African Journal of Gender and Media | 11 September 2004
Designing User Interfaces for Low-Literacy Populations in South Africa: A Technological Approach
P, h, u, m, l, a, N, c, u, b, e, ,, N, o, m, i, w, e, l, e, M, d, l, u, l, i
Abstract
User interfaces designed for low-literacy populations often face challenges in usability and accessibility. The study employed a mixed-methods approach combining surveys, interviews, and ethnographic observations to gather data from low-literacy participants. A prototype was developed using the Nielsen usability model as a framework. Participants expressed significant preference for interfaces with clear visual cues and simplified text content (85% rated clarity higher than complexity). The methodological approach successfully identified key design elements that improve user interface usability for low-literacy populations, particularly in South Africa. Future research should expand the dataset to include more diverse populations and incorporate technological advancements such as AI-driven translation tools. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin<em>{\theta}\sum</em>i\ell(y<em>i,f</em>\theta(x<em>i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert</em>2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.