Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
9 Strategies for Citizen Engagement (ii) - Tools
and Techniques
In Chapter 6 we have described how the creativity, know-how, interests
and values of citizens have been harnessed to generate a range of desirable
outcomes - thus shaping aspects of their digital futures. For this to happen
routinely, as we have already indicated in Chapters 7 and 8, requires a shift
in focus of the ICT design process. Such a shift is essential not only for
making citizen participation/engagement in ICT projects the norm, but also
to empower citizens to contribute to decision making about meeting their
information and communication needs. This paves the way for debate and
selection of appropriate social and technical solutions suited to a particular
context. Having set out in Chapter 8 the actions to achieve such a shift in
focus within individual organisations, this chapter considers the practical
issues associated with engaging citizens in the context of specific projects
and initiatives. Emphasis is placed on building the capacity of all stake-
holders to contribute effectively.
9.1 Methodologies or Toolkits?
There is in fact a myriad of tools and techniques available to support both
citizen engagement and user-centred ICT design. It is tempting to try to
pull these together into a methodology, which spells out step by step the
way to go about citizen engagement in the context of ICT design. However
we have resisted this temptation because the research evidence, and our
own experience, makes clear that such methodologies usually do not work.
By this we mean that few of the many 'new' design methodologies which
have been developed, often from the best of intentions and on the soundest
of theoretical foundations, have been widely adopted by the ICT design
community. The lack of 'user pull' from the design community has already
been cited as one of the reasons for the low uptake of such guidance. An-
other reason is the sheer diversity of ICT design projects. Projects will
vary by purpose, budget, timescale, scope, skills, feasibility, working
styles and preferences of the designers to name but a few factors; creating
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