bamboo pole with a standard clamp. This option was chosen as several people had stated during the interviews that they were so afraid of the solar panel getting stolen they would prefer to keep the panel inside all day, leaving

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

NICE

April 4, 2008

A battery charging system for youngsters Judith Goor Energy

has

strong

link

with

poverty

reduction;

unfortunately about one third of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population does not have access to electricity and deals with expensive, alternative energy sources. As a reaction on the high need for affordable energy, NICE is set up as a network of multidisciplinary shops offering low prices and high quality. The solar powered shops offer internet, education and a mini-cinema, and are set up in The Gambia, where about 70% of the population does not have access to the electricity grid. A rendering of the design; the left side is for AA batteries and the right side for AAA batteries.

Batteries Standardized batteries form a low investment for instant energy. Batteries are available worldwide, are cost-efficient and fit into many products, which makes them an interesting energy source. However, the disposable batteries that are currently used in The Gambia are of very poor quality and leak hazardous, toxic chemicals. This causes ground water pollution and health problems. Offering a battery charging service with rechargeable AA- and AAA- sized batteries, would provide a low cost, sustainable solution.

Youngsters and NICE Through literature studies and explorative research towards the potential users and their context, the framework for the design of a battery charging system was set up. The biggest group of potential users are youngsters (10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 25 years old). With a growing population of nearly 2.8% per year, this group forms a rapidly growing market segment. Furthermore, the current customer base of NICE is mainly formed by youngsters, which makes them an approachable

www.nice-gambia.com

group. Youngsters are very trend sensitive and care much about their image. NICE batteries can add to their appearance as being a high quality and popular product.

Dispenser for full AAA- batteries

Quality check to assure quality of the batteries

Energy tester to test if the battery is fully charged

Membership

The systems are placed on the wall behind the NICE

In The Gambia, registration is unwanted by costumers. To

reception desk. In this way the system is visible and triggers

avoid the need of registration a different setup is needed;

the customers by the bright colors, shiny appearance and

new customers will pay a start-up fee to join the system,

blinking led lights. The employee can operate it from behind

and whenever NICE batteries get empty, they can be

his desk and keep a good overview.

switched for full ones in exchange for a small charging fee.

A functional prototype of the system was built and was

A NICE battery is the evidence of being a member of the

ready to be tested in the NICE shop to continue with further

system. Customers receive different batteries every time

development of the product.

they exchange. In order to assure them a good quality, the

The prototype in use. The lights visualize the charging.

batteries will go through a quality check that filters out bad batteries. The system assures users a cost advantage within 1.5 months, because the charging fee is 30% lower than the cheapest batteries available in The Gambia. It is projected that profit is generated for NICE within a year.

Battery Testers With respect to the NICE context it became clear that the most important requirement is an obvious, structured system that is easy controllable by the management team. The design proposal consists of the following different components: -

Charger with 16 AA(A)-battery cells

Intake for empty AA- batteries

Intake for empty AAA- batteries

Dispenser for full AA- batteries

â&#x201A;Ź 48

Photo: Kees van Gastel

Man Fishing Citarum River, Java, Indonesia

€

Company

Graduation date

Everbody Company

Feb 8, 2008

Culturally appropriate coffins for Botswana Jan Willem Findlater Funerals play a central role in Batswana culture. High death rates, increasing expectations and funeral costs impoverish citizens as they struggle to provide a dignified burial for their loved ones. The Everybody Company had identified this social need and had set about providing access to affordable coffins throughout Southern Africa and developed a pre-cut click-to-construct coffin. The Everybody Coffins struggled to gain a foothold in the market due to material costs, availability and consumer acceptance of their product line. The aim of the project was to investigate the practical and emotive implications of the Everybody Coffin.

The product and company name is ‘branded’ into the lid of the coffin with a hot iron. In South Africa this would include the ‘Working for Water’ logo. People will know that they are buying a product that is supported by the government. The lining can be custom made or modified in the villages.

An in depth analysis of lengthy and extravagant burial rituals highlighted why the Everybody Coffin is not widely accepted; functional, aesthetic and emotive aspects of the Everybody Coffin design make it inappropriate for product placement within this consumer market.

The Coffin Industry The market can be split up into two categories; state funerals and consumer funerals. If a coffin manufacturer opts for government tenders they must compete on price with other manufacturers. The advantage for the manufacturer is that the consumer has no choice between coffins, and for the consumer the advantage is in costs: these services are provided for free. In the commercial coffin industry price is not the most important factor in coffin design. Status, protection and style (aesthetics) are key product values. These children, Elvis & Kabo, expressed an interest in constructing the coffins as a job. The elders in the village approved the full sized prototypes and agreed to cooperate in the interests of the village.

The funeral parlour network is currently responsible for distributing and selling coffins as part of funeral service packages. Although selling direct to the market appears as

www.everybodycoffins.com

an attractive alternative, doing so is a logistical challenge.

available waste wood. This necessitated a re-design of the

The infrastructure does not exist (or permit) coffin sales

construction. The final design may be considered as less

without distribution through the funeral parlour network.

efficient, heavier, more labour intensive and requires a

It is therefore a challenge for product designers and

longer production time. On the other hand it is desirable in

manufacturers to effectively provide access to affordable

the consumer market, adds value to the materials, reduces

coffins.

toxification of the ground water and is creates more jobs

Investigation of coffin purchasing behaviour in Botswana

in the rural areas. Product acceptance by funeral parlours

showed, alongside the aforementioned product values of

also improved. They identified more with new aspects of the

status, protection and aesthetics, that culture orientated

design, primarily the ability to hold more stock, attractive

coffin design provided new product values which were

pricing and reductions in transportation costs.

independent of costs. This finding is an opportunity to

During the process of this project new product values

reduce spiraling coffin costs whilst improving the emotional

were identified. Using these product values for coffin design

experience when choosing a coffin. Flat, prefabricated

may help to positively change purchasing behaviour in

coffins are most suited for rural communities across

Botswana. This study indicates that a culturally appropriate

Botswana. This is currently the key product value of the

coffin can be highly desirable and need not to be expensive.

Everybody Coffin. Re-designs of the Everybody Coffin were

Designers can play an essential role in helping societies

evaluated within rural communities. Unexpectedly, these

to change towards more financially and environmentally

communities appreciated the re-designs differently. The

sustainable practices. It is their duty to help societies and

design could be used to create jobs in the rural areas, which

governments achieve their long term goals.

is a big need for rural communities. The design criteria

Unexpectedly, this study unveiled a great opportunity to

changed during the design process to reflect the local

stimulate entrepreneurship in the rural areas. Cooperation

context. Continuous feedback during the re-design phases

with Chiefs, tribes, Burial Societies and Church groups play

noted improvements in aesthetic appeal, product function

an essential role when implementing Everybody Coffins. For

and cultural orientation.

the coffin to realise its potential as a culturally appropriate

The new Everybody Coffin Based on the feedback throughout the design process it can be concluded that the design has improved in terms of product acceptance. Regarding material selection, Bosa (the final design proposal of this project) utilises regionally

coffin it requires the involvement of local craftsmen to personalise each coffin. This must be done commercially. Government and NGO â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hand outsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; can have a detrimenal effect on proactive entrepreneurship in the rural areas. Coffin assembly can be seen as an ideal first step to economic empowerment.

€

Company

Graduation date

Water4Kenya

Dutch Water Limited

February, 2008

Integral Design Project Executed by Elly Doek, Merijn Janssen , Regine van Limmeren, Charl Smit and Stefan Versluis. The mission of Dutch Water Limited is to provide clean and affordable drinking water for everybody in developing countries. This goal is very clear, but highly ambitious and not feasible to reach at once. Therefore, a group of students from Delft University of Technology had been asked to research the current situation and develop a Product Service System (PSS) to distribute the clean water that DWL is capable of producing. Keeping in mind on the one hand the desire to become a financially sustainable company and on the other hand the desire to help the people in need, the initial advice was to target people in the near surroundings of the water factory in Mtwapa. These people are not the very poorest, but still drink unclean drinking water and are

A prototype of the Strolley: unlike the current competition, the Strolley complies with ergonomic demands.

therefore in need of DWL water. Transportation costs are minimal and little profit can be made on the water. This way DWL could start establishing the company by creating a solid financial background and gaining experience for water “processing” (manufacturing and distribution) in a nonwestern context.

Governmental Water Currently, almost all drinking water for the people in Mtwapa, Kenya, comes from one governmental tap point, located in the outskirt of Mtwapa. The people in Mtwapa buy this unclean governmental water from the so-called mikokoteni (handcarts), which deliver the water at home. The system works pretty well and supplies most people with drinking water on a regular and frequent basis when there is water available. However, in times of scarcity this way of water supply is less reliable and prices increase rapidly, up

www.dwlwater.com

to 200% of the original price. Scarcity occurs several times

amount of regular clients. In addition, the subscription

a year.

allows for the possibility to pay off the deposit for the jerry can in terms.

The proposed Product Service System

Three different stakeholders were determined for the PSS,

Some boundary conditions were kept in mind. First of

and solutions were offered for each of these stakeholders.

all, DWL is a start-up company, with little investment

For customers; by offering clean, affordable and reliable

power. Furthermore sustainability was very important: the

drinking water, customers are served with advantages

PSS should be economically, ecologically, politically and

for health, living standards and financial benefits. For

socially sustainable. The proposed PSS enables DWL to

employees; Several new employees are to be hired in order

provide the people of Mtwapa with clean, affordable and

to make the PSS function properly. Being employed at

reliable drinking water by selling the water at the gate and

DWL comes with advantages concerning health (unlike the

distributing it to the houses of the customer by means of

current mikokoteni, the Strolley complies with ergonomic

human powered vehicles. The PSS provides the customer

demands), and are offered a fixed salary. For DWL; The

with several additional advantages like fixed prices, fixed

PSS enables DWL to reach its vision by providing water to

quality and constant supply. In addition, the water is sold

people with a need for clean water, creating employment

in a special, sealed package which decreases the chance

and meanwhile establishing a solid financial base.

of the water getting contaminated. The PSS consists of the

following

elements:

the

product water,

the vehicles, and the

DWL cycle

Consumer cycle

packaging. The service

No treatment

elements in the PSS are selling at the gate and delivery at home. A subscription service is

DWL source

ensures DWL of a certain

The jerry can is closed by a cap with integrated tap and sealed to prevent the package to be tampered with.

Coast Special is both sold at the gate as well as distributed to the houses of the customer.

Full package

Sales channels 6

7 Use Selling and returning package

Drinking

Empty package

Processing water

of water delivery, also in times of scarcity, and

Filling package 2

offered for water delivery, which ensures customers

Sealing package

9 DWL processes the water from the source into high quality drinking water. Cleaning package

AĹ&#x152;er use the package is returned to the factory to be cleaned for reuse. The empty jerry can is exchanged with a new one when new water is being bought. No new deposit needs to be paid if the seal is unbroken.

â&#x201A;Ź

Coast Special is safe to drink directly from the jerry can; it does not need to be treated before use.

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Solardew & ICCO

Feb 1, 2008

Comparing Contexts; Solar Dew Technology Alexander van der Kleij One of the most important global problems is that of poverty. Apart from the obvious humanitarian justification, finding improved ways to alleviate poverty will become an intricate part of creating a sustainable future. Although many will argue, and rightfully so, that the present industrialized nations are mainly responsible for many of the current environmental problems, it is in the developing world with its rapidly growing population and rise in living standards where the problems of the future will be found. It is therefore important to find sustainable solutions in the present for problems of the future. The Base of the Pyramid (BoP) theory does not explicitly exclude any countries, yet the focus of most BoP projects has been on relatively large countries which are developing rapidly, such as India, China, Brazil, Mexico, etc. On the

In coastal areas the sea provides people with an unlimited source of brackish water, which in combination with the Solar Dew technology can provide a steady source of clean drinking water.

other hand many smaller countries which are not developing as rapidly also contain a large portion of the population making up the BoP. They too have an interest in improving their quality of life and may form a worthwhile opportunity for companies to invest in. The main problem however is market size; often these markets are not large enough on their own to warrant investment.

Different contexts Considering many of the problems facing the BoP are similar across a wide variety of developing countries, it may be possible to design a single solution for these different markets. In that case, these smaller markets could be The working principles of the Solar Dew Technology .

combined to create a larger market which may be of interest to companies looking to develop BoP products.

www.solardew.com

The question is therefore to determine whether it is

drinking water problem. The purpose of this research was

possible to cluster these different markets. The first step to

to develop insight for the further development of a product

answering this question is to determine if it is possible to

around a technological solution created by Solar Dew

design for multiple markets, each with a different context.

International.

Therefore this project provided an insight into:

The final design of the product is based around the insight

What is context

that people at the BoP are unable to make large investments

Requirements for research in a BoP environment

and in general are not concerned with the health benefits of

How to structurally translate research results into a

clean drinking water. The product has been designed based

product/business vision -

How to compare, evaluate and design for different contexts

This was done by researching both Pakistan and Madagascar, and developing a concept that is suitable for both.

The technology

on this understanding of the context, such that it can provide a solution for both the Malagasy and the Pakistani context. The product has taken on the form of a water station, run by a local entrepreneur from which he sells water to the people of the village. This allows the local entrepreneur to earn a living, whilst the consumers can focus on their own economic activities without the daily concerns of fetching

Solar Dew technology consists of two chambers separated

drink water. Although the design is still conceptual it gives a

by a membrane. The contaminated feed water in the upper

clear indication of what the future may hold for both water

chamber is absorbed by the membrane. As the feed water

purification solutions in general, and specifically for the

is heated by the sun it can only evaporate downwards into

Solar Dew Technology.

the lower chamber, which increases the humidity inside the chamber, where it eventually condenses on the condensation plate. Thus, leaving the contaminants on the upper side of the membrane and distilled water on the other.

Water Station The purpose of this project was not only to describe this process in theory but also apply it to practice, in the form of a case study. As a result, with the help of ICCO and their partners, research has been conducted along the

â&#x201A;Ź

South-West coast of Madagascar and in the Thar Desert of Pakistan, with regard to the context surrounding the

The water station, designed for local entrepeneurs.

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Kamworks

December 14, 2007

Mobile Solar Kiosk for Micro-Entrepeneurs Miriam Reitenbach Despite recent progress, the Cambodian economy still has to reconstitute from the effects of the civil war. The population often lacks education and productive skills, which leads to a high unemployment rate, especially in the countryside. About 40% of the population lives below poverty line and has to live of less than 1$ per day. As 90% of the Cambodian population does not have access to a secure electricity infrastructure, economic and social progress are slowed down as well. These circumstances set the framework of Kamworksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; business idea: securing sophisticated energy and light supply and creating new jobs for young Cambodians. As the country receives approximately five full sun hours each day, solar energy is one of the promising technologies. The objective of this graduation project was the design and development of a mobile solar kiosk for Cambodian microentrepreneurs,

enabling the setup of a self-sustaining

business by distributing solar products to the rural area of Cambodia, in continuation of the intensive collaboration between Kamworks and Delft University of Technology, see In order to get an understanding on how the anticipated customer reacted on the mobile store, the Cambodian translator was asked to drive around the rural areas to obtain feedback. In the first place he acted as microentrepreneur who sells products, consequently he interviewed the potential customers.

page 116 .

