Tigerspike, a global enterprise software and user experience technology company has marked its tenth anniversary by partnering with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to deliver a mobility solution to address world hunger. The project - which saw the Tigerspike Foundation unite 200 staff from their seven offices - used rapid prototyping, to quickly provide WFP with a framework to transform its registration and food distribution processes.
The World Food Programme is the food assistance branch of the United Nations and is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, addressing the 842 million people in the world without enough food to eat.
WFP reaches more than 90 million people with food assistance in 80 countries each year. It delivers hundreds of thousands of tons of food each year, but expects almost a third of its assistance programs to be delivered in the form of cash, vouchers and new kinds of ‘digital food’ by 2015, helping communities in need to become more self sufficient.
Tigerspike worked with WFP to recommend innovative ways to make both its registration and distribution processes faster and more secure in often remote and harsh environments, through mobile phones, smart cards, and e-vouchers delivered by text messaging.
Using their Kallide methodology, which combines technology and design expertise, Tigerspike used rapid prototyping to develop a flexible and scalable multi-device strategy for WFP.
Luke Jansen, Tigerspike’s CEO said: “Working in a rapid style meant that multiple streams of work could be started across the world, to create efficiencies and deliver a solution in 72 hours.”
These addressed a range of areas including device strategy, data management, record management, use of peripherals for photo capture, biometrics and barcodes or tokens; as well as costs, security issues around both physical security and data security; and battery life concerns. The recommendations will pave the way for the WFP strategy for 2014 and assist in creating efficiencies, reducing costs, increasing speed and reach to beneficiaries.
According to Paul McCann, consultant in the Policy, Strategy and Architecture, IT Division at WFP, the recommendations delivered by Tigerspike provide the organization with a much-needed framework to help it determine the most appropriate manner in which to evolve its service delivery approach.
“Our approach is already quite progressive, with our onsite registration teams using ruggedized laptops and other mobile devices. However, we were lacking a mobile solution that would help us achieve significant hardware and logistic efficiencies in the near and long term. The rapid prototype gives us a considerable leg up for future developments and decisions around our platforms, device strategy and system architecture. We are very grateful for Tigerspike’s interest in and support of the WFP.”
Jansen said: “Working with the UN’s WFP has been a privilege for all our team and we are delighted by the outcomes and recommendations we have delivered. Our focus is always on exploring how innovative Personal Media technology can improve lives, create efficiencies and scale and ease work activities.
“The Tigerspike Foundation has delivered a comprehensive response to WFP in only 72 hours, which will provide them with an excellent platform for future development.” said Jansen.
ENDS
About Tigerspike
Tigerspike is a global enterprise software and user experience technology company, with ten years experience helping customers unlock the power of Personal Media, which we believe has the power to transform the way we live, and work.
Our Phoenix platform has been simplifying complex integrations and enabling secure multi-device experiences across all Personal Media devices since 2003. By adding a layer of user experience intelligence into Phoenix through our Kallide UX process, we are able to produce software user experiences that delight consumers and employees. Our customers have found this leads to in increased sales, reduced costs, happier employees and greater productivity.
Tigerspike is transforming businesses by unlocking the power of Personal Media from our offices in San Francisco, New York, London, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne. With over 60 awards in 10 years, we have a reputation for innovation that creates long-term partnerships with the world’s biggest companies. Our customers include AMEX, Shell, Emirates, Standard Chartered, Kaiser Permanente, Woolworths, Westfield, News Corporation, Direct TV, Novartis and Vodafone.
www.tigerspike.com
About Tigerspike Foundation
Personal Media has the power to transform lives. The Tigerspike Foundation focuses on ways that the Tigerspike global team can give something back and help to improve lives directly.
About UN World Food Programme
The World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.
In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, man-made and natural disasters. After an emergency has passed, WFP uses food assistance to help communities rebuild their shattered lives. WFP is part of the United Nations system and is 100 percent voluntarily funded.
Born in 1961, WFP pursues a vision of the world in which every man, woman and child has access at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life. We work towards that vision with our sister UN agencies in Rome -- the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) -- as well as other government, UN and NGO partners.
On average, WFP reaches more than 90 million people with food assistance in 80 countries each year. About 13,500 people work for the organization, most of them in remote areas, directly serving the hungry poor.