Designed for the bottom of the pyramid : a case study of a Chinese phone brand in Africa

Through the case study of itel, a low-end Chinese phone brand, this article examines the cross-cultural design for the bottom of the pyramid population in Africa. Focusing on the process that an artifact comes into existence, this article shows that itel’s design practice has been shaped by local culture, infrastructure, and social structure, which may challenge, modify, and reshape global design norms. Being cost-sensitive, context-conscious, and demand-driven, itel develops a place-based design approach and business model. Through mapping and elaborating itel’s design network, this article demonstrates that design is not only about making artifacts but also about designing ways of knowing, seeing, and being. This study calls for a Southern perspective of design to acknowledge the heterogeneity of design culture and rethink the geopolitics of design.