Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
some organisations offer a stakeholder mapping service based on data col-
lected by a computer program. It searches the Internet and then creates an
actual 'map' or visual representation of the different stakeholders who may
be interested in a particular concept and their relationship to each other.
The identification of stakeholders, their diversity and their different re-
quirements is important in defining issues of relevance for them. It also
gives a starting point for collaboratively identifying appropriate citizen en-
gagement activities. Clearly, stakeholder analysis needs to be thorough. It
should be undertaken as early as possible at the very start of the design
process so that stakeholders can be recruited to participate from the outset.
This enables them to inform decisions from the conceptual stage of design
onwards. Engaging with stakeholders after decisions have been taken can
run into problems since the early decisions may constrain or limit what
will eventually be possible. These limitations and constraints may subse-
quently be challenged by the stakeholders. There is also the danger that
stakeholders may be misled (consciously or otherwise) about the amount
of influence that they will be able to exert over the design process. The
sense that 'there is no point' can become a serious disincentive for citizens
to participate.
9.3.2 Revealing Stakeholder Diversity
User-centred approaches to ICT design tend to assume that it is easy to
identify the potential user population for a product or service, and then to
engage with a sample of those potential users to define their requirements
or evaluate potential options. The reality is not so straightforward. The per-
vasive and ubiquitous nature of technology means that everyone in the
population is a potential user of, for example, e-government services. As
members of the population differ vastly on a range of characteristics,
which ones will be significant for the design of effective, accessible and
popular e-services? Those involved in marketing, policy making and plan-
ning recognize the diversity in the population. In these domains, increas-
ingly sophisticated and detailed understanding of different categories of
citizens and stakeholders has