Strategies for Citizen Engagement: (i) Shifting the Focus of ICT Design Practice - Informing Digital Futures: Strategies for Citizen Engagement - page 150

and the stage at which they take place. The adequacy and appropriateness
of this needs to be reviewed. It is also important that other experts, particu-
larly external consultants, recognise the need for these in the activities they
have been contracted to carry out. It is especially important in the award of
major contracts for ICT development projects that the tender evaluation
criteria include preparedness and capability to ensure genuine and active
participation and engagement of users/citizens in the project.
In traditional approaches to ICT design, user input is often not sought
until there is a technological concept which is to be developed. In this en-
gineering model the purpose of the involvement is to define user require-
ments for the technology to be developed - leaving potential users with no
'say' in whether or not the proposed technology is appropriate or desirable.
In the examples of best practice in public policy making and planning
context however, citizens are likely to be consulted and engaged in agenda
setting. This gives them the opportunity to define their priorities and to in-
fluence the scope, rather than the detail, of policies and plans. In ICT de-
velopment projects, citizens need to be engaged at the equivalent of this
agenda setting stage, i.e. earlier than is normally the case.
In the later stages of the lifecycle, there is recognition, in both the sys-
tems development context and in the public policy making and planning
context, of the benefits of testing possible solutions with users/citizens
through pilot projects. However, in technology development projects, the
focus of testing is usually on the performance of the technology, rather
than on the wider implications of the technology for its intended users.
Opportunities, and support for, exploration of these human and organisa-
tional implications - in terms of project resources, skills and job design of
participants - need to be built into the design process.
Action Points: Steps 5-7
5. Review membership of key decision-making bodies to en-
sure citizens are fully represented and engaged.
6. Incorporate citizen engagement processes and values into
ICT design methods.
7. Review contractual terms/procurement criteria for employ-
ing external ICT consultants. Revise as necessary to ensure
that citizen engagement processes are included as part of the
terms of reference and contractual conditions.