When we are designing platforms for contexts that are radically different form what we know, there are a few design research principles that are important to keep in mind . 1.) Lower the threshold for trust to be established with your users. Make it easy for them to judge the veracity of information sources. 2.) Do a thorough ethnographic study on how users conceive of information and trust. Ask questions like: What does search mean to the users? What is the history of information in this region/country/community? How is information access moralized? What are the concerns around information? What are legal constraints on information practices? What are the trust-establishing practices? 2.) Designed minimally enough so that you can watch how users establish desire paths. And do this as soon as possible. This is one the of the tenets of The Lean Start-up and why Ruby is the preferred tool for rapid development - Ruby allows developers to get something to the user quickly. Analyze the emergent desire paths and see if you want to build services that extend those paths or cut those paths off.
Lift Talk Notes - Dancing with Handcuffs: The Changing Geography of Trust in China - Updates - Tricia Wang, Global Tech Ethnographer transforming research, specializes in China & emerging markets