Digitalization is changing money

From Nairobi (where money can be SMSed between mobile phones, bypassing the banking system) to Tokyo (where millions buy daily commodities with prepaid smart cards), digital technology is changing the everyday forms and experience of money. Intel’s People & Practices Research team conducted field research in these sites and others to identify key themes and opportunities for technological innovation. They presented their findings at the Day Zero press event for the Fall IDF conference.

One size does not fit all

Monetary literacies: There is no single or “best” practice with which to locate money in daily life, and the changing financial landscape requires on-going reassessment and skill development.

Currency wrangling: People juggle public and private money forms (cash, credit and debit cards, loyalty points, airline miles, etc.) and create their own earmarked subdivisions.

People use money socially

Relational banking: People consume financial services, but also produce them in the form of loans, donations, and partnerships with family, friends, and valued groups.

Expressive consumption: Not just what we buy, but how we buy it, is an important part of constructing our individual, cultural, regional, and political identities.

Designers and social scientists at Intel’s People and Practices research group created this comic–like scenario and personas to help convey their findings about the emerging global landscape digital money. It is called Navigating Future Moneyscapes. Enjoy!

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