Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
solutions could then be developed and tested with greater confidence that
they will successfully meet the needs of the people for whom they are in-
tended. Engaging in technology shaping is not something with which
people are generally familiar. This means they need concepts, knowl-
edge, language and tools to be able to do this. Some of the many possibili-
ties for enhancing understanding, envisioning, communicating and sharing
ideas and so on are identified in the next chapter.
There are a great many actions required to begin the shift towards mak-
ing stakeholder participation/engagement a mainstream activity in ICT
projects. This includes taking a number of steps at the earliest possible
stage - desirably before most decisions have been made. Examples of pre-
paratory steps which are often relevant are the following:
•
recruit a leader/champion for the engagement process;
•
communicate to create awareness of the need for a new, integrated ap-
proach to ICT design (aims, approach, expected benefits etc.);
•
provide education and learning opportunities;
•
secure resources;
•
implement a sound organisational infrastructure to support the project or
initiative;
•
build confidence (both of staff in the institution and of citizens in the
community);
•
encourage a strong 'user pull' for making citizen participation main-
stream and for sharing knowledge and expertise relating to civic partici-
pation in ICT development;
encourage greater application of an integrated design approach to en-
hance significantly the quality and relevance of ICT provision for citi-
zens.
•
8.2.1 Action Plan for Institutionalizing Citizen Participation/
Engagement
The action plan presented in this section draws on many years of our ex-
periences working with client organisations in both the private and public
sectors. To present a rather mechanistic-looking plan may appear to con-
tradict our earlier assertion that guidance developed out of context is
unlikely to be accepted or to be relevant. However, we are frequently
asked to provide planning aids which indicate the steps to take and there-
fore offer this as a starting point for developing a context-specific action
plan, tailored to the specific circumstances of use. A four stage, twelve
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