Reflections on MobileActive08 and the M4D Landscape

This paper revisits presentations at the MobileAct ive08 conference in Johannesburg to critically examine the current d iversity of projects and approaches in mobiles for development (M4D). We ide ntify four common choices facing individual M4D projects (intended us ers, technical accessibility, informational links, and market link s) which collectively mark the current landscape of M4D. Discussions of M4D pr ojects have tended to be delineated by traditional development domain (healt h, education, agriculture, etc). By focusing on choices that cut across domain s, we highlight elements which vary across M4D projects, but which to date h ave not been observed to correlate with project success. We discuss these fo ur choices in light of the broader course of the field of “information and com munication technology and development” (ICTD). Further, we argue that cho i es made at the project level may create different M4D landscapes, with imp l cations for the breadth and depth of the technology’s impact on development .