Extreme road conditions Through intense user and context research in Cambodia, technical and usability criteria were defined, as well as social and cultural influences. These formed the framework of this project. The first constraint was the underdeveloped road network and the extremely bad road conditions. Also, with heavy rain seasons from May until October the road conditions get even worse which poses a challenge to the

www.kamworks.com

technical requirements. Interviews with potential customers of the solar products

application of glass fibre reinforced plastic an attractive and eye-catching form of the carrier could be achieved.

revealed that Cambodians were not yet familiar with solar

In the context of a holistic approach this project did not

energy in general and that the way of communicating and

only focus on the design and construction of the kiosk, but

explaining products forms a major criterion for the success

also presented recommendations on how to communicate

of the sales results.

to the local customers in an effective and adequate way,

The outcomes of this research were translated into a final

such as a LED display and posters explaining the benefits

concept that was refined by means of iteratively building and

and cost savings of solar products. Additionally, a new

testing the prototype to guarantee not only the technical

bilingual brand name and logo was created that made it

feasibility of the mobile store, but also acceptance among

possible to communicate with Khmer customers as well as

the future users - the micro-entrepreneurs.

Western stakeholders and contributes to a quality image of

Biking without pedaling

the mobile solar kiosk.

The final design was a three-wheeled electric bicycle that

Local Production and maintenance

can be recharged by solar energy. By making use of this

When designing the mobile kiosk, only locally available

renewable energy technology and being remarkably lighter

materials and production techniques were considered in

than existing mobile stores, this vehicle is less polluting than

order to generate local income, as local manufacturing was

traditional motorised stores and can contribute to promote

one of the greatest requirements for the design. These

sustainable energy in an effective way. User tests showed

manufacturing experts of the kiosk would also be able to

that an electric bike caught the attention of the customer

take care of the maintenance and reparations, keeping all

immediately as most rural people never saw someone

the work and the money local.

driving on a bike without pedalling before. In order to cope with the bad road conditions a new suspension system was developed that can damp the wheels individually which makes it much easier to drive and steer the vehicle, even on bumpy and unpaved roads. In the front part of this mobile solar kiosk a yellow carrier is mounted that serves not only to transport the solar

â&#x201A;Ź

products, but also as a store front when the lid is opened. Due to the, for the local context, innovative material

The bilingual logo on the side of the glass fibre reinforced carrier.

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Better Brace Project

The Three Aid Foundation:

October 24, 2007

Koos Munneke Grarbet Tehadeso Mahber (GTM), an Ethiopian non governmental organisation (NGO), offers healthcare to the inhabitants of the rural area around Butajira, Ethiopia. Due to a lack of funds in the last decade, the capacity and quality of the delivered services of the department of physiotherapy and orthotics is lagging in development. Together with The Three Aid Foundation (TTAF), a Dutch NGO, this project was conducted. The goal of the project was to develop a comfortable and durable knee-ankle-foot orthosis for young polio victims in Ethiopia using appropriate production technology.

Current KAFOs A lot of children with polio have been complaining about the comfort of their knee-ankle-foot orthoses (KAFOs, or also long leg braces); these braces are often found to be heavy, clumsy to use and awkward to put on and take off. Moreover, pressure excesses, detrimental to skin tissue, frequently occur. A lot of orthoses fail prematurely, and since there is no communication between the patient and the clinic, this is a great problem. Furthermore, as the children grow the orthoses have to be adjusted to ensure a good fit. Right now this happens by cutting and welding; a way which weakens the construction.

Customization and adjustability In order to create solutions to these problems, an analysis was done of the current issues, and requirements were Overview of the features of a knee-ankle-foot orthosis built with the proposed technology.

formulated. It was clear that the future orthosis technology must offer custom support and correction; each orthosis is to be tailored to the specific needs and dimensions of each

www.ttaf.org

patient. Also, the future orthoses should offer more comfort

technology was employed; the prototypes were produced

than the current orthoses. Improving the construction

in the workshop of GTM using affordable materials from

should increase the durability of the orthoses and to ensure

the local market. In user tests it became clear that the level

a good fit over time, the orthosis should be adjustable. The

of comfort has increased. Future observations will have to

technology must be appropriate for the context of GTM;

prove if the durability and adjustability has increased also,

utilising locally available and affordable materials and locally

but as it seems now, the product is a success.

maintainable machines.

ApproTech The proposed solution consists of several changes in the design of the product as well is the production of the product. The flat tubular profile used for the upright construction is strong yet lightweight. The combination of the steel flat bar brazed (i.e. copper welded) in the flat tube provides a durable option for adjustability. The perforated thin sheet steel of the thigh and calf bands and the plastic correction shells distribute the pressure over a larger area of the limb and follow the contours of the limb better - thus decreasing pressure and improving comfort. The construction of the ankle hinges and the connection to the shoe is strengthened; increasing the longevity of the orthosis. The proposed technology makes use of locally available and materials and locally maintainable machines and tools. The technology is affordable as well, concerning the start up costs as well as the running costs. Several prototypes were built during the project, materials and tools have been purchased, and the orthotic technicians were trained. In produceability tests it became clear that the proposed technology offers all options for custom support and correction. Furthermore appropriate

Fitting of the new brace; user tests for comfort and durability.

Photo: Mirjam Lindgreen

Man and horse at work Java, Indonesia

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

BushÎ&#x201D;Proof

October 19, 2007

Affordable Solar Lighting for rural Madagascar Bernard Hulshof In Madagascar, only three percent of the population in rural areas is connected to the electricity network. In order to fulfill their lighting needs, people have to rely on kerosene based lighting and candles. Not only in Madagascar but also in the rest of the world, kerosene based lighting is still an important way of indoor lighting; one fourth of the world population has to rely on it every day.

Unhealthy and dangerous Kerosene based lighting has many disadvantages. Firstly, it is a very unhealthy and even dangerous way of lighting. The smoke of the lamps causes health problems and is a major cause of death among children below the age of five years A prototype of the BALL, developed as an alternative to kerosene lighting.

old. Besides this, the lamps often cause fires in rural homes. Secondly, this way of lighting is unreliable and inefficient; lamps are easily blown out, do not provide sufficient light and cannot provide light in a downward direction. Finally, kerosene based lighting is relatively expensive and bad for the environment. In Madagascar, people spend about one fifth of their income on kerosene for lighting. The use of kerosene lamps results in an average annual CO2 production of 130 kg per household.

Alternative to kerosene Since LED lighting and solar cells are becoming less expensive and more efficient, they can become the basis of a possible alternative for kerosene based lighting. Exploratory research in Madagascar and further market research have demonstrated that a solar powered lighting product with a maximum retail price of 10 Euro could be a realistic alternative for the current lighting solutions.

www.bushproof.biosandfilter.org

The possibility to dim the light is an important opportunity to save energy during the night. Many people use light to keep evil spirits away from their babies. They spend over one third of their lighting budget during the night, since kerosene lamps and candles cannot be dimmed. The investment in a solar powered lighting product that can be dimmed during the night could be earned back in approximately three months.

Design criteria The most important criteria stated by BushΔProof were: -

The product should be affordable

The product should be desirable

The product should be “BushΔProof”

An exploded view of the BALL and the panel. BALL from top to bottom: non transparent housing part, power connector, electronics, rubber ring, transparent housing part. Panel from top to bottom: transparent housing part, solar panel and non transparent housing part.

“BushΔProof” stands for Simple (people who have no knowledge about solar energy should easily understand the product), Tough (the product can resist the environment in which it is used), Durable (the product has a long lifetime) and the product aims at high value at low cost.

Affordable light Hulshof designed a new solar powered lighting product for BushΔProof: the BALL (BushΔProof Affordable Life Light). The BALL is a combination of a small solar panel and a lamp. The separate solar panel can be mounted on a roof to charge three AA 600 mAh batteries. These batteries power four wide angle WLED’s of 3 lumen each, providing 12 lumen in total; enough to illuminate a room of 4 by 4 meter. A micro controller is used to dim the light at night to 1,2 lumen without losing efficiency and saving the lifetime

Rendering of the ball in detail.

of the batteries.

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Holy Cow or Cash Cow

DSM

October 12, 2007

Rutger Bonsel This project was executed for DSM Innovation Center, a corporate body within Royal DSM N.V. responsible for accelerating and stimulating innovation throughout the whole company. This division had identified an opportunity at the Base of the Pyramid and intends to use DSMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capabilities for addressing needs within the Indian diary and cattle sector. The objective of this project was to identify a strategic direction for a business opportunity in the Indian cattle and dairy industry, taking into consideration consumer needs, stakeholdersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; interests and trends in the contextual

A farmer milking her cow. Note that eighty percent of the farmers in India have less than 3 animals.

environment, resulting in a financially viable business case, including business model and related product concept.

Successful Strategies The preliminary research question in this project was; what are successful strategic methods for an entry in the Base of the Pyramid? This question was addressed with a literature research, resulting in a list of strategic elements serving as an input for the project. Two elements had a fundamental impact on the process: Firstly, the involvement of unconventional stakeholders and secondly, the need for integral development of product and the accompanying business model.

Method To reach the objective, three phases were executed; a strategic analysis, the definition of the strategic direction and the development of the product and business case. An internal analysis into the strategic position of the focal DSM business unit Animal Nutrition & Health (producer of

www.dsm.com

animal feed) in India revealed that the ruminant sector

since it can monitor the actual use of the feed premixes

currently is neglected, due to its unorganized and scattered

and can show the farmer instantly the effect of feeding on

character. DSM faces tough competition from local feed

fertility. Use of the system results in a benefit for farmers

manufactures and has no direct leads to the farmers. Its

of €0,05 per animal per day, in terms of decreased health

vitamins are from a higher quality than competitive products,

costs and increased milk yield. To reach the BoP customers

but are also more expensive. DSM’s major strengths are its

it is essential to cooperate with local partners, who have

technical knowledge and one of DSM’s diagnostic tools; the

direct contact and are trusted by the farmers.

iCheck, currently the only available tool measuring instantly animal health at farm-level. The external analysis showed the diversity within Indian dairy farming; India is the worlds’ largest dairy producer, but 80 % of the farmers have less than 3 animals. A focus group discussion revealed that these farmers do not have the knowledge of the function of vitamins in premix feed. Furthermore, their actual need is education and training on all kind of aspects concerning dairy farming; animal health, feeding and dairying practices. Finally, some farmers lack the appropriate infrastructure for dairy procurement and have financial difficulties, due to their bounding to local

Building trust A pilot project is essential for showing the farmers the advantages of the system, for building trust and for proving the actual benefits of the feed premix, since trust appeared to be a very important element for the BoP consumers. Concluded, there is an actual business opportunity for DSM at the Base of the Pyramid. The Indian small-scale dairy farm sector is a largely untapped market for the cattle feed industry. A pro-active approach is required to reach the farmers and to support the professionalization of the currently unorganized dairy sector.

middlemen.

Animal Feed to Animal Health Pivotal element in the strategic direction was the transition from selling animal feed to delivering animal health. A Product Service System model satisfies this demand by offering a full package of education, training, micro-credit and insurance, on top of the animal feed. Through this DSM can address a broad range of needs of the farmers, which

€

also justifies a higher selling price with respect to other feed products in the market. The iCheck plays herein a role,

Participants of the focus group, held to gather user insights.

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Philips Consumer Lifestyle August 8, 2007

Cooking in rural China Isabella Hoi-Kee Wong In China, every 90 seconds a life is lost due to indoor air

On page 102 another graduation project is presented on the Philips woodstove, by Leonie Ideler. After her graduation project the woodstove has been developed further, and Philips expects to launch the woodstove in India in the first half of 2009. Recently a commercial pilot was completed in India, from which a great deal was learned, and this was a study to find out how the woodstove was applicable to rural china. Philips realizes that a new market is about to be entered and that their approach to marketing and distribution needs to be modified; Philips is currently optimizing their business case and their go-to market strategy.

pollution. Philips DAP aims to bring sustainable solutions to the BoP regarding the reduction of respiratory problems due to indoor air pollution. Consumer tests have been conducted in India with prototypes of a smokeless and efficient woodstove developed by Philips Research. The consumer tests have generated useful insight in the context, in the benefits for the consumer, and in the required product improvements. In parallel they are investigating opportunities to introduce the solutions in the Chinese Base of the Pyramid.

Similar usability issues The product proposal of the Philips Bio stove is an integration of all the improvement areas, increasing the likelyhood of the product to be adopted by rural Chinese households. However, the implementation plan of this product proposal is the other half of the successful adoption of the Philips Bio stove.

The first field research in six provinces resulted in the definition of the Chinese rural BoP and the target market. It also provides knowledge into the renewable energy development and the market of high efficient low emission biomass stoves in China. In the second field research, twelve Philips woodstoves had been tested in two different provinces beneath the Yangtze river. The findings show similar usability problems but different needs and wishes between the provinces. Two personas, which are one of the outcomes of this extensive research are used as the starting point of the concept development.

Adoptable proposition for the Chinese rural BoP The Philips Bio stove is a highly efficient low emission biomass stove electronically controlled with a smart user interface. It is a replacement for the open fire, built in firewood stove (with chimney) and coal briquette stove. It enables the user to cook meals without smoke in their kitchen or coming out

of the chimney, without electricity consumption and with lower consumption of wood or other biomass fuels. The user interface enables carefree cooking, because it informs you when to add fuel. The product is surrounded by other services to decrease the risk for the Chinese rural BoP to purchase the Philips Bio stove, such as government funding, alternative payments options, guarantee arrangements and after sales service & support. Research in India in rural China has shown differences and similarities in usability problems, wishes and needs. The stoves can provide a solution for many people in other countries in South East Asia, as long as the differences and

similarities

are

properly

addressed

product

Twelve woodstoves were used by a variety of rural inhabitants of China living in two different provinces in China. The results were used for the new concept.

functionalities.

The ashes from the Philips Bio stove is removed by lifting up the ash handle at the back of the stove.

First the flame regulator is set to the lowest level and then little pieces of paper and little twigs are used to ignite the fire. Subsequently the ON button is pressed, both pilot lights start to blink. Fuel is added as desired to increase the fire.

The desired heating value is set by turning the flame regulator.

The red pilot light is blinking and a short beep sound occurs to inform you to add/refill fuel. The user decide to turn the fl ame regulator to the highest heating value, which is suitable for stir frying.

Both pilot lights are on continously; ready for stir frying

Company

ate Graduation date

Fire4India

Servals Automation

May, 2007

Integral Design Project Executed by Veronie Croes, Bjørn-Evert van Eck Rasmussen, Swie Oei and Susan Oudshoorn. Nowadays fuels such as wood are getting scarcer due to depletion of natural resources such as deforestation. Therefore the trend is to develop more sustainable solutions, also in the cooking field. The goal of Servals is to manufacture products that contribute to better living circumstances for the poor people in India. Their vision is “Bringing appropriate technology to the ‘base of the pyramid’ to enhance their quality of life”. Their mission is to develop a scaleable and sustainable business model using native and rural technologies and manufacture socially relevant and environment friendly systems. Servals wants to create a sustainable business organization that contributes to poverty alleviation in the areas of energy conservation and water management.”

Eliminate kerosene A future user testing the prototype. The picture on the top shows the pumping. On the bottom the working stove is shown with a pan.

The way people cook in the current situation contributes to health problems and the green house effect. Servals has been working on the development of a stove which only needs plant oil to burn, yet kerosene was needed to support the burning. Fire4India was hired to improve this burner and eliminate the need of kerosene, as well as to design a stove especially for the BoP target group. Servals wants to be successful in the burner market as well as the stove market and wants to achieve a higher penetration. An innovative burner based on plant oil can create a strong position in the market for Servals as there are only a small number of direct competitors in a large and expanding market.

Urban vs Rural Differences between urban and rural people in cooking

www.servalsgroup.blogspot.com

patterns and the use of cooking stoves were discovered in

handles of the sliding mechanism are in the lower (most

the user study, as well as differences in living circumstances,

left) position. In this situation the handle of the flame plate

the shops they visit etc. This indicates that these two groups

is freely accessible, without the obstruction of the sliding

have to be serviced and reached in different ways. Although

handles.

the stove satisfies the needs of both rural and urban poor, on the short term only the urban poor will be targeted, as rural people cook on wood they collect themselves, which is a lot cheaper than plant oil. Wood is not a competitive fuel for urban people. Also, urban poor can be reached through the distribution channels Servals is most familiar with. The rural poor are still an important target group for the plant oil stove, and should be targeted in a later stadium. By first targeting urban poor, a critical user quantity is created that is necessary to: -

Increase the amount of plant oil manufacturers

Prove the worth of stove to the rest of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poor

Prove the worth of the plant oil as a fuel

Green prototype The design of the stove has obvious similarities with the existing kerosene wickstove. This makes the Wicket instantly recognizable as a stove. It is important that the stove forms a unity. Therefore the tank is placed below the burner and follows the same cylindrical shape as the frame. To make clear that the stove operates on a different fuel than existing stoves, the stove has a distinguishing green color. The handles are made in an eye-catching different color, so it is instantly recognizable which parts can be touched. The stove is mostly made out of recycled mild steel; a strong and cheap material, largely available on the local market.

The Wicket Fire4India developed an innovative cooking stove which burns on 100% crude plant oil and is able to burn on all different kinds of plant oil. The stove, specially designed for the Indian BoP market, creates more independence by giving the possibility of extracting plant oil by the BoP people themselves. The stove is designed in such a way that even wrong usage can not lead to dangerous situations. The pumping and poking movements are known to the users. The handles to slide the caps up and down are positioned in such a way that it is easy to make the rotating movement with both hands. The flame plate is operated when the

The team and the working prototype.

€

Company

Graduation date

Delft University of Tech.

Nov 27, 2006

Knowledge Gaps in Product Development Yu-Kuan Chang Multinational Corporations (MNCs) increasingly develop new business models, products, and services to satisfy the needs in new markets. From urban to rural areas, emerging markets have extremely diverse groups of consumers with different needs. In this project, the strategies of seven multinational companies were analyzed in a case study research. The companies included were Philips, VIA, Haier, Motorola, Intel, Microsoft, and BenQ. The objective of the project was to learn how MNCs identify their roles and opportunities in emerging markets, and how they develop new products and strategies for these markets. Within the project, there was a particular focus

Yu-Kuan Chang took seven MNCs as case studies to gather their experience and knowledge to learn for future product development for the BoP.

on how MNCs develop new products for people who earn less than three dollars per day. This segment represents the majority of the population in emerging markets.

Interviews with Managers The data was gathered through interviews with MNC managers who are influential to the company’s emerging market strategies and innovation processes. Twelve VIA: Bridging the Digital Divide

interviews with participants from seven MNCs were

VIA seeks to develop a sustainable bridge over the digital divide of the

conducted to collect knowledge and practical experiences.

80% of the world population that do not have access to the internet.

Wihin each case, aspects of motivation, strategy, innovation

Therewith, the company makes vast information, education and

process, difference, difficulty, challenge, etc were analyzed

commercial resources available and thus empowers many people in the

and reported on. Some examples of the results for three

BoP. Their approach to emerging markets is based on four objectives:

case studies are described in the boxes spread over these

· New markets: beyond ownership to access;

pages.

· New environments: beyond city comfort to rural remoteness;

The results reveal that similar motivations to enter the

· New usage models: from “one-to-one” to “one-to-many”;

BoP market can lead to various product strategies and

· New products: from PCs to PHD appliances.

development processes. The motivation on corporate social

responsibility is required to support the projects which aim at the Base of Pyramid (BoP). These types of projects cannot only be evaluated by short-term return on investment, but need to be sustained by long-term visions on social return on investment as well.

Intel: Breaking the Vicious Cycle Intel identified a vicious circle in emerging markets. The cycle of less access to technology leading to less productivity and knowledge; this in turn leads to less personal and business wealth. Intel believes that by investing in technology, this

Challenges in Innovation for the BoP

cycle can be broken, and the emerging markets can be

The major challenges within innovation process include

opened up to sustainable growth.

the opportunity identification, front-end research, product introduction and delivery. Most challenges arise because of the unfamiliarity with the local context and the distinct

The vicious cycle of lacking technology is broken by Intel’s approach to invest in technology to increase wealth in the BoP.

infrastructure in emerging markets. Although MNCs have strong global resources and networks, a sustainable local enterprise network is necessary for MNCs to interact with local the communities. Non-Governmental Organizations play a vital role in the process in which they intend to approach consumers at the BoP. This project aimed to gather the best practises of all the MNCs. However, a general strategy for emerging markets could not be identified. This knowledge can be shared for learning and future activities in the BoP. Microsoft Research: Pay-As-You-Go Concepts The ‘flexGo’ is a flexible alternative to traditional PC financing. It is a new concept to make PC’s affordable for medium to low income communities by providing financing options for buying a PC. By doing ethnographic research to understand the local context, Microsoft research is able to develop ICT technology for the BoP. They believe this single method can work in most emerging markets. Therefore they encourage their researchers to work at BoP communities. The high level of uncertainty increases the importance of several prototyping and user testing cycles before marketing the cheap PC.

Photo: Prabhu Kandachar

Market for Holi Colours India

Design & Culture

Design & culture in the BoP Domain Annemiek van Boeijen Travelling is very common these days, at least for those who can afford to. People are travelling all around the world, looking for opportunities to make a fortune, escaping from existing life, and looking for adventure. Travellers learn from what is different and common, always comparing that what they come across on their travels to what they know. The students featured in this book have all travelled to the country their project was focused on. The many constraints (finance, resources, skills, legislation…) students face in BoP projects are challenging; students really feel they are provoked to be more creative, enterprising and Onion model of Geert Hofstede 1. Hofstede G. (2005), Cultures and organizations, software of the mind. New York: McGraw-Hill

focused. An aspect that motivates me to support these students is that through BoP projects students will learn more about themselves. They get the chance to develop an open mind and they can position their own truths into other perspectives. I believe that experience abroad teaches the students to be more effective, respectful of other cultures, and to better understand their own culture and values. As a student said ‘it is a life long experience’. One of the main differences encountered by students in BoP projects is the difference in culture. The cultural anthropologist Geert Hofstede1 defined culture as the system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviours and artefacts that the members of a society use to cope with their world and with one another (2005). The people that we consider as the BoP live in cultures that differ greatly from the cultures we live in. Our students have to put in

…..local habits, shared by a group…. photo: Toon Fey

effort to understand the differences as well as what they have in common with the people they design for. Culture plays a role in the relationships between people

and in the relationships between people and products. At the Faculty

and new products in particular depends partly on the

of Industrial Design Engineering students are taught a holistic

culture where the people live in. Culture is manifested in

design approach: they are taught to research and understand the

different layers. Hofstede distinguishes four layers:

whole context before developing design solutions. Cultural theories

Symbols

can help formulate relevant research questions. For instance, when

manifested in a specific group such as

hierarchy in a society is stronger than the designer is used to, the following questions might be relevant; Who will be the owner of

Words, gestures, images, and objects consumer products, services, art, dialect

Heroes

People - alive or dead, real or fiction - that

the product? What kind of status will the product provoke? What

have a specific meaning for a group of

will the that mean for the manifestation (functions, form, colours,

people, such as Nelson Mandela for the

shape etc.) of the product?

world, queen Beatrix for the Netherlands,

So how can we find the answers to these questions? Methods for user and usage research need to take cultural aspects into account.

the chief of a village Rituals

Collective activities, not (just) to fulfil a

Designers should be aware that users might not feel comfortable

technical function, but because of a social

to give their personal opinion, especially when living in a culture

interest for the group such as a wedding

where community opinion is considered of more value than the

ceremony, praying before dinner

opinion of an individual. In these cases, a group brainstorm session as commonly practised in Europe will not work as expected. Design management is another aspect where culture plays a big role. An example is found in the differences in power distances between nations. In countries with relatively high power distance, Western European students might feel limited in their freedom, misunderstood and unsupported. They will have to explore these new feelings and find new ways of communication and learn to adjust. That is possible only when the designer is open to and understands both the differences and the common features in communication. For the manifestation of the new product, designers need to understand how the intended users will give meaning to the product, and how the new product will influence their social system. How groups of people give meaning to products in general

Values

A collective tendency to prefer a certain course of events above another one, expressed by qualifications such as goodbad, dirty-clean, ugly-beautiful.

Although products are part of the outer layer, the symbols, they are directly related to the inner layers.

Design & Culture

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mark Twain

Therefore designers should understand all layers. I would like to end my deliberations by emphasizing that culture is only one of the many aspects of a BoP design project. Culture stresses the differences between groups of people, but there are also universal

and

inherited principles that lead to global shared solutions, and there are personal differences everywhere that require individual solutions, wherever your location in the economic pyramid.

Photo: Stephen Boom

Boats Cambodia

€

Company

Graduation date

Sharepeople (EYE) , Pradan

November 10, 2006

Reeling Machine for Silk Yarn Producers Annemarie Mink PRADAN, an Indian NGO, attempts to reduce the vulnerability of socio-economically disadvantaged communities. They organize poor women into savings and credit groups, and develop locally suitable sectoral activities to expand economic opportunities in the hands of poor families. One of their activities introduced in the villages of Jharkhand and Bihar is the Tasar Silk reeling project. Being a unique silk that grows in the wild, Tasar silk currently lacks an own identity, as opposed to traditional cultivated ‘Mulberry silk’. Also, traditional technology, inefficient production processes and exploitation by traders and money lenders have crippled the activity of Tasar silk production. Reeling is done by using a ‘reeling-cum-twisting’ machine which produces coarse yarn and a re-reeling machine, which takes care of re-reeling the yarn onto a standardized re-reel

3D models of the reeling machine (left) and the re-reeling machine (right)

drum. Mink aimed to develop a re-design of the existing ‘reeling-cum-twisting’ machines. Lack of quality control, safety and proper ergonomics are the barriers.

Re-design of the Reeling Machine The main problem of the existing machine is lack of quality control. Thickness, twist and colour vary widely, which makes it difficult to establish a good quality standard for the produced yarn. Therefore, entrepreneurs struggle to get a good price for their yarn. Also, the machine has a lot of unprotected moving parts, which cause concerns for the safety of the workers. The machine is driven by human powered pedalling, is noisy and has a fixed height, which all cause ergonomics problems. The costs of the machine are high in relation to its yarn production. Second prototype of the reeling machine during user testing

Together with PRADAN, Mink developed a number

www.icco.nl www.pradan.net www.sharepeople.nl of criteria for the re-design. First criterion is to maintain

re-design and the future profit for the silk reelers. She

a constant reeling speed, lessen physical problems and

estimated that reelers can produce 1,9 times more yarn

enable a table-sized tool. Also, the machine should include

than with the existing machines. Which means that reelers

a quality control mechanism and independently driven

will increase their profit from 56 Rupees to 104 rupees a

spindles should enable lines to continue in case one of the

day. Both from user and yarn production process evaluation,

four yarn lines breaks. The introduction of a motor and

Mink concluded that the machines are safer, more energy

quality control brings extra costs, which must be nullified by

efficient, more time efficient, more user-friendly, have

an increased quality and/or output of yarn. Mink divided the

higher yield and the yarn produced from the machine is of

functions of the reeling machine into sub-problems using

a better quality.

a morphological map. The main functions of the machine were: combining filaments, insertion of twist, taking up yarn, separate twisted and non-twisted yarn, spreading yarns on take-up package, establishing transmission, separate driving take-up package and integrate re-reeling. Mink developed product concepts based on three different techniques: non-integrated re-reeling, indirect integrated re-reeling and direct integrated re-reeling. The concept of indirect integrated re-reeling was chosen based on the expected simple usage and production and because this concept offers the possibility of producing a new type of yarn that opens up new markets. The yarn is guided and easy to control and reach in this concept. Prime advantage of the concept is the estimated high yarn production rate. Mink materialized the concept, which resulted in fully detailed design and a prototype was built in a local workshop.

Update After graduation, Mink was hired by the Dutch development organization ICCO to finish the project and produce a second, smaller and cheaper prototype. A student from the faculty of Mechanical Engineering was selected to help with improving both the machines. Mr. Rahmouni did a great job in helping to optimize both the machines and together they went to India to build the second prototypes. The outcome was two smaller, cheaper, even more energy-efficient and good working machines, understandable for the reeler and the manufacturer. Rahmouni will graduate soon on the improvements of the re-design of the reeling machines. The second generation prototypes are being adjusted to perfection and then a test-series of thirty machines will run in a newly established reeling centre. If this is all working well, the machines will be taken in full production and

Safe, Efficient and User-Friendly

replace the currently used machines. Subsequently, the

An important aspect of developing products for the BoP

machines will directly contribute to the improvement of the

market, is the necessity for affordability and return on

womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s working comfort and to their income. Improvement

investment. Mink calculated the estimated cost of the

of income contributes directly to their livelihoods.

â&#x201A;Ź 80

€

Company

Graduation date

Impact

Sept 21, 2006

Support Tool for the Chinese Village Doctor Marion de Groot Every Chinese village has a village doctor. These are low educated villagers that have received a basic medical course, but function as a general practitioner. While they

This current doctor set does not include more sophisticated tools. Next to that, village doctors do not have appropriate medical knowledge, nor contact with experts.

know their patients well, they have very little contact with more educated doctors, and no access to up-to-date medical information resources. This project aimed at developing a support tool to provide the village doctors access to medical information, guide them with medical decisions and link them to the national medical network.

Barefoot Doctors The Chinese healthcare system is built up of tiers: 3rd tier (1000 beds, 2300 doctors), 2nd tier (650 beds, 600 doctors) and 1st tier hospitals (50 beds, 100 doctors) and the rural The LifeBox network involves information sharing and distribution througout the network.

Community Healthcare Points (CHP). The CHPs are manned by an average of two village doctors, or ‘barefoot doctors’. In 2004, 95% of the Chinese villages had a village clinic, counting up to an average of one doctor per thousand rural inhabitants. However, they often have received only basic medical training and have little contact with the urban hospitals and up-to-date medical information. The main problems De Groot focussed on are a lack of (quality) tools, appropriate medical knowledge, counter-effective behavior of rural population and the small budgets rural hospitals receive. The goal of De Groot’s project is to improve the quality of this village doctor by developing a support tool. The company Impact in Breda developed a self-monitoring system for diabetics in the Netherlands: the set-top box. The company saw potential in developing this system for

the village doctors in China. The Lifebox, as the support

diagnoses. The reasons to use the box are the availability

tool is called, provided the starting point for the product

of a TV in almost every community healthcare point and

development process. The design problem consisted out of

the familiarity of the doctors with using a remote control.

understanding the context of healthcare in Chinese villages

Lifeboxes are connected to (local) servers and hospitals via

and developing a dedicated interaction and implementation

the phone network. This enables the sharing and updating

strategy.

of information throughout the network of medical facilities.

Product Guidelines During the development, De Groot focused on trust between doctor, patient and product. She developed guidelines for the product based on context research and interviews from general practitioners. Based on context research she formulated guidelines

The software of the LifeBox has three sections: a patient guide, supporting the doctor with diagnosing patients, an education section providing course material from the higher level hospitals or the district and an email box. The e-mail box can contain messages from all the parties involved in the network, keeping the doctor up-to-date.

such as ‘the introduction of a new tool can be compared to other tools the doctor uses. Since these are trusted, the tool will be trusted as well’ and ‘the doctor should be able to operate independently of the product’. General practitioners were interviewed to gain insight in how the village doctors could be supported with useful information. These interviews resulted in a number of guidelines for the product such as ‘information should be organized around symptoms of diseases, to enable undereducated doctors to find the right information quickly’ and ‘the product should end up with differential diagnosis and indicate the probability of each possible diagnosis’.

The LifeBox The product supports access to medical information, communication with educated doctors and inclusion in the national healthcare network. The LifeBox can store patients’ health history and help the doctor navigate through the

With the LifeBox village doctors have access to medical information, contact with educated doctors and inclusion in the national healthcare network.

€

Company

Graduation date

Philips Research

August 31, 2006

Design of a Malaria Diagnostics Device Cathelijne Huis in ‘t Veld Worldwide, up to 500 million clinical cases of malaria occur every year, causing up to 2 million deaths. Amongst these deaths are mainly young children. Currently, the gold standard for diagnosis of malaria is microscopic research (the best method available). This is a reliable method, but trained microscopists are needed. Other methods that are easier to perform are less reliable, cannot identify all species, are more expensive or the tropical climates easily influence their reliability. Researchers

Philips

Research,

Care

Health

applications develop techniques that can make the diagnosis as reliable as microscopic research, independent of the skills of the operator and climatic conditions and are either portable or non-invasive. To develop a successful product, more knowledge must be gained to better understand the context of malaria diagnosis. Consequently, Cathelijne Huis in ‘t Veld aimed to develop a concept for a malaria diagnosis Rendering of the computer model made of the malaria diagnosis device.

device for the Indian context, in cooperation with Manipal University. Next to the context research and design of a concept, she also evaluated the BoP protocol of Stuart Hart with respect to usage by students and Philips employees.

Alternative Medicins for Malaria After the kick-off in the Netherlands, Huis in ‘t Veld continued her literature and context research in India. The healthcare service in India can be divided in three levels (see graduation project of Jon Rodriguez). In India there are many more types of healthcare than allopathic healthcare. Ayurvedic medicine as well as homeopathic medicine plays an important role in the

www.philips.com

medical market in India. For malaria this means that

Quick Malaria Diagnosis

allopathic medicine comes across most initial cases. When

During her stay in India, Huis in ‘t Veld developed design

the disease is in the second or third stage and the patient

solutions. The malaria diagnosis device should work

suffers from repetitive fever attacks, some people approach

according to the technique of the automated microscope.

ayurvedic or homeopathic medicine. Allopathic medicine

Integration in malaria control programs is needed to reach

generally makes most use of electronic equipment for both

as many people as possible. This meant that the main users

diagnostic as well as treatment purposes. Doctors rely a

are Auxiliary Nurse Midwifes (ANM) and mass screening

great deal on electronic devices. In the case of ayurvedic

teams.

healthcare almost the same methods are being used for

The main function of the device was to “enable a

diagnosis as allopathic medicine. It is mainly the treatment

minimally instructed user in India to quickly state the

that differs. Instead of generating large and concentrated

diagnosis of malaria, independent of any other facilities”.

doses of the effective drug, the complete natural form is

After the analysis Huis in ‘t Veld proceeded with concept

being given to the patient. In this way the drugs are less

development and optimization in the Netherlands. The

toxic but the healing process takes longer.

concept had to conform to criteria of technology (the

There are approximately 156 different species of

automated

microscope),

construction,

safety,

data

Plasmodium. Four are known to affect humans. Malaria

communication, comfort, aesthetics and costs. During the

is treated in 5 phases. Since both allophatic and traditional

development stage, potential users were involved to ensure

medicine have a common way of diagnosing malaria, the

relevance and usability of the final product. This resulted in

project focussed on this part of the malaria care process.

a portable device that can be transported and used by the ANMs and in mass screening activities.

Five phases of malaria medical care.

€

Company

Graduation date

Personal Water Purifier

Vestergaard Fransen

August 4, 2006

Roelie Bottema For 1.1 billion people, access to safe drinking water is limited. Poor people suffer most, because they cannot afford to buy drinking water. This results in more illnesses and more pressure on women to transport the water. The Danish company Vestergaard Frandsen (VF) has developed LifeStraw, a product that purifies surface water for personal use with filters. People can carry the mobile LifeStraw anywhere, which is complemented by another water purifying product at home. For Ghana, LifeStraw could be lifesaving since 38% of the people do not have access to

Lifestraw Child is a smaller and slightly adapted version of the current LifeStraw. The child can drink by sucking, squeezing or tumbling the bottle, or a combination of these.

safe drinking water and the majority of the people live in rural areas. Roelie Bottema investigated several aspects of the implementation of LifeStraw, focused on children under the age of five. Also, she developed instruction manuals and posters. In this way health workers can instruct people better and more complete about the use and other issues concerning the LifeStraw.

Drinking Her user research demonstrated that people are not used to pay for their water or treat their drinking water. Water is rare and often polluted and women have to walk far to get the water, especially in the dry season. Even though people are aware of that, they do not have a choice rather than The problem with drinking 'dirty' water is visualized. Also, the actions for using and maintaining the products are explained step by step.

using this water. Regarding LifeStraw, users did notice they need it: ‘everyone should have one’ and ‘I do not have diarrhoea any more’. Also, the appearance appealed to them and they associated status to the product user. When asked about

www.vestergaard-frandsen.com

what LifeStraw actually did, people mentioned ‘It retracts

named LifeStraw Child, a flexible bottle and a special

diseases from the water’ and ‘it stops dirt’. Participants often

mouthpiece. The bottle has a one-way valve that lets air

talked of LifeStraw being a good product, but not everyone

in but not out. On the transparent bottle, a volume scale

could afford it ($2.50). Also, they were afraid that the

was added to give feedback to the mothers and a writable

product would be stolen.

area included to personalize it or write the expiry date as

From this part of the research, Bottema recommended to

reminder. Using a smaller LifeStraw makes the product

take care of disposal and replacement aspects. The existing

easier to handle for children. In LifeStraw Child a valve is

LifeStraw could be improved by enabling personalization

added which prevents the water to flow out of LifeStraw

and giving feedback on the level of sucking power and

Child after sucking it up to a certain height. When pressure

effect of cleaning.

is put on the valve, it does let air through, an aspect that

Vulnerable Children

makes the product easier to clean by blowing.

In her research, Bottema observed that children younger

Instructions to Health Workers

than three years could not handle LifeStraw by themselves.

In addition to developing LifeStraw Child, Bottema created

They do not understand how to suck the water. The child

instruction material for usage of both LifeStraw and

does not understand why it does not get water in its mouth

LifeStraw Child. She first concluded from the user research

immediately after sucking. Also, maneuvering the cup and

which elements should be included. Focus should be on

LifeStraw at the same time is complicated for them. Because

the relation of clean drinking water and health, what the

small children are most vulnerable for waterborne diseases

LifeStraw product line does, and how to use and maintain

and LifeStraw is unsuitable, Bottema concluded that a child

the products. Expiration and personal use are also aspects

version of the LifeStraw should be developed suitable for

that should be stressed. She developed a manual for health

the children. Ideas were generated in brainstorm sessions, with

workers a

large

and poster

Vestergaard Frandsen employees in Ghana and also with

for usage while

students at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering,

instructing people

Delft. Bottema elaborated on the ideas and made compromises on price, feasibility and other requirements. Two concepts were developed based on working principles and production of the existing LifeStraw. The final proposal consists of a slightly modified LifeStraw,

An instruction manual for both health workers as users of the LifeStraw was designed.

€

Company

Graduation date

Delft University of Tech.

July 29, 2006

Knowledge Framework: Design4Billions Mijntje de Caluwé The strategy and business development for emerging markets is growing; starting with the theory of Prahalad, while the development of knowledge on product development for the Base of the Pyramid is still lagging behind. Enterprises and universities have difficulties in developing products for the emerging markets: a lack of structured or systematically ordered information inhibits efficient and effective product development, also referred to as Design4Billions in this project. Design4Billions aims at a market of approximately 4 billion people who earn less than four dollars a day. The goal of the project of Mijntje de Caluwé was to develop a knowledge framework for product development for emerging markets. It should provide a knowledge source for projects at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering. Knowledge from experts was gathered on three topics: knowledge, product development process and contextual

Screenshot of the online knowledge framework on the ‘stakeholders’ page.

aspects. A fourth was added after the interviews: risk factor. Product development for the BoP is carried out by a number of companies. Yet little public knowledge exists on how to deal with design related problems for emerging markets. Through a series of explorative interviews with eight experts, De Caluwé gathered knowledge and insights. These were integrated in an online knowledge portal (www.design4billions.com).

Designer Related Knowledge Specific design related knowledge was subdivided in four aspects: attitude, experience, information and skills. The two main perspectives of designers were either an engaged,

www.design4billions.com

personal attitude towards the BoP, or an accidental

financial, Governmental and Designer.

entering of this market segment. Individual experiences

3 Designers4Billions and their main focus points are

are important to designers, and are related to the product

mentioned and described in the categories: knowledge,

brand, the role of the participant and the project context. For information gathering, multinational companies rely on consumer research, while small and medium sized

context, process and risk. 4 Collaboration is stressed as the means to achieve successful product development in a BoP arena.

enterprises use Non-Governmental Organizations and the

Additional features are provided in the form of ‘tips &

World Heath Organization to gain insight into their target

tricks’, a BoP library, an inspiration page including links to

groups. For designers in the BoP, their social skills are most

interesting websites, and a list of definitions.

valuable, an open mind, flexibility and communication are key factors. The product development process relates to five aspects: strategy

formulation,

design

requirements,

product

The Delft Innovation Model adjusted for emerging markets.

development, market introduction and product in use. The process bottlenecks are the design requirements and the products in use.

Framework The perspective of the designer was central while structuring the knowledge for future use by designers. The online knowledge database contains all the information that is gathered during the research project. The framework organizes knowledge on product development for the BoP in four main ‘chapters’: 1 Global village, which contains general information about the place Design4Billions takes in a global world context. 2 The stakeholders of product development for the BoP are mentioned and described: Business, Humanitarian, Local enterprises, Knowledge, Technological, User, Micro

Photo: Ferry

Girl Getting Water in Favela Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

€

Company

Graduation date

Bosch & Siemens

July 7, 2006

Product Service System for Plant Oil Stove Elselien Epema

Car Wash Scenario

New Business Do It Yourself Scenario

In this scenario the PSS is a system that takes care of everything. The POS user only has to address the need

In this scenario the PSS provides the tools and needs through a new system, but without helping the users actively

Service

Do It Yourself

Vintage Scenario

Familiar Scenario

In this scenario the PSS turns a current business into a combination with the POS supply and service

Existing Businesses

Several scenarios for implementation of the plant oil stove were made. The most promising scenario was the “vintage scenario”, shown in the lower left quadrant.

In developing countries, indoor air pollution and deforestation of land are the two main environmental and health problems occurring due to the use of biomass fuel for household energy. Bosch and Siemens Home Appliances Group (BSH) and the University of Hohenheim have developed a plant oil cooking stove. Plant oil is abundant in rural areas of many developing countries, so this market is very promising for implementing the stove. A pilot project with a non-profit focus was executed in the Philippines. Elselien Epema developed a business plan to implement the plant oil stove in the Philippine market. She wrote a business plan and created a financial tool to demonstrate the financial feasibility of the stove implementation plan.

POTC

The Product Service System includes distribution, marketing and after sales of the plant oil stove and supplements. All partners should be organized as shown in the figure.

Product Service System

www.bsh-group.com

Safety, Time and Convenience

oil stoves could be seen as a product service system. Both

Several households in the Philippines have been using

products, including the stove and fuels, and service, such

prototypes of the plant oil stove. After a year, research

as training and maintenance, should be delivered. To show

concluded that the advantages of the stove for the users are

potential systems, Epema made several scenarios, each

safety, time, convenience and the package-size fuel. Also the

consisting of goals and ideas for implementation.

uniqueness and use of new technology makes it interesting

The most promising scenario was the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;vintage scenarioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;,

for Philippines to use the stove. A plan to market the stove

where a current business is modified into a combination of

successfully should focus on these points, according to

stove supplier and service provider. By using an existing

Epema. However, affordability is always the first priority.

business, the implementation would be easier and more

In her research, she focused on understanding the

effective towards end users.

target group needs and possibilities. The target group

The chain included three parties: the plant oil technology

is not aware of all predefined benefits such as improved

centre, distribution and service centres and a cooperative.

health and environmentally friendly. She also surveyed

The centres are responsible for marketing the stoves and

potential business partners or competitors and the current

service and are set up by local entrepreneurs. Each selling

local market. Switching from wood and charcoal to plant

point of the cooperative has a plant oil tank with a tap

oil would raise initial costs for both restaurants and

system. Consumers bring their containers and fill these

households; however, switching from LPG to plant oil would

with oil. No packaging is needed and the consumer can buy

be more profitable, because of reducing energy costs and

exactly the amount he prefers.

initial investment.

Finance

Epema also extracted important business model factors from literature. For business partners it is important to organize clear local communication, take care of the relationships and look for partners close to the local people. All products should be affordable to the target group, promotion, location and opening hours adjusted to local conditions. High quality after-sale service would improve the use of the stove as well.

Product prices needs to be adjusted to the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s financial possibilities by subsidizing by BSH. Also, users can pay in instalments. The financial model predicts that entrepreneurs can earn twice the minimum monthly income for a fulltime employee. The financial model is translated into a financial tool, to visualize the influence of decisions and the sensitivity of variables. Also, the subsidy and selling prices are defined.

Product and Service

Epema recommended a lowering of material costs, local

The system for the distribution and service centre of plant

production of the stove burner and an increased lifespan of replaceable parts.

€

Company

Graduation date

Movendi FDN and MAK-D

July, 2006

Tricycle for Disabled Entrepreneurs Integral Design Project - GhanaMoves Executed by Rutger Bonsel, Sietse Cieraad, Stéphanie Reintjens and Imke Schepers The Movendi Foundation, a Dutch Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), aimed at helping physically disabled in emerging markets, has projects in Kakinada, India. The NGO also has founded several workshops in mobility equipment, which are owned by local people. A team of the

The two concepts, hip-spot and high-spot, were developed in cooperation with the local metal workshop Mak-D in Ghana.

second year Master course Integral Design Project searched for new product-market opportunities for one of the local metal workshops in Ghana, called MAK-D. MAK-D Metal Works is a small metal workshop in MadinaAccra and has one owner and seven employees. They focus on the production of fences, furniture, vendor carriers and tricycles for disabled. Due to a lack of financial support, the company is not able to produce tricycles anymore. The aim of this project was to support MAK-D in growing its business in a sustainable manner. They approached the problem by developing a new product that integrates the interests of the company, the customers, the users of the product and society.

