INNOBLOG

Here at the Innoblog we often write about the concept of good-enough and how it is the most appropriate way for companies to go after low-end markets. In essence, good-enough is about crafting products or services that meet minimum thresholds of performance along traditional dimensions while delivering new performance along other dimensions. Recently were finding that some disruptive technologies designed for the developing world are making their way back to the United States. One in particular worth noting is the One Laptop Per Child XO laptop.

The non-profit One Laptop Per Child Foundation based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is attempting to bring enhanced educational capabilities to children in the developing world (we previously wrote about it here). According to their website, "OLPC is a non-profit organization providing a means to an endan end that sees children in even the most remote regions of the globe being given the opportunity to tap into their own potential, to be exposed to a whole world of ideas, and to contribute to a more productive and saner world community. OLPCs means, the XO laptop, is inexpensive and optimized for conditions faced by those children, including the lack of electricity and network infrastructure. The XO has received rave reviews for its design and technological advancements, with the caveat that consumers in the developed world would likely find the machine lacking. This product, which is good enough (and even great) in the developing world, wont cut it in developed nations or will it?

Birmingham, Alabama, may soon be embracing the concept of good enough to better meet student's educational needs. The AP recently reported that the Birmingham City Council has approved $3.5 million to supply every child in grades 1 through 8 with the XO laptop and address technical issues. Although the school board still needs to agree to this venture, the City Councils actions spark interesting discussion.

Can a major city in a developed nation benefit from a technology designed for children who might be living in huts without electricity in the Sahara? At first glance, the technology doesnt seem to meet the threshold to be good enough. Computers are prevalent in homes, schools, and libraries across the United States, but there are still many areas that dont have the resources to give children consistent access to computing. Wealth and access barriers are certainly significant and in a society that is shifting towards reliance on computer literacy, this good enough solution may be better than nothing at all. For a school system in which the vast majority of students (~80%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, the XO laptop might be the right answer. While the XO laptop lacks hardware typical in most computers, like a hard drive and CD drive, and has been reported to be slow in startup, it lets students get familiar with keyboards and typing and allows them to access a world of possibilities through the internet. The XO laptop has the potential to enhance education for children here in the United States as well as the developing world.