User-Centered Design of Hyperlocal Communication Platforms: Insights from the Design and Evaluation of KUBO

TL;DR

This paper presents KUBO, a user-centered hyperlocal communication platform in the Philippines, which improves information access and civic engagement by addressing key local barriers through a dual-channel design.

Contribution

The study introduces KUBO, a novel hyperlocal communication platform designed with user insights, demonstrating significant improvements over Facebook in usability and information recall.

Findings

KUBO reduced task completion times significantly (p < 0.001).

KUBO improved information recall (p = 0.010).

Users rated KUBO higher for ease of use and satisfaction.

Abstract

Effective hyperlocal communication is critical in the Philippines, where delayed or algorithm-filtered updates can leave residents uninformed about emergency advisories and community events. We conducted a user-centered study consisting of contextual inquiry and semi-structured interviews to identify four key barriers: delayed alerts, algorithm-driven noise, language gaps, and digital divides. Guided by these insights, we designed KUBO (Kumunidad at Balitang Opisyal), a prototype that integrates a home module for verified local government unit advisories and curated headlines, and a community module for resident-powered neighborhood reports and discussions. Using a within-subjects evaluation design, KUBO significantly reduced task completion times (p-value < 0.001), improved information recall on post-task quizzes (p-value = 0.010), and yielded higher user satisfaction ratings for ease of use, overall satisfaction, and perceived effectiveness compared to Facebook, the commonly used communication platform in the Philippines. These results demonstrate that a dual-channel, inclusive platform can substantially enhance real-time information access, comprehension, and civic engagement in hyperlocal settings.