Open Source Mobile Development, Enabling Contextual User Centered Development Model

Abstract

As the use of mobile data services has spread across the globe, the effect of cultural differences on user requirements has become an important issue. This paper proposes an approach for mobile data services that takes cross-cultural differences into account. To determine these attributes, a qualitative method is devised (and in-depth interviews) in Indonesia are conducted. Indonesia has about 222 million population and more than 6 million of it s population use mobile devices. This is potential market for services provider, though they still have to analyze the behavior of people in Indonesia as well as culturalbility background and user acceptance The shift from system oriented to human context oriented design causes system development process is not only dictated by developers. Culturability, the merging of culture and usability, has implications for system design. Usability must be redefined in terms of a cultural context, as what is user friendly for one culture can be vastly different for another culture. However, customization to satisfy the culturability consideration sometimes may not be established due to the license limitation. Openness and flexibility is are key factors for Open Source Software to provide solution for specific local problems. By employing FOSS the special development and customization based on the culturability and user context is possible to be achieved