Africanization of HCI Teaching and Learning

Part 7: Geopolitical Issues in Human Computer Interaction International audience Most software interfaces are designed in the Western world. Western metaphors (such as the concept of menus to organize functions) are implicitly built into these designs. This may affect users in other parts of the world, in that they lack an intuitive feeling of how to use these interfaces and applications, causing a disappointing user experience, low efficiency and even unsatisfactory usability. This is the case in many parts of Africa, including South Africa. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that tertiary Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) curricula at undergraduate level are usually based exclusively on international textbooks. This article discusses the need for research on the Africanization of HCI teaching and learning. Some international and local work that has been done on the decolonization of HCI and the localization of Information Systems is acknowledged. Emic (intra-cultural) and etic (cross-cultural) aspects that influence the decolonization of HCI, such as Ubuntu and the hacker ethic are discussed in addition to geopolitical tensions and powers that encourage or counteract this endeavor. The paper argues that indigenous perspectives should enrich the HCI discipline at theoretical and practical levels. A few practical pointers are provided to make the ideal of Africanization relevant for and feasible within HCI.