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Top1. Introduction
Micro Businesses (MBs) characterised by having small capital, informal business and low level of education. Due to MBs characteristics, Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) offer loans and training to MBs (Rusdy, 2007) through seminars and workshops. However, training offered to MBs, is inadequate in terms of coverage and continuity due to model of deliverance (Gomera & Mikko, 2015) which is physical contact.
On the other hand, mobile training context has been characterised by learners’ mobility, possibility of having localized data and information, large amount of data be collected during a learning session, affordances provided by technology and social dynamics (Fulantelli, Taidi, & Arrigo, 2015; Fotiadis & Sigala, 2015; Yi-Sheng, Yongfu, & Cheng, 2010). Therefore, application of mobile technology can assist MFIs to offer, and MBs receive training any time at any place. Furthermore, mobile training is viable because of the availability of internet and ownership of mobile phone by MBs (Fotiadis & Sigala, 2015; Buabeng-Andoh & Yidana, 2014). Also has supported learning experiences both formal and informal context, whereby, trainees can access personalized training materials and develop learning activities such as exploring, investigating, discussing etc. (Fultantelli et al., 2015; Hardaker, Dockery, & Sabki, 2007; Reis, Escudeiro, & Escudeiro, 2012; Xhevrie, 2015).
Number of mobile training researches and systems has been applied in different level of education (S’anchez, Miguel’anez, & Garcia, 2013; Marzouki, Idrissi, & Bennani, 2013; Chang, Chen, & Hsu, 2011; Villier & Harpur, 2013; Scholtz & Kapeso, 2014), however, current research have not covered all classes as it leaves out the lower class of people. There is a clear gap that small to micro firms’ workers or owners are currently being socially excluded from technological style of learning through lack of personalized training styles support in work – based training practice
Micro Businesses need a platform that offer training basing on their education level, practical oriented (coaching), simplified and understandable structure. Furthermore, mobile training to MBs has to be designed with consideration of mobile devices size and characteristics of both MBs and MFIs and their specific needs.
However to the best of our knowledge there are limited studies in Tanzania that specifying specific requirements of MBs in connection with mobile technology. Therefore, this study focuses on determine users requirements and architectural design of the mobile training application to MBs. The users’ requirements and architectural design considered relevant characteristics and working environment/experience of MFIs and MBs.