Technology Interventions in Rural India by an Academic Institute: Challenges and Mitigation Strategies

Abstract

Industries often prioritize markets with high sales volumes and profit margins, showing little interest in developing technologies for low-income communities where demand and purchasing power are both low. More often, designers and researchers from various academic institutions voluntarily invest part of their professional engagements in developing technologies to enhance the livelihoods of low-income communities. However, academic professionals face several challenges, primarily due to their limited bandwidth in terms of their time and expertise. In this research, a methodology called action research was employed to identify the challenges faced by the above professionals in developing technologies for low-income communities and to propose strategies to address them. Seven identified challenges were classified under the four categories based on design projects spanning over nine years (2014–2022). As a result, a design framework comprising 12 strategies, grouped into four broad categories, is proposed. All 12 strategies were validated through their implementations in one of the projects of the Rural Technology Action Group.