Apps for Africa

Standard Code is a company of 10 people that builds apps for folks all over the world. We've recently started designing, consulting, and building apps to be used in Africa for a variety of research and implementation related programs. We've been working with and building systems for the CDC, WHO, Gates Foundation, Emory University, RTI, and the Task Force for Global Health here in Atlanta. The systems we build do all kinds of things from plotting diseases on a map to crunching vast swaths of data to helping pharmaceuticals figure out how to plan their drug donations to the underdeveloped world. It's really fun work. And it's actually doing good for the world. What's not to like? A few weeks ago we had the good fortune to visit a project we're working in the field. We visited Botswana in Southern Africa and despite the fact that it's modern by Africa standards, it has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world. We were there to see how we could use tablet based systems to gather, report, and analyze data from the field. What better way to see what software is working than to actually get on a 15 hour plane ride, then get another 90 minute plane ride, then drive a car out into the middle of the desert to see the people using the kinds of systems you build. It was an amazing opportunity that has already left an imprint on how we build things. A few key takeaways.

TJ with Lahme, a supervisor at an HIV clinic in Botswana

Know you're user

This is a tired old maxim in the startup world. What do you know about your user? What are their goals? What is your software giving them in return? These are all things you've heard time and time again. But if you're in the states building software for users in the states, you can at least learn about their habits and needs and wants by osmosis (it ain't the best way but it'll do). But if you're building systems used by people on the other side of the world, you HAVE to get out and see them use it. And not only that, understand what their priorities and capabilities are. For example, for B2B software we sort of assume people are fluent in mobile AND desktop. But in Africa, everyone uses mobile and and the desktop / laptop revolution completely bypassed them. The tablet is a great medium for deploying software and running software. It requires very little power. It can operate when the internet is down. And since everyone so readily adopted mobile, you don't have to train people on how to use a tablet. They just get it.

Don't underestimate your user

I will be the first to admit that I've been guilty of this. I honestly had no idea how comfortable and capable and engaged the user base is here. They are hungry for someone to pay attention to them and to give them tools. What they lack in infrastructure, they more than make up for in enthusiasm and an ability to figure things out. Give your user some credit. But speaking of infrastructure, you cannot overestimate availability of power and internet here. Which is why tablets and mobile will rain supreme. So if you're to build software, assume for the next few years that infrastructure will give you hell. All in all, the trip was totally eye opening. It's a place ready for investment and people to build software here. It just needs people to take a chance on it.