Employing Disabled People The team did market research in the medical sector, as well as in several other sectors. They investigated the situation of disabled children in Ghana, they visited rehabilitation centres in Kumasi and Accra and interviewed local people of Ghana. From this explorative research they drew conclusions that directed their process: Prototypes of the concept were developed to enable user testing in the context of intended use.

• The situation of young disabled children in Ghana is

www.movendifoundation.org

quite good, due to efforts of Liliane Funds and Nsawam

donate the vendor carriers as an act of charity. In this

Orthopedic Centre.

scenario, the disables people would become owner

• The Ghanaian society is annoyed by disabled who are begging on the street. • Only a small portion of the disabled is actually begging, the major part of the disabled population is willing to work but cannot find employment. The team also identified that there is severe competition in the metalwork sector, especially in fences and furniture. The sector is characterized by copy and imitation. And there are no other producers of vendor carriers and tricycles in Madina. From this the team concluded that: • MAK-D is the only producer of mechanical products with wheels in its competitive environment. • The trade sector is a lively sector; a major part of the Ghana economy is based on trading, where vendor carriers are common. From the external research a strategic product-market opportunity was formulated for MAK-D: Design of equipment that enables the disabled to participate in trade business.

of the vendor carrier and can become independent entrepreneurs.

High-Spot Tricycle Two concepts were developed in cooperation with MAK-D: The ‘Hip-spot’ and the ‘High-spot’. Both concepts were made into prototypes using the means available in the workshop. The prototypes were tested by end-users, after which the team choose the ‘high-spot concept’. The trade-tricycle ‘High-Spot’ enables disabled people in Ghana to involve in street-trade, the sector that provides employment to the major part of the population of Ghana. Before they were not able to do so, however more organizations are stimulating participation of disabled. The implementation of the product also had to attract attention for all MAK-D’s activities and gave a boost to the overall business of MAK-D. The team developed a step-wise marketing plan for successfully launching the High-Spot. The implementation

Selling or Donating?

plan is divided into five parts: the marketing strategy,

From a search for potential customers two possible scenarios

product strategy, price strategy and financial issues, channel

and target groups emerged. The first scenario was to find

management and communication strategy.

companies that sell provisions and are willing to sell their

Furthermore, the team attracted the company Fanmilk

products trough disabled people using the MAK-D vendor

to be seriously interested in supporting the disabled to get

carrier. In this case, the disabled will act as vendors that sell

employment. Consequently, a pilot test was intiated with

the companies goods, and are thus indirectly employed by

three vendor carriers to sell their products. This pilot was

the company.

done in cooperation with the Ghana Society of Physically

The second scenario was to search for other companies, NGOs or service clubs, rotaries etc. These parties would

€

Disabled and Hope for Life and was enthusiastically received by the local stakeholders

€

Company

Graduation date

Inbar

June 21, 2006

Human Powered Bamboo Splitting Tool Willem Glasbergen Bamboo grows in many parts of the world. Many of these

Strength/Mass per Volume Stifness/Mass per Volume

Compared to other natural materials, bamboo has a very high strength to stiffness ratio.

areas have in common that a large part of the inhabitants live in poverty. This project was part of the objectives of INBAR, International Organization for Bamboo and Rattan, which aims to develop rural livelihoods, environments and businesses worldwide through bamboo and rattan. One of the possible applications of bamboo is in the production of matchsticks. INBAR developed a patented chemical process for producing the burning heads, yet the sticks are still produced manually and inefficiently. Willem Glasbergen aimed to develop a more efficient way to produce the sticks from bamboo in the local context and with local means.

Bamboo Splitting

Concrete

Steel

Wood

Bamboo

Glasbergen analysed the results of a previous project at the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, and performed a number of tests to gain more insight into bamboo splitting. Bamboo is a tall grass that belongs to the tribe called ‘Bambusae’. Compared to other natural materials, bamboo has a very high strength to stiffness ratio. This makes it useful for a multitude of applications, from construction of large buildings to incense sticks and especially suited for matchsticks. Currently, the splitting of bamboo into matchsticks is done by hand using a knife, called the ‘dao’ (see figure on the left). This process is labour intensive

The Bamboo Splitter is very efficient for local production of matchsticks. First a slice tool is used to produce long slices of bamboo. After that, this manual tool is used to produce sticks from the long slices.

and inefficient compared to the efficiency of the patented process of attaching the burning heads to the sticks. The goal of the tool was to produce good quality matchsticks, produce them more efficiently, adjusted to the local context and produced locally.

www.inbar.int

The focus was on the relation between the tool and the user, the production and transportation of the tool and

Using the Bamboo Splitting Tool for Matchsticks

the economics of producing such a tool on a larger scale.

1 Bamboo is inserted into a feeder. The feeder has a spring

Therefore, a second analysis phase was done in India

that pushes the bamboo into the machine, and in front of

(Andhra Pradesh) to understand the local context of rural India. The initial concept was redesigned and resulted in three concepts. One of the concepts was chosen and a prototype was built by a local workshop. The prototype was also tested in India after which the results of the project were documented in the Netherlands.

Agarbathi Production

the rotating blade. 2 A crank rotates the tool. This direct human powered rotation can also be replaced by bicycle power. 3 The slices are inserted into the machine, in a queue, which is pushed towards the blade using gravitation as a force. 4 Sticks are produced with the same process as described in step 3.

The concept chosen is based on the principle of a blade mounted on a large steel fly-wheel. The wheel rotates in a case and has two openings for feeding the bamboo material. Both bamboo halves and slices can enter the machine at the same time. The slices and matchsticks will be collected inside the wheel. The production of sticks is done in several steps, shown in the box on the right. The process of building the machine in India resulted in very useful information with regard to the local production facilities. One of the most important conclusions of the

The prototype of the human powered bamboo matchstick splitter demonstrated the potential for local production. On the left the feeder mechanisms are visible; on the right the rotation crank is shown. The Bamboo Splitter is very efficient for local production of matchsticks. First a slice tool is used to produce long slices of bamboo. Next, people can use this manual tool to produce sticks from the slices.

project is to use a machine for producing slices and a smaller manual tool to produce sticks. This will enable the production of low cost matchsticks and meanwhile will generate additional employment opportunities. For example, the agarbathi (incense sticks) production in India is similar to the production of matchsticks and can be improved as

â&#x201A;Ź

well.

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Helps International

June 16, 2006

Improving the Climate of Cooking Areas Marike Bijtelaar The traditional use of firewood as energy source for cooking

The ONIL

is popular among poor Guatemalans. However, the open fire

Stove has an

results in burns, eye problems and respiratory problems.

insulated ceramic

Helps International, a US Non-Profit Organization, developed

combustion

several wood combustion cooking stoves, resulting in a final

chamber that

concept with a chimney: the ONIL stove.

makes the fire

During the last five years of implementation of the stove,

burn hot enough

Helps evaluated the improved stoves. According to users

to consume the oil

the main benefit is saving firewood: 50-67% less than when

vapour, and thus

using open fires. However, 28% of the users still use open

uses all potential

fires for heating their homes and on special occasions.

wood energy.

Marike Bijtelaar traced the reasons for this and developed In order to make the idea of the tabletop work, the use of the current amount of radiation of the ONIL stove had to be optimized.

features for the ONIL stove to improve the usage.

Using Open Fire From user research, Bijtelaar formulated main reasons of using the open fire: it provides heat and drives off humidity. The social aspects of family gatherings and cooking large meals are also important. In some regions, people use the fire as a source of light. Other comments on the stove were the relatively small working and cooking space and continuous fire maintenance required. In the second part of the user research, she investigated the awareness of the people concerning the health problems. She concluded that the interviewed women are aware of the problems and disadvantages of open fires, but do not know an alternative solution. Bijtelaar concluded that solutions to improve the climate should be fixed, not influencing the cooking

Heating by radiation: The smoke gases are lead through a metal sheet radiator with a large surface area. When no space heating is needed, the normal chimney outlet is used.

activities, not produce any smoke, offer the possibility to gather around and decrease the use of firewood as energy

www.helpsintl.org

source.

Less Energy Demand Bijtelaar approached the problem with the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Trias Energeticaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; approach, starting with diminishing the energy demand. The second step is providing in the energy demand as much as possible with sustainable energy sources. The third step is using fossil fuels for the remaining energy demand. She summarized important aspects in a scoring card and analysed the energy demand for heating the cooking area. The scoring card lead to practical solutions, but Bijtelaar concluded that a demand for space heating remained, even with applying the solutions. After generating ideas, she categorized them and selected two directions: optimally using the radiative heat of the stove by gathering around it and using the heat of the smoke in the chimney. Main arguments: they do not require extra fuel, cooking performance is maintained and the stove body elements do not need adjustment. Both ideas were elaborated further, with detailing alternatives for every sub solution.

made a prototype of the heater with a flat back surface and tested this on a small scale. The second solution, a tabletop, can easily be placed around the stove and creates a social meeting, working, sitting and eating place close to the stove. When people gather close to the stove, the relatively small amount of radiative heat produced by the stove is optimally used. She designed two concepts, with the distinction based on the construction on the stove: stacking or clamping. Both concepts were prototyped and tested with women of the target group. The tests proved that the tabletop indeed invites people to sit closer to the stove. The chimney heater can produce space heating at the cooking area and Guatemalan were

able

women to

control

the valve system that produced

heat.

Also,

from the test results, Bijtelaar

recommended

Chimney Heater and Tabletop

further

The chimney heater can be placed on the stove instead of

of both features, and

the standard chimney. The heater uses the waste heat of

suggested

the chimney gases for space heating and can be switched

construction and shape

on and off by a valve system. The chimney pipe enters and

improvements.

development material,

leaves the heater at the bottom and the top of the heater, so the exhaust gases contact the complete surface of the chimney heater. Users could operate the heater by a valve placed inside the heater that controls the gas flow. Bijtelaar

With a prototype the functioning of the chimney heater to heat the cooking area was tested.

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Philips Domestic Appliances April 28, 2006

Safe Drinking Water Maria Nguyen Worldwide, 6000 children die every day due to water-related diseases. The average distance women in Asia and Africa have to walk for water is 6 kilometres. These two aspects are examples of typical problems that occur within the Base of the Pyramid (BoP). People at the BoP have to cope with these problems daily, while safe, sufficient, affordable, accessible and acceptable drinking water is a basic human right. The goal of this project was to make a sustainable design proposal for a safe drinking-water system that is adoptable by the BoP in India, fitting within the mission and scope of the new sustainable business initiatives of Philips

The redesign of the Water4Life concept included improvements on the closing of the lid, the ease of cleaning and the installation and maintenance of the filter. Details of the proposed solutions are shown at the right.

Domestic Appliances. The Water4life filter concept has been developed by DSM. This multinational company develops amongst others industrial chemicals and performance materials. They developed the filter membrane for the Water4life concept. This was incorporated into a product and tested in user research to obtain user insights. The product proposition for this project was based on the outcomes of this user research. Furthermore, for a successful adoption of the product by the target group, a well worked out implementation strategy was developed.

Water Filtering Potential users in India evaluated the Water4life concept. The research was carried out in cooperation with three Non-Governmental Organizations during twelve weeks in Pune and Madurai (villages and slums) in India with twenty participants. The research consisted of four parts: The add-on concept for existing water vessels was developed to fit on any water vessel available.

observation of current situation, usability tests, follow-

www.philips.com

up observation, and group evaluation discussions. The

difficulties with closing the lid and do not understand the

objectives were aimed at: usability insights regarding the

order of the actions they have to perform. Tests with the

Water4life prototype, gathering data about the performance

plastic prototype indicated that users do not understand

of the Water4life concept under local conditions and

how to use the valve and spill much water.

collecting user feedback.

After the introduction of the improved concept, Nguyen

Nguyen used the user research results to generate

held group discussions with local users. They resulted in

criteria for the product development phase. The concept

comments about the taste, smell and clearness of the water.

development resulted in two product proposals. The first

They also indicated a preference for stainless steel. She also

is an improved version of the existing Water4life water

found that the pumping action needed too much effort from

purifier. The second product proposal is based on the

the users and the maximum volume of the concept was too

observation of the multitude of water vessels existing in

small. An affordable price was determined on around 500

the Indian households, and is developed as an add-on to

INR (€10).

these vessels.

Entrepreneurial Women The main goal of the implementation strategy was to create awareness regarding water and health issues. Other important factors are the distribution route and the availability of after sales services. Some of the guidelines included ‘use of low-cost promotion tools’ and ‘training in product use’. The key to entering the Indian BoP community is the entrepreneurial woman responsible for promotion, sales and after-sales service. Women are chosen for this job because they are known and trusted by the community. The research in the current situation shows a strong preference for metal kitchenware, time-consuming water practices and very little awareness regarding health & water. The usability test showed that users forget to use filter caps and do not press sides of the caps. The user

A schematic representation of the strategy shows the various stakeholders and their relations.

test with the metal prototype showed that people have

100

Photo: Linda Schnieders

101

Girls in Favelas Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

102

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Adoptable Woodstove

Philips Consumer Lifestyle

April 4, 2006

Leonie Ideler

By using the Philips wood stove indoor air pollution could substantially decrease, therefore related health problems could decrease as well.

At the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) in India, cooking is one of the most time-consuming activities during the day. People at the BoP usually cook with solid fuels on simple, inefficient stoves that fill their houses with smoke. Philips has developed a woodstove which decreases the amount of health-damaging pollutants in solid fuel emissions. Ideler developed this idea towards a product proposal and an implementation strategy to increase the adoption chance of this product by the rural BoP in India. Also, she defined guidelines for conducting user research and designing products for the BoP. Analysing the Philips stove, it was found that fast cooking and less fuel consumption are achieved by the productâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high

PROMOTION ROUTE

AWARENESS ROUTE Philips

All aspects for implementing training the Philips awareness consumer teaching Powerstove insights are covered in the four routes State government NGO of awareness, promotion, promotion production and funding finance. Every consumer route has its satisfaction specific tools and problems Anganwadi centres to reach its goal. Goal of the awareness > convince women > convince men routes is to communicate the negative Community long term health effects of smoke.

103

efficiency. A fan blowing heated air through the fire and the low mass are the main reasons for this high combustionand heat transfer efficiency. From previous projects and encountered barriers she formulated requirements for the product and implementation plan.

Stove Saves Money and Time To gain more insight into the current way of cooking and the interaction with the Philips prototype, she conducted user research in India. Twenty-four households tested the prototype for at least eight cooking sessions (four days). Although the response was very positive, it was concluded that some aspects of the product could still be improved. She also used consumer insights in the promotion strategy: the smokeless stove does not darken the walls and ceiling and eyes will not tear or get irritated. Also, less fuel consumption results in saving money. The problems encountered in the user research were divided

www.philips.com

into categories concerning safety, preparation of Indian

attention to the Philips woodstove and its benefits. Both the

bread and comfort of use. In solving these subproblems,

production and financial routes include local partnerships to

the focus was more on the urgent issues, leaving the more

simplify purchasing a Philips woodstove.

complex and less urgent for later on in the development

Tools to reach the goals are for example instalments,

process. Great attention was paid to user comfort, for

product demonstrations and leaflets, wall paintings and

example by improving the user interface of the stove.

posters. One of the most important tools in each route

Implementation of the Powerstove There are no successfully adopted products on the market to fill the gap between the traditional cook stove and the ‘clean’ and efficient LPG stove, which is too expensive for the target

is working with partnerships. By explaining the four Ps, namely product, price, place (distribution) and promotion, Ideler illustrated possible routes to plan the implementation in rural India.

group. Also, fuel availability is very unreliable, especially in

Update

rural areas. The implementation strategy should be well-

After Ideler’s graduation project the woodstove has been

designed to create a successful and sustainable business

developed further. Philips expects to launch the woodstove

around the new Philips Powerstove. The theory of Prahalad

in India in the first half of 2009. Recently a commercial pilot

was a dopted, by paying extra attention to distribution to

was completed in India, from which a great deal was learned.

reach the target group.

Unfortunately there were some delays in the project due to

Potential stakeholders located in India were identified to

a technical lifetime issue. This has recently been solved

help get information, products and services to the majority

and local production is currently being prepared for. Philips

of the target group. The most effective way for reaching the

realizes that a new market is about to be entered and that

target group is by using Anganwadi centres, who provide

their approach to marketing and distribution needs to be

service at the doorsteps of the community by trained health

modifyied; Philips is

personnel and can be seen as the Indian government’s

case and their go-to market strategy. As the initial focus

doorway into a village for its welfare programmes.

is on successfully launching the product in India, plans for

Covering all aspects of implementation, four routes were

currently optimizing their business

introduction in other countries have not been defined yet.

defined; awareness, promotion, production and financial routes include the various stakeholders involved and their

The visual feedback and interface was also improved.

actions needed to get the Powerstove to the consumer. The awareness route should focus on the negative effects of smoke caused by a traditional stove. Promotion should pay

104

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Delft University of Tech.

April, 2006

Water Supply in Slums:P.I.P.A. System Fernando Del Caro Secomandi Water supply in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is in

Local users and other stakeholders are mapped, including both proponents and opponents. Del Caro Secomandi noticed that most of the favelas are controlled by drug dealers or other armed militias, which influences the parties willing to be part of the system.

critical condition, especially for the poor. Even though approximately 90% of the population living in the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 752 slums (a.k.a. favelas) manage to be connected to the main water distribution infrastructure, the situation is far from sustainable. An alarming 10% of those living in the slum lack access to an improved source of water. The water supplier uses a purification process including tons of chemicals and produces waste that is thrown back in the river afterwards. The pumps that distribute the water through the city use enormous amounts of energy. Constant leakage and illegal connections consume about 50% of

Uphill water source

the clean water. The water supply company Cedae, looses Hybrid system

profit because they are not able to install water meters and consumers are not always able to pay.

P.I.P.A. System Provides Safe Water The P.I.P.A. System is an alternative for providing safe water. It converts rainwater into drinking water without using extra Floor level installation

energy or chemicals. The system is fully independent from

Setup of the P.I.P.A. system has many options, so each user can choose the most appropiate and effcient way of gathering rainwater.

other sources or expensive infrastructure and untrained users can operate it. The design is user-oriented and fits into the daily life of

Rapid granular filter

Porous ceramic filter

people seamlessly. Local culture, in particular the common kite playing of children, inspired the form. The collection surface can be rolled up, so people can still use the rooftop for normal activities. Also, the frame structure provides the opportunities for the addition of other products, such as security fences and clothes dryers. The operation is based on free and clean water from the

System operation includes multi-stage filtration, storage and distribution.

105

sky. Total costs are kept to a minimum by simple construction,

a country to economic growth, improve current physical

inexpensive technology and material use, small installation

and immaterial infrastructure, and innovation at the Base

costs and it rarely needs maintenance. It can be partially

of the Pyramid can be profitable and transferable to other

or even entirely produced within the community, utilizing

countries.

local labour and technologies, as well as readily available

It was concluded that PSS research should to a greater

materials.

extent focus on the opportunities that are present in the

The stakeholders of the system were mapped, both proponents and opponents. It was noticed that most

developing countriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; context, rather than trying to directly transfer literature knowledge.

of the favelas are controlled by drug dealers or other armed militias. Violence is a major issue to consider when developing products or services for use in favelas. He

assessed

alternative

business

models

environmental, socio-cultural and economic criteria. After a SWOT analysis he concluded a mixed-model of two proposals would be best. A local cooperative is formed with investments of Favela-Bairro, a major government program running with money from the Inter-American Development Bank, including the community association and a Non-Governmental Organization. After installing all

The collection surface can be rolled up to use the rooftop in another functionality. Additions to the structural frame are possible to enhance this, such as fences and clothes dryers.

P.I.P.A. systems, the cooperative will provide maintenance and additional accessories and services.

Literature Conclusions After analyzing the literature available on PSS and the design, a number of relevant issues dealing with the relationship between PSS and developing countriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; context were presented. These issues were categorized under drivers, benefits or opportunities. The opportunities that were found were: scanning the PSS context, anticipation of unsustainable technology application in the search of

106

â&#x201A;¬

Company

Graduation date

Contextualizing Products

Philips Design

February 2, 2006

Jon Rodriguez Sustainable business helps provide better healthcare solutions for the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poorest people. Creating products requires understanding of the context and the people. Philips had done research into this subject and has gathered a large amount of data through both professional and student projects. However, this data did not fit the specific designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s informational needs during the product development process. Jon Rodriguez aimed to develop a design toolbox that provides insight into the healthcare context in rural India. First the boundaries of the project were explored. The tool should be used at the beginning of product

The developed tools combine both descriptive and experimental information which have been identitied as fundamental for getting insight into contexts that designers are not familiar with.

development to identify opportunities. Also, it should build on existing knowledge within Philips. Target audiences are design students and professionals as well as managers and technical developers. To visualize the different users, Rodriguez created personas, resulting in usage scenarios of the toolbox.

Three different personas have been developed for the test of the toolbox, one patient and two healthcare providers. The scenarios explain the interaction between the personas and put some of the problems in their context.

From a first exploratory workshop, it was concluded that professional designers as well as students need experiential information to design for an unfamiliar context. Secondly,

)NDIRA IS FEMALE (EALTH 7ORKER OF +AUP FOR YEARS +AUP IS A VILLAGE IN 5DUPI DISTRICT OF

getting insight in a context is a process, in which one

"ACKGROUND

receives experiential information and interacts with other

THE STATE +ARNATTAKA

)NDIRA HAS A HUSBAND AND TWO SONS 3AMPATH AND 3ANTOSH (ER HUSBAND WORKS ON A COCONUT FIELD )NDIRA HERSELF HAS LOST SON WHICH WAS SPECIAL MOTIVATION FOR HER TO START THE CHALLENGING WORK FOR (EALTH 7ORKER

h4HIS WORK HAS GIVEN ME A LIFE OF DIGNITY ) FEEL ) AM DOING 'OD S WORK ON EARTH 7HAT CAN BE MORE REWARDING THAN SAVING BABIES v

"UT BECOMING A (EALTH 7ORKER HASN T BEEN AN EASY JOB )NDIRA HAD TO LEARN READING AND COUNTING IN ORDER TO START THE TRAINING THAT TOOK HER YEARS IN WHICH SHE HAD TO FOLLOW THE SPECIAL MANUAL FOR FEMALE HEALTH WORKERS

people. The workshop gave hints to some interesting ideas

)NDIRA ALSO HAD TO WORK HARD TO GAIN ACCEPTANCE AS A (EALTH 7ORKER IN HER COMMUNITY 3HE COMES FROM A POOR FAMILY AND HER WORK MEANT WORKING WITH WOMEN FROM ALL CLASSES AND CASTES 4HIS WAS A DIFFICULT PROPOSITION IN THE EXTREME FEUDAL AND PATRIARCHAL SOCIAL SYSTEM THAT )NDIRA WORKS IN /VER TIME THE QUALITY OF HER WORK HAS WON HER ACCEPTANCE AND SHE HAS EMERGED AS A LEADER AMONGST THE WOMEN IN THE VILLAGE

to develop. The content and characteristics of the tools are visualized

@/NE HAS TO KEEP LEARNING AND NOT WASTE TIMEv

in a pyramid (see figure on the left). All personas use

%VERYDAY LIFE AND ACTIVITIES )NDIRA IS A FIELD (EALTH 7ORKER AND DIVIDES HER TASKS BETWEEN THE FIELD VISITS TO THE VILLAGES AND THE WORK AT THE CENTRE

the descriptive parts, such as the introductory overview.

)N THE FIELD SHE HAS TO REGISTER AND MAINTAIN MATERNITY RECORD OF PREGNANT WOMEN MARRIED WOMEN AND CHILDREN 3HE GIVES ADVICE IN FAMILY PLANNING AND CREATES AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS ON THE TOPIC 3HE ALSO GIVES VACCINA TIONS AND CONDUCTS THE DELIVERIES OF CHILDREN 3HE DIAGNOSES AND GIVES TREATMENT FOR MINOR DISEASES FEVER PAINS AND VOMITING ADVISED BY THE #OMMUNITY (EALTH WORKER WHO IS AT EVERY VILLAGE AND HELPS HER DIRECTING TO THE PEOPLE IN NEED 7HEN THE DISEASES ARE NOT CURED SHE REFERS TO THE DOCTORS OR HOSPITALS )N THE CENTRE SHE COLLECTS AND STORES ALL THE DATA GATHERED 3HE HELPS AND ASSISTS THE DOCTOR IN ANTI NATAL CARE 3HE ALSO CONDUCTS URINE TESTS AND GETS BLOOD SAMPLES FROM PATIENTS

107

Experiential information should trigger idea generation. The (ER JOB CONSISTS FOR A MAJOR PART OF CONVERSATIONS BOTH ON HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL RELATED TOPICS

professional designer would use information in a workshop.

www.philips.com

Students, who eveluated this model, even wanted to

participants received the booklet with more information and

experience the complexities of the Indian rural healthcare

the login for the website.

situation by going to India.

Tools The final toolbox consists of several tools. The summary tool was an introductory presentation to Indian rural healthcare. Facts and figures are shown about India, and photographs of medical environments and service users provide insight in a global overview. A booklet was made to structure more profound information on the context. More background of this information was presented at a secured website, including papers on the topics. To experience the context, several tools were developed. Three video personas were developed; a patient, a nurse and a doctor. Then these the problems were put in their context by creating scenarios for several diseases, seen from the different points of view of the personas. Finally, perhaps the most important tool was developed, based on learning gained about how to use role-play in design. A combination of the tools mentioned before was used and was combined with role-play in order to increase the engagement with the context and a role-play guidebook was written. Red health issue cards and green solution cards help designers to generate ideas and encourage creativity.

At the first day of the workshop, each participant took one persona, read the scenario corresponding to the persona and was asked to role-play this persona. After developing scenarios themselves, the second day they created solutions and mock-ups to play this scenario. The students showed their solutions to the health problem in an informance or informative performance to a multidisciplinary audience: experts from Philips design, Philips research and Philips Medical Systems. The main contributions were that the experience workshop gave insight into Indian rural healthcare; it could be used to prepare designers to work in the context and helped focusing on the relevant topics. In short the roleplay made the (lack) of knowledge participants had about the context explicit. The bodystorming created an embodied and common understanding of the ideas and concepts that were generated. The presentation of the ideas to the audience of experts allowed for communicating the ideas and concepts in their context. It was concluded that putting designers in the shoes of the people they are designing for does increase the insight in peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs and engagement and understanding of the context.

Workshop with Students Rodriguez tested the toolbox in a two-day workshop, with a group of tool users: students. The test followed the same order as the toolbox sequence, starting with an introduction with the summary tool a week in advance. Afterwards the

108

€

Company

Graduation date

Microsoft & KIVA & DUT

Sept 14, 2006

Online Microfinance: into(context) Cale Thompson Microfinance has proven to be able to stimulate economical and social development in developing countries around the world. The young African organization KIVA started an initiative in early 2005 to enable individual people all over world to lend money to entrepreneurs in the developing world. For example African entrepreneurs post their business plans on the KIVA site to attract capital for micro loans from people all over the (developed) world. Through the use of ICT KIVA is delivering new opportunities to access capital for micro loans by partnering with existing Micro Finance Institutions (MFI). KIVA has thus created a channel through

In all stages, local people helped and cooperated in understanding the problem and the design of solutions. This people-driven approach results in a context sensitive understanding of the problem. The solution is again tested in the actual context of the intended use.

which those MFI’s can market their borrower’s stories via the Internet to access inexpensive capital from individual lenders.

Borrower’s Information Online Microsoft Research began the digital inclusion programme to try to develop solutions to overcome the barriers that face the developing world in gaining access to the resources that are necessary for sectors like education, agriculture, finance, governance and health. The Microsoft Digital Inclusion Initiative (DII) programme supports projects that try to overcome the digital divide between developed and developing world and that investigate the role of ICT in this context. The problem KIVA addresses fits the goal of DII. The KIVA concept had problems getting the borrowers’ stories online. Remarkably, interest and capital flowing from online lenders was not the limiting factor; instead the bottleneck was the ability of the partners to post the

Testing the MiMoSo in the field. After taking a photograph with a mobile phone it is uploaded to the KIVA website.

109

borrower’s information on the web. The users, or borrowers,

www.KIVA.org

must have access to the Internet and become familiar

values and behaviours within the system. During this two-

with web navigation and content management. However

month period Thompson identified bottlenecks regarding

many environmental factors can limit their ability to do so

both the system and available technologies. Concepts and

easily. The goal of this multidisciplinary project led by Cale

prototypes were generated to solve the bottleneck problems

Thompson was to do research on appropriate technology

in the third phase. The prototypes were tested in the field

interaction forms for MFI working in Uganda, Kenya and

and evaluated qualitatively by users and quantitatively

Tanzania.

against the existing micro-lending system.

into(context)

Miracle Mobile Solution

The main goal of the project into(context) was to do

The project ended up with the development of the Miracle

research and improve the interface between the technology

Mobile Solution (MiMoSo). This is a piece of software that

and the MFIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. The project consisted of five main stages

allows Multi Media Service (MMS) messages to be sent from

including research preparation, context research, concept

a mobile phone to an individual KIVA email address. Via the

generation, prototype testing and dissemination.

email address, the text and image are parsed and uploaded

Driven by a people-centred design approach, the project

to the KIVA website where they can be seen by lenders.

started with asking questions in Africa rather than arriving

Ultimately, the MiMoSo was tested in its intended context

with an answer. This approach reflected the fact that the

in Africa and has been implemented by KIVA. The project

technology should eventually fit the people and not the

demonstrated the strength of a people-centred approach

other way around.

through the successful context-fit solution that was

The

research

started

with

benchmarking

existing

practices for facilitating microfinance through technology. A

developed. It also showed that the cell phone is a legitimate technology platform to facilitate web-based activities.

stakeholder mapping of the context of microfinance system provided a clear picture of individual stakeholder goals, Entrepreneurs can upload their business plans to the KIVA website via their mobile phones. Lenders can access the KIVA website and provide microloans to the entrepeneurs.

