Newly built homes for flood victims, rejected by the villagers: A case for Participatory and Inclusive design for emerging economies.

Villagers of Karnataka , who were devastated by the floods  were given corporate help by Biocon, a major life sciences company in Bangalore to build houses. They came with a really good low cost technology. The model house was built and shown to the villagers and they liked it. But once they started building the homes and people started really observing it they rejected the houses upright. The villagers gave their reasons. And it seems to be a lack of research and participation of the villagers in the design process.
The villagers found the the full concrete wall does not allow them to put nails in the wall(manually) for hanging pictures. The footprint of the homes were too small for the villagers, who during the rainy season, keep their goats and sheep inside.
Participatory and inclusive design are very strongly needed especially when the user is miles and miles away in distance as well as culture. (In places like India and other newly growing economies were there is so much of polarisation between the rich and the poor, the house next door is actually miles and miles away). And it is not just in cases like this one involving villagers.

This is something which businesses should look into when they look at India and other emerging economies as markets to invest and sell their products and services. Its cliche, but you should be knowing what you are selling to whom.