[Stoves] Defining the "last mile"

Richard Stanley rstanley at legacyfound.org
Sat Dec 8 22:56:10 CST 2012


Crispin,
Te acuerdo, completamente. 
Richard 
===========
On Dec 8, 2012, at 10:45 PM, Crispin Pemberton-Pigott wrote:

Dear Richard

I really like the description of the challenge 'at the end' as the
'ultimate' one in the sense of if being the 'last one' (penultimate,
ultimate) but fear the word will be misunderstood.

There is another way to analyse the distribution chain and that is from a
more philosophical perspective. I am hoping Cecil (who is new to this group)
will rise from his slumber couch - it is amazingly comfortable - and comment
on this.

There are all sorts of challenges to the provision of improved and cleaner
stoves. One is suitability, another is a good fit into the transportation
network. Suppose the last mile is not a distribution problem, but is rather
the last mile of interactive design informed by a deep study of the cooking
culture and aspirations of the users?

In other words the last mile is the distance between the mouths of the
customers and the ears of the stove program managers. Words may not travel
that far whereas stoves can if you push them.

Another distance I find is long is from the hearts of the users to their
mouths. They may say very little, intimidated by the presence of the
economically powerful or extremely polite to the foreigners. When offered a
product claimed to be a step up, they may not have the will to say 'no.'
They speak with their feet.

The products may deliver exactly what the policy managers want, but isn't
that what all vendors think? So, given the colourful history of stove
projects around the world, it may be worth the effort to consider the last
mile to be an mental rather than material gap.

Regards
Crispin




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