â&#x201A;Ź 110

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Philips Medical Systems

Dec 23, 2005

Creating Market Insight for Designers Jonathan Stranders Philips Medical Systems (PMS), a large manufacturer of medical diagnostic and treatment equipment, is currently involved in creating business opportunities to serve the rural healthcare market of India. The healthcare market of rural India has many contrasting aspects compared to the western healthcare market. This concerns the type of patients, diseases, healthcare infrastructure and healthcare approaches. Jonathan Stranders focused on the widespread market of tobacco users in rural India, because of the high

Especially the Indian youth increasingly uses tobacco. Tobacco industry nowadays aggressively markets (filtered) cigarettes instead of smokeless tobacco products (chewing tobacco and spit tobacco).

prevalence of one of the most common cancers in India, oral cancer, is enhanced by tobacco use. To develop solutions that successfully meet the healthcare needs of the rural population, product designers must first get a good insight in the market to really understand the rural patient in relation to the involved stakeholders. However, thorough market research is time-consuming and expensive. Moreover, gathered information and experience are often lost because of its nature. Information like this is hard to communicate and transfer to other designers and succeeding projects. Stranders has developed a supporting software tool to create insight during the market analysis phase in product development.

Web-Based Database The Market Insight Tool (MarkIT) meets the designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s information needs on three aspects. Using a personascenario approach designers can empathize with the target group. To benchmark this information, the scenarios are A tool can help to bridge the gap from an undetermined and vague Western mindset of the rural healthcare context in India towards a more specified, unambiguous and defined awareness.

111

enriched with experts who give their opinion on various issues. Also, the tool includes a glossary to give background

www.philips.com

information on unclear topics and words.

zoom into the market situation on micro-level: individual

The tool is web-based in order to be accessed by Philips

persons. That helps both strategic and practical designers

designers all over the world. The database structure enables

to get more insight in the needs, but strategic designers

other employees, such as market researchers, to insert new

demand more statistics next to personas. Designers

information effectively. In this way, the tool functions as an

evaluated the tool during other stages of the development

interactive communication platform.

process as a useful support and source of inspiration.

Insight in Market Context The tool was prototyped and tested with a group of product designers. Stranders asked what they thought of the web-based database structure and the contents. The tests showed that MarkIT succeeds in communicating the healthcare market to product designers in a structured way and that it saves time during the first phases of a product development project. Using personas helped designers to

Because of the visual orientation of designers, Stranders concluded that the prototyped tool had too much text instead of pictures and movies. Hence the content of the final version should have a better balance between textual and visual information. Also, the tool should be validated using real experts. The MarkIT tool does succeed in structuring the information on the market and enhances the individual insight of designers in the specific situation.

MarkIT meets the designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s information needs by making use of the persona-scenario approach in order to empathize with a rural person.

112

Photo: Jaap Daalhuizen

113

Man at Home Chongming Island, China

114

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Philips Medical Systems

Nov 11, 2005

Device for Early Oral Cancer Detection Suzanne Hendrikse Oral cancer is a major health problem in the rural areas of India, 50 to 70% of the cancer cases are oral cancer. Early detection in the pre-malignant state of oral cancer can prevent surgical intervention. Philips aimed, via a partnership with Manipal University of higher education in India, to develop a portable device for early detection of oral cancer. The product is meant for use in the rural areas by local medical staff and in local facilities. Furthermore, the detection should be done using the Light Inducing Fluorescence (LIF) technique. The project fits the Philips social responsibility programme.

Oral Cancer Detection In rural India, limited medical facilities and staff are available. Chewing tobacco is a popular practise, but it is also a major cause of oral cancer. In addition to low oral hygiene in addition, oral cancer occurs often.

Oral cancer has a long process of developing from a precancerous, non-malignant state into lethal oral cancer. Early detection and a corresponding change in life-style of the patients can eliminate the risk factors that cause the cancer. This should prevent the necessity to remove the lesions surgically in a later stage. Factors that complicate the detection and treatment of cancer are stigma on cancer and low awareness of the disease. The social factor of developing a cancer detection device is an important aspect of the design problem. Chewing tobacco is a mayor cause of oral cancer and a popular product in India. The oral hygiene of people in rural India is also low, and limited medical facilities and staff are available. These social aspects have been major factors that determined the design of the detection device.

The demonstration model of the oral cancer detection device showed advantages such as three colour diagnosis, simple interface and precise handling.

115

Light Induced Fluorescence When oral tissue is exposed to high-energy light, it emits

www.philips.com

a diffuse, low energy light. The resulting spectrum can be

medical staff from urban areas to rural areas on the short

analysed and gives insight into the health of the tissue.

term. On the long term, community health workers should

This method is called Light Induced Fluerescence (LIF)

be trained to detect cancer at an early stage and handle the

technique. By using LIF, oral cancer can be detected even

detection device.

before it becomes visible to the eye. The advantages of LIF detection are its speed, the fact that one can avoid unnecessary biopsies and a painless procedure. The development of the device started with understanding the problem of early cancer detection in the context of rural India. A multidisciplinary approach was used to understand the problem from eight different perspectives. This resulted in a list of design guidelines that was context sensitive. Insights from for example physicists, patients, dentists, etc lead to the rich basis on which the product was further developed. Sub problems were solved individually and integrated into a demonstration model. This was optimized and developed into a final product design.

Early Cancer Detection Device The design phase started with designing and making a demonstration model to show relevant strong points: three colour diagnosis, simple interface and precise handling. The limitations that surfaced from feedback were low safety of the probe, low portability, unfriendly appearance and unsatisfactory housing compartments. The final design featured improved functionality on the portability, measurement, interface and manufacturability. The implementation of the product asks for an active approach of early cancer detection, which the current staff does not yet have. Hendrikse recommends transferring

116

€

Company

Graduation date

Solar Lighting

Ecofys / Kamworks

October 28, 2005

Stephen Boom

The lighting resembled the form of the Angkor Wat, which is a traditional temple Cambodians are proud of.

About 90% of the Cambodian households have no access to a secure and reliable electricity infrastructure for lighting. They mostly (55%) use car batteries as electricity storage to power television and lighting. Providing these people with safe and reliable electric lighting is a small, but important step to overcome their impoverished situation. Kamworks, a start-up solar company considered Cambodia’s problems and solar resources as an opportunity for local production of solar lighting products. The lights should fit to the purchase power of rural households. The company started a project in cooperation with Ecofys, in which Boom researched the market and designed the solar lighting product.

Translating Needs Prior to the product development phase of the project, field research was conducted in Cambodia; visiting and researchgin people in rural areas. Both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the lighting needs of the target group were reserached. A translator translated the questions and answers for the research, but sometimes informed the respondents too much, or when they talked for half an hour, he simply translated it with a short ‘yes’. Boom showed people pictures of available lighting solutions and confronted them with a solar lantern. This survey resulted in understanding the requirements that a new solar powered product should fulfill. They mentioned the product should be affordable and of high quality. The plastic look of the lantern was associated with modern, high quality and status (instead of for example bamboo). Generally, people thought that solar energy was Angkor Light can be placed on a table or hung from the ceiling.

117

www.ecofys.com www.kamworks.com

expensive and would not provide enough energy during

Angkor Light

the rainy season. Apparently, creation of awareness of the

The final design was a vacuum-formed quality lantern

advantages of solar energy would be an important sales

called Angkor Light. The design appealed to Cambodia's

issue.

national symbol, the temples of Angkor, which Cambodians

Boom also investigated the local distribution and

are very proud of. Vacuum forming is an appropriate

production possibilities for solar lanterns. A questionnaire

technology for a start-up company like Kamworks. It

about solar lanterns among retailers concluded that more

combined the advantages of low investments and simple

than half of them were interested in selling solar lanterns,

processes. The technology was applicable for relatively low

with a maximum price of $50 and a profit of 10%. The

production volumes (up to 10,000 per year). The moulds

product should be easy to understand, because the retailers

could be produced locally and were cheap in comparison

did not want to be responsible for the consequences for

with injection moulding. The Angkor Light used replaceable

malfunctioning. Quality and availability of spare parts was

quality electrical components. The product would fit to an

an important issue for them.

international standard (“PV-GAP”) to encourage quality

Vacuum Forming and Reflector Combined

solar products for the global market.

Field research resulted in three product-market combinations (PMC) of affordable lighting for rural people. The first was extending the lifetime of car batteries, the next combination

Boom finally built a second prototype, which would be used for a more profound market evaluation of the product in Cambodia.

was a solar powered headlight. The third PMC, a mobile

Awarded

solar lantern, has been selected for further elaboration.

The World Bank 2006 Development Marketplace awarded

In a technical analysis Boom selected the light source,

Kamworks with $174,000 for developing an innovative

battery type and solar cells. Next, he generated several

distribution model. The model aims at training young

product sketches. Boom detailed a combination of two

Cambodians

solution clusters, vacuum forming and using a reflector.

project called “Rural electrification through solar micro-

Several concepts were generated using the reflector in

entrepreneurship

different ways. He chose a lamp with a separate reflector

Cambodia”. It is also

that could be placed on top of the lamp and built a

starting up assembly of

prototype. Fifteen potential end-users living in the rural

its own solar products,

areas of Cambodia evaluated the product's functionality,

to start with the ‘Angkor

robustness and appearance as positive.

Light’.

become

micro-entrepreneurs

118

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Philips Domestic Appliances

October 21, 2005

Adoptability of the U-Specs Roseliek van de Velden Philips has been operating worldwide for many years, yet they have mainly targeted at the top segment of the markets. Philips is now entering the largest segment of the market in India, the Base of the Pyramid (BoP), and needs suited approaches and business models to reach the people that live from an income beneath the poverty line. The theory of Prahalad provides a business model to deal with the circumstances in the BoP, yet very little is known about actual product development for the BoP. In this graduation project guidelines were developed for product development for the BoP in India, based on a case study on U-Specs. U-Specs is a concept for affordable spectacles that can be adjusted to compensate for refractive error by the user.

Participatory research resulted in useful local knowledge to develop solutions.

Cultural Context Product development for the BoP involves designers (and a company) that develop products for a different cultural context. In this project participatory techniques were used to do consumer research and understand the needs of the people in the BoP, to understand how users would adopt the U-Specs and to check the scenario that described the implementation of the product in the Indian BoP context. Users were involved to give insight into, for example, how the problems concerning sight impairment were interpreted. This showed that instead of being viewed as a health problem, sight impairment is seen by the consumers as a

The analysis was started with the definition of search fields, after which the u-specs were analyzed. An idea generation and scenario development phase followed. Finally guidelines were defined for future product development for the Indian BoP.

119

well-being problem. First a difference between the needs of the consumers and the ones of the government and Non-Governmental

www.philips.com www.u-specs.org

Organizations (NGOs) was detected. The NGOs and government see a problem in uncorrected refractive

General guidelines

errors that are causing sight impairment. They see that it

· Partnering with NGOs and governmental bodies necessary;

is hampering education, causing rehabilitation costs, and

· In the BoP an open mind is a prerequisite for success;

causes a loss of productivity. The consumers however usually

· Transparency; communicate intentions of stakeholders;

do not recognize sight impairment and its consequences as

· Organization should facilitate shared decision making;

a problem. They rather ignore that there is a problem at

· Volunteers could enable experimental BoP projects;

all.

· Consumers have different priorities than NGOs and

The barriers that existed in the India BoP were linked to

Government

the competences of Philips to find opportunities for product

Process

development.

· Find the barriers of a problem before trying to solve it;

Guidelines

· Map Barriers to Core Competences;

The case study resulted in a list of guidelines for product

· Use local experts’ knowledge for interpretation of data.

development for the BoP in India. The guidelines were

Remote product development guidelines

categorized in four groups, namely general guidelines,

· Gain input from different locations to make the product

guidelines to optimize the process, remote product

suitable for a broad target group;

development guidelines and adoptability guidelines. These

· Increase respondent feedback: propose multiple options;

guidelines are described at the right.

· Increase feedback on conflicts with proposed scenarios by

NGO

Barriers were linked to core competences of Philips DAP to ensure a successful product development process.

forming groups of similar stakeholders in user research; · Provide sufficient input to prevent biases; · Detailed content needed for input design workshop. Adoptability guidelines · Accessibility, empowerment and reliability are the most important aspects for adoptability by the BoP market; · The adoptability is best considered in both product design and scenario; · Use the guidelines on implementing aspects of adoptability: accessibility, compatibility, reparability, empowerment, affordability, desirability, reliability, usability and comfort.

120

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

NPSP Composieten BV

November 18, 2005

Natural Fibres in Doors and Windows Joan Boekhoven NPSP Composites BV produces composites based on natural and conventional fibres. The company intends to promote usage of natural materials like flax- and jute-reinforced composites. They have developed an innovative production method that could be used in combination with natural fibres. The labour intensive manufacturing process made production in low wage countries sound profitable. The company chose for India for expanding their production

Boekhoven based her final design on the 'thick' concept, that replaced conventional materials like wood and reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC).

process for three reasons. First, India is rich in natural fibres. Second, India has low wages for labour. Third, NPSP wanted to provide for some of the profound needs of the very poor, such as housing. In this project the possibilities of manufacturing fibre-composite products in India were explored.

Rising Costs in Building Sector Coir fibre

Wood

After an internal analysis of NPSP, an overview of the

Polyurethane foam

strengths and weaknesses of the company was created. Mould

Details

Coir fibre mat

Local potential business partners could increase their own production capacity and benefit from the knowledge transfer of NPSP. In this way, NPSP could give the composite sector the opportunity to specialize. The most promising partners

Polyurethane foam

Woven fibre coir mats are placed in a metal mould, covered by polyurethane foam and another mat. The mould is closed and the polyester resin sucked inside. After an hour the product can be discharged.

121

Wooden frame

for a joint venture with NPSP were the companies Festel Doors and Water Tanks, and Technocraft. From an external analysis, Boekhoven concluded that specific knowledge on composites is not commonly available. Also, the building sector is dealing with rising costs of

Coir fibre mat Mould

conventional materials such as wood, cement, concrete and steel, because of its increasing scarcity. Using the formulated strengths and weaknesses with

www.npsp.nl

the found opportunities and threats,

three product-

market combinations were formulated. The first included developing a product to lower the rural housing costs. Also, in the field of hygiene, a product to improve more peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bathing and sanitary conditions could be developed. Another product would provide easier access to water. For all three combinations, the design problems were identified and product ideas were generated. After selection, by using nine weighted criteria, it was decided to elaborate within the house & construction field.

Thick Window and Door Frames

in a choice for the thick concept, which was elaborated further.

Low Costs and Weight The final design proposal could meet all criteria. Its purchase costs would be 28% lower than its wooden alternative. It was found that highly decorated and arched designs would appeal to Indians. Moreover, the environmental sound material is maintenance free; it is corrosion resistant, no painting or pesticides are needed and it will not swell like wood does. It would be manufactured using the vacuum assisted-

The goal was to consider procedures of building houses in

resin transfer moulding process in which NPSP is specialized

urban as well as in rural areas. The costs of a basic house

(see figure on the left page). A prototype (scale of 4 on 1)

were calculated and the elements that might be replaced by

was manufactured to show details and possible decoration.

natural fibre reinforced composite products were identified.

To conclude the project, a marketing strategy for the final

These were window frames and shutters, doorframes and

product was developed. This included xtensive discussions

shutters, sometimes even entire roofs. Based on a number

on the four aspects of the marketing mix: product, price,

of reasons, it was decided to develop windows and doors,

place and promotion.

but mainly since these parts contribute most to the total costs of a house (23% of the total costs). However, the prices of existing alternatives could hardly be met, so to have a product with an edge over the competition, an arch or decoration was added. There were two design concepts, the major difference laid in the thickness of the frames.. Within the thick concept conventional materials like wood and RCC could be replaced; the thin concept replaced materials like steel and coir. Evaluating the advantages and disadvantages on

The fringes were created with clay and some creativity. Alongside the door shutter its clay details can be seen. It was chosen to decorate this door with Lord Ganesh who is supposed to bring luck and prosperity.

production, costs and appearance of both concepts resulted

122

â&#x201A;Ź

Company

Graduation date

Intermech Engineering Ltd 2004

Small scale cassava starch processing Dirk Smallenbroek All over the world the demand for starch is rapidly growing. Traditional starch sources (potato) in the western world have reached their limits in growing capacity. At this moment in Tanzania all starch is being imported, although the agricultural industry supplies sufficient amounts of starch containing crops and is capable of increasing production. Cassava, a tropical tuber, is one of these starch containing crops. Now the main part of the cassava production is used for human consumption. The cassava is processed. Grated, dried and milled to flour, which is the base for various meals. Intermech is a Tanzanian company designing and manufacturing cassava graters, at this moment used for local small scale processing of cassava for human consumption. This grater is also suited for the first step of the winning of starch from cassava. For the next steps of this process a machine line was to be designed, fitting on to the grater qua philosophy and capacity, manufactured by Intermech and capable of supplying high quality cassava starch for the Tanzanian industry.

Promoting Cassava For Tanzania it is now important to take the step towards producing big scale amounts of cassava, in order to provide starch to the world market. This can be achieved by promoting the planting of cassava amongst the small farmers all over Tanzania. The goal is that with the development of this machine and giving the people an opportunity to increase the value of their harvested cassava, we can contribute to In Tanzania the cassava starch winning is still done the traditional way.

123

the scale up of the amount of cassava grown in Tanzania. The possibility for local farmers to process their harvested

www.intermech.biz

crops into agricultural products which are better to store and

For Tanzania it is now important to take the step of

to transport will result in a decrease in post harvest losses.

growing cassava on a larger scale so it can become an

Additionally, the processing of cassava offers the farmers an

important supplier of starch to the world market. With this

opportunity to add value to their harvested crops, creating

project a small step is set towards a more sustainable and

the possibility of investing in their own farming company.

better economic developed future for Tanzanian cassava

This way the first step to further mechanize the cultivation

farmers.

and irrigation of the land and thus increasing the efficiency. This will be resulting in the important growth of the national agriculture output. Furthermore, this way of processing offers a change of cooperation between local farmers and local industry, reducing the distance in supply chain and stimulating the local agriculture.

Local demands and needs Within this project it has been demonstrated that a small group of people can give the start to tackle a large national problem (how to promote cassava, so the agricultural production and security of the national food demand is increased) when the problem is approached from the bottom up. It has also shown that small production companies in less developed countries do not necessary need to copy the designs of existing machines of (inter) national competition. With the implementation of the basics of the design process these companies can come up with unique innovative products that are designed to fulfil the specific (local) needs. Since these products and machines are designed and manufactured in Tanzania, they meet the local circumstances (for example no running water) and demanded scale much better. Besides this, the repair and

The University team & the Intermech team with the prototype.

â&#x201A;Ź

maintenance of the machines can be executed locally.

124

Photo: Jaap Daalhuizen

125

Toilet in a Rural Village Chongming Island, China

126

Epilogue

The first learning experiences of Design for the BoP J.C. Diehl After browsing through all these Base of the Pyramid (BoP) graduation and IDP projects, one can state that a huge challenge for the design world lies ahead. Large as well as medium sized enterprises are becoming more and more interested in exploring the BoP to alleviate poverty and other sustainability problems as well as to exploit new consumer markets. The Base of the Pyramid is becoming both a strategic focus for long-term growth and critical for promoting social equity in line of the global companiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sustainable policies. However, these markets remain poorly understood and success stories are far and few inbetween. For a company or designer to be successful in these emerging and developing markets, it takes a lot more than

Table 1: Summary of the identified differences in the Product Innovation Process (Chang 2006).

just making minor modifications to existing products. They will have to develop new business and product innovation practices, capable of establishing a mutual value creation process between themselves and local stakeholders, as well

Process

Differences in the Product Innovation Process

Strategy Formulation

Motivation on CSR, new business model creation, local and NGO partnerships, Greenfield opportunities, influences from government policy

and the issues and the opportunities related to the targeted

Design Brief Formulation

Ethnographic research, NGO partnerships, local university collaboration, study local life, live with the poor, listening deeply

Eco-Efficiency and Socio-Cultural Preferences

Product Development

NGO partnerships, local university collaboration (on pilot testing)

cultural preferences, without expanding the current use

Product Launch

NGO Partnerships (training, distribution, collect feedback), new channels, new business models, local ecosystem setup

as to have a deep understanding of these new contexts, areas (Simanis and Hart 2006).

The challenge lies in the creation of accessible and affordable solutions to fit the local economical and socioof environmental resources (Rocchi 2006). The target here is not only the poverty of the people in the BoP, but also the context in which they live, which tends to lack traditional utilities, such as electricity, water, and gas (i.e. in rural Africa less than 2% of the population is connected

127

important is the willingness to listen deeply to the local

infrastructures are also often very weak. The outcomes

people and local stakeholders, and understand what they

of the Intocontext project demonstrate that sometimes

need, not what product innovators think they need.

alternative solutions (mobile phone instead of internet via

For example the demand for renewable electricity based

PC) are available but not used (see page 108). Most BoP

light is a ‘derived demand’: no one wants electricial light

communities are fragile ecologically, so new products and

in itself but rather for the services it can provide (ESMAP

services need to be very eco-efficient (Sethia 2005). In that

2000). The biggest unmet need is not for better illumination

perspective the Kamworks projects (see page 38, 40, 56

but for safety from fire, savings, and greater independence.

and 116, on replacing kerosene lights solar powered lights)

There should be added value in the products, which can be

and the Philips Woodstove project (see page 102, on a

recognized by consumers at the BoP. Second, markets in

dramatic increase of efficiency and avoidance of negative

developing countries are not well developed, so it is necessary

health impacts) are convincing examples what Designing

to develop basic channels and business models and value

for the BoP can mean.

chains in order to bring the products to the customers. The

Critical Phases in Designing Products From our experiences, we have learned that most companies active in the BoP state the front end research (Design Brief Formulation) and Product Delivery (Product Launch) as the two most critical phases in developing products for the BoP market (See table on the right) (Chang 2006). First, it’s critical to adapt products so that the fit the context and resources of the target group. Most challenges derive from the unfamiliarity with the local context and the distinct infrastructure in emerging markets. Although some companies do have strong global resources and networks, a sustainable local enterprise network is necessary for them

Epilogue

to the electricity grid). In addition ICT and transportation

observed differences in the product innovation process are summarized in Table 1. Consequently, a basic starting point for successful product innovation for the BoP is to understand people’s needs and to interact with the material, economical and sociocultural world. Therefore, both researchers and designers should engage with the cultures directly. A unique set of design and business tools and practices adapted from social anthropology, ethnography and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) is being developed, applied and evaluated (Hart 2004; Diehl and Kuipers 2008; Simanis and Hart 2008) for designers and entrepreneurs.

to interact with the local community. Non-Governmental

Design Tools

Organizations (NGOs) play in this context a vital role in

At the moment, various design tools (such as personas,

the innovation process of several companies, especially

cultural probes, scenarios and user profiles in context-of-

when they intend to approach consumers at the BoP. Most

use) are available to capture insights related users’ needs,

128

aspirations and behaviour in their original contexts (Leonard and Rayport 1997; Sanders 2000; Rodríguez, Diehl et al. 2006). These new context and participatory techniques can introduce the end-user into the design process by co-design and get deeper information than the common focus groups or observational research methods (Sanders 2000; Gaver, Boucher et al. 2005). However most of them only have been applied in the ‘Developed Markets’. Currently we, at Delft University of Technology, are testing and evaluating these kind of context tools in emerging and developing markets in practice (Rodriguez, Diehl et al. 2006; Rodrigues, Thompson et al. 2007). In that perspective we can say that there is still a lot to learn with regard to which design tools and approaches fit the best in the context of designing new product (service) solutions for the BoP.......

We are looking forward to go through this learning process together with you!

Chang, Y.-K. (2006). Innovation for the Next Billions: Case Study of 7 Multinationals that Develop Products for Emerging Markets. Industrial Design Engineering. Delft, Delft University of Technology. MSc. Diehl, J. C. and H. Kuipers (2008). Design for the Base of the Pyramid: Student Field Projects ub Cambodia. DesignED, Hong Kong. ESMAP (2000). Energy Services for the World’s Poor.

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Washington, WorldBank. Gaver, W., A. Boucher, et al. (2005). “Cultural probes and the values of uncertainty.” Interaction 11(5): 53-56. Hart, S. (2004). Base of the Pyramid Protocol, Cornell University. Leonard, D. and J. Rayport (1997). “Sparking innovation through empathic design.” Harvard Business Review 75(6): 102-113. Rocchi, S. (2006). Unlocking new markets. P. Design. Eindhoven, Philips Design. Rodrigues, J., C. Thompson, et al. (2007). Multistakeholder approach for people centered solutions: Welcome to East Africa. Include 2007: Designing with People. Royal College of Art, London. Rodriguez, J., J. C. Diehl, et al. (2006). Design toolbox for contextualizing users in emerging markets. IEA2006, Maastricht, Elsevier. Rodríguez, J., J. C. Diehl, et al. (2006). “Gaining insight into unfamiliar contexts: A design toolbox as input for using role-play techniques.” Interacting with computers 18 (5): 956-976. Sanders, E. B. (2000). Generative tools for codesigning: Collaborative Design. London, Springer Verlag. Sethia, N. (2005). “At the Bottom of the Pyramid: Responsible Design for Responsible Business.” Design Management Review 16(Summer 2005). Simanis, E. and S. Hart (2006). “Expanding Possibilities at the Base of the Pyramid.” Innovations 1(1): 43-51. Simanis, E. and S. Hart (2008). BoP Protocol: Towards Next Generation BoP Strategy.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to say thanks, for these interesting projects, inspired & inspiring students and enthusiastic colleagues. Without the help and effort of all these people, this book would not have been as it is now. Thanks to Ana Maria Alvarez, Loucas Papantoniou, Stephanie Wirth and Doortje van de Wouw, Elly Doek, Merijn Janssen, Regine van Limmeren, Charl Smit, Stefan Versluis, Veronie Croes, Bjørn-Evert van Eck Rasmussen, Swie Oei, Susan Oudshoorn, Rutger Bonsel, Sietse Cieraad, Stéphanie, Reintjens and Imke Schepers, Aparna

Bhasker,

Inge

van de Wouw, Ambika Samabasivan, Lieke Pijpers, Sierk Hennes, Kirsten Rijke, Tom van Diessen, Linda Schnieders, Judith Goor, Jan Willem Findlater, Alexander van der Kleij, Miriam Reitenbach, Koos Munneke, Bernard Hulshof, Rutger Bonsel, Hoi-Kee Wong, Yu-Kuan Chang, Annemarie Mink, Marion de Groot, Cathelijne Huis in ‘t Veld, Roelie Bottema, Mijntje de Caluwé, Elselien Epema, Willem Glasbergen, Marike Bijtelaar, Maria Nguyen, Leonie Ideler, Fernando Del Caro Secomandi, Jon Rodriguez, Cale Thompson, Jonathan Stranders, Suzanne Hendrikse, Stephen Boom, Roseliek van der Velden, Joan Boekhovenand H.S. Smallenbroek. We also would like to thank the following academic staff, who supported students in their projects: Petra BadkeSchaub, Annemiek van Boeijen, Casper Boks, Han Brezet, Jan Buijs, Henri Christiaans, Katrijn Coninx, Marcel Crul, Richard Goossens, Erik Jan Hultink, Remco van der Lugt, Heimrich Kanis, D. Keskin, Henk Kuipers, Johan Molenbroek, Kaj Morel, Sylvia Mooij, Ingo Oldenkamp, Joost Prins, Jan Schoormans, S. Silvester, Dirk Snelders and K.S.S. Talke. Thanks everyone! And we hope you will all keep working towards achieving those millenium development goals, we will certainly keep doing our best!

131

Jan Carel Diehl

Currently Professor of Industrial Design

After finishing his study in Industrial

Engineering (IDE) and Chairman of the

Design

Department of Design Engineering, he

several years as a consultant in

received a B.E. degree in Mechanical

ecodesign. In his present position he

Engineering

worked

Engineering at the Mysore University

is assistant professor for the Design

and his M.E. and Ph.D. in Mechanical

for Sustainability (DfS) program at the Faculty of Industrial

Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.

Design Engineering at the Delft University of Technology in

After a stint of 5 years at the Materials Science and Technology

The Netherlands. Within the DfS program he is managing

department at Delft, he worked at Fokker for 15 years, in

the international projects on sustainable product innovation

various technical & management positions. His teaching and

especially in emerging markets. The main focus of his

research interests at IDE are focused on materializing design

research is the know-how transfer and implementation

ideas, addressing manufacturing technology related to product

of sustainable product innovation into an international

design and materials; technology and materials selection in

context. He is has been working with companies and

design; and more. He is currently directing research work

universities in about 40 countries world-wide. Next to his

on development of products & services for healthcare in

position at the TU Delft he is consultant for UNIDO and

developing countries and is involved in research on ethical

UNEP and invited lecturer at universities in amongst others

aspects of product development for the BoP. He has given

Portugal, Colombia, Turkey, Japan and Austria. He is co-

several keynote lectures on this topic and has about 100

author of the UNEP Design for Sustainability manual for

publications on his work.

Developing Economies (D4S DE).

Ilona de Jongh

About the Editors

Prabhu Kandachar

Born on Curaรงao, a tiny island in the Caribbean, she received her Masters degree in Integrated Product Design - specialized in design for health care - at the faculty of IDE in 2008. She believes that design and design-thinking can cause social change, can improve life and can help towards a sustainable living for everybody on this planet, and is working with several organizations and companies all over the world to prove this. She currently runs the solution development firm Sprout Design, is chapter head of Project H Design New York, and works with Delft University of Technology on several projects in Design for Emerging Markets.

132

Designing for Emerging Markets

The Base of the Pyramid strategy is to serve the underserved. Both scientists and entrepreneurs are exploring this strategy, economically and socially motivated. The key to success is focusing on the needs of people in their own environment. The strength and uniqueness of Industrial Design Engineering lies in its human centred approach to design.

This book describes projects concerning products and services

Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering

the series of graduation and other Mastersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; program projects

Landbergstraat 15

at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, specifically

2628 CE Delft, The Netherlands

aimed at product, service and system design for the Base of the Pyramid.

www.io.tudelft.nl/bop BoP-IO@tudelft.nl +31 (0) 15 278 3034

IDE Master Projects - 3

for the Base of the Pyramid. This is the third publication in