Understanding your users

Mapping your users’ access to communication channels

We use something called a radar chart to measure your users’ access to the five technologies – a radio, TV, basic mobile phone, smart phone, tablet or laptop

To complete a radar chart, use the best data you can gather to estimate how many households in your country or region have access to a device.

An example of a radar chart for a high-income country

The red arrows show possible changes as a result of the COVID-19 crisis – that means we think those households that do not have a smartphone, laptop or tablet could buy one if they need to.

• All households have access to a TV and a radio (or access to radio via internet)
• Almost all households have access to at least one smartphone, and often more than one; those households that do not have a smartphone normally have elderly residents
• Less than 100% of households have access to a laptop or tablet

The red arrows show possible changes as a result of the COVID-19 crisis – that means we think those households that do not have a smartphone, laptop or tablet could buy one if they need to.

High-income country compared to a low-income country

In low-income countries, we expect:

• Less than 100% of households have one radio, but many households can access them
• Many households have TVs and basic mobile phones
• Few households have smartphones
• Very few households have tablets or laptops

In this chart, the red arrows show that it is unlikely many households could afford to buy new devices, even in an emergency.

Comparing the different populations within a country

In a low-income country, most households will live on low incomes, but there will be some middle- and high-income households.

In a middle-income country, the most households will be middle-income but there may well be a large low-income population too.

Planning for the whole population

Population and income analysis tell us that an Internet based distance learning programme will reach few people in a low-income country.

One solution often suggested is to give low-income populations devices they could not afford themselves. Recent experience in the UK has shown that even in high-income countries, this approach poses difficulties.

It is better to create a distance learning programme that meets the needs of users as they exist now instead of trying to change the user’s circumstances to fit the programme you wish to deliver.