1. Alliance to Develop Google SMS Tips in Uganda
PPartner
Alliance to Develop Google SMS Tips in Uganda

2. Our Application Development Process
Scale the winners
Rapid prototyping & piloting
Define sources of information
Identify how information is accessed
Analyze economic and information flows
Assess information needs
TAKEAWAY – it’s not easy. A lot of work goes into building apps to reach the audience we’re trying to reach: need to have feet on the ground, have relationships (essential role of mobile operators)
Key product learnings:
1. Information is valuable if it is:
Timely -- market prices today , expected future market prices
Granular -- weather in my district , health clinics within walking distance
Trusted -- risk of lost trust if data is inaccurate
Specific -- not just crop prices but who will pay me that price, when and where
2. But providing info is not sufficient; to be effective, must also provide a way to optimally utilize that info.
Example: no use telling user to go to a clinic if can’t direct user to the nearest clinic that can deal with the issue
3. Desire for collaborative & shared learning among users & intermediaries
(as important as providing content)
Key Process Learnings
Understanding Needs – consult users early & often to build a useful service; mobiles can effectively address information poverty
Developing Apps – iterate rapidly and “fail fast”; build sustainability & scaling into product/process design; involve users in the process
Building Sustainable Models – need incentives for all elements of ecosystem; access to new market segments a powerful carrot
Achieving Scale – strategic relationships matter (mobile operator); services must meet clear need and information must be actionable; “discoverability” and “usability” essential (trusted intermediary)

3. Mobile Applications Google SMS Services Launched in Uganda
Sexual/ Reproductive Health Tips and ClinicFinder
Farmer’s Friend (agriculture tips & weather)
Health
Agriculture
Mobile Applications
Search Modules
Marketplace
So … what did we do? We launched a few services: Tips (Ag, Health – free form text entry); Clinic directory, Trader,
Tips: >1.5M queries in 3 months for Tips
Criteria for selecting apps
Impacts lives and livelihoods of the poor (provides a clear social good)
Technology (and exchange of information) plays a primary role in the solution (not an operational challenge)
Innovation, which may include enhancements to existing products to better meet needs of the poor
Technical feasibility – can the app be built using Google technologies that are Google strengths?
Market size -- potential volume of unmet user demand (bridges gaps in current landscape)
Complexity of business model/ technical solution low
Sustainable business model (which often requires creativity)
Operational Feasibility – can the app be scaled be scaled across the population of target users and is it portable beyond pilot country
Competition – does such an app already exist?
Google SMS Search (sports, news, dictionary, weather, etc)
Google Trader

4. We’re Ready to Scale Tips …
You can help by giving us health content!
Factual
Actionable
Concise
Locally relevant
Understandable
Need more relevant, actionable content
Platform will be ready in January (start testing in mid-Nov)

5. Resources for More Information:
Grameen AppLab
Google SMS Tips simulator
Contacts
Fiona Lee
Cheri Mitchell
Cheri cell: