Category Archives: Design

Core values: business models meant to serve the BoP

Posted on June 25, 2010 by

(Republished from old Perspective 2.0 blog March 10th 2009) The biggest shock for me in the Phillippines was learning that airtime minutes purchased on a prepaid plan came with an expiry date. The smaller the amount the faster the expiration. … Continue reading →

Posted in Airtime, Alternative currency, ASEAN, Assumption filter, Banking, Bottom of the Pyramid, Business Models, Buyer Behaviour, Cashless transactions, Design, Income, Informal & Flexible, Loans, Mobile platform, Philipines, Rural, Savings, Strategy, Sub Saharan Africa, User research

iBoP Asia 2008 Small Grant Projects – Part two

Posted on March 7, 2010 by
Posted in ASEAN, Bottom of the Pyramid, Business Models, Culture, Design, Mobile platform, Philipines, Project report, Value

iBoP Asia 2008 Small Grant Projects – March 2010 Jakarta

Posted on March 6, 2010 by

Exhibits of projects completed displayed at the Frontiers seminar on March 3rd in Jakarta, Indonesia. Click on photos to see details. continued in next post.

Posted in ASEAN, Bottom of the Pyramid, Culture, Design, Mobile platform, Philipines, Project report, User research, Value

Introducing Meena Kadri

Posted on January 1, 2010 by

New Zealand born Meena Kadri has an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and a Masters in Design. She has taught at design schools globally, notably for two years at the National Institute of Design in India. She currently resides in New … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Design, India, South Asia, Urban, User research

Synthesis of the Prepaid Economy Project

Posted on November 27, 2009 by

The impetus for the Prepaid Economy project came from field observations during other projects which focused on the design and development of products and services for those at the BoP. It was noted that the majority of the BoP lived … Continue reading →

Posted in Airtime, Alternative currency, Assumption filter, Banking, Bottom of the Pyramid, Business Models, Buyer Behaviour, Cashless transactions, Culture, Design, Economy, Expenses, Indigenous & Traditional, Informal & Flexible, Mobile platform, Philipines, Project report, Rural, Savings, Strategy, User research, Value

Some thoughts on community based models for sharing costs

Posted on April 29, 2009 by

We found that the key factor that makes 'prepaid' payment plans (whether its for electricity, mobile phones, water etc) so attractive to the BoP customer, in the context of their own behaviour patterns regarding the management of their personal finances. … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, ASEAN, Bottom of the Pyramid, Business Models, Buyer Behaviour, Culture, Design, Informal & Flexible, Loans, Rural, Savings, South Africa, South Asia, Sub Saharan Africa, User research, Value

Sudhir Venkatesh and the rise of the “other” BoP

Posted on March 29, 2009 by

Photo credit: Jim Wilson/The New York Times Even as we observe and study those who live on irregular and unpredictable incomes in the lower income strata of the developing world, articles in the media this week catch our attention to … Continue reading →

Posted in Assumption filter, Banking, Bottom of the Pyramid, Business Models, Buyer Behaviour, Cashless transactions, Culture, Design, Economy, Income, Literature review, Loans, Mobile platform, Strategy, Urban, User research | 1 Comment

Creativity goes hand in hand with entreprenuership

Posted on March 23, 2009 by

Furniture designer & artisan, Iloilo Province, February 24th 2009 Jesse is just 30 years old. A year ago, he sold his motorcycle to obtain the working capital to start his own handmade furniture design workshop, here on the main road. … Continue reading →

Posted in ASEAN, Banking, Bottom of the Pyramid, Business Models, Buyer Behaviour, Culture, Design, Expenses, Income, Indigenous & Traditional, Mobile platform, Philipines, Rural, Savings, Strategy, User research, Value

When silver is in season

Posted on February 4, 2009 by

Chandiwala, Sawai Madhopur, India January 4th 2009 Mine is a seasonal business, the making of traditional silver ornaments that are worn by married women and a part of her dowry. This is still early, you are lucky today that I … Continue reading →

Posted in Banking, Bottom of the Pyramid, Buyer Behaviour, Culture, Design, Income, India, Indigenous & Traditional, Rural, Savings, User research, Value

Migrating back to the village

Posted on January 22, 2009 by

Master craftsman, Dasktkar Ranthambhore, India January 1st 2009 I used to work in Jaipur but recently came back to my home village because its cheaper, my Rupee stretches further. Yes, I was very lucky to get this job in my … Continue reading →

Posted in Bottom of the Pyramid, Culture, Design, Economy, Expenses, Income, India, Migrant worker, Rural, Savings, Urban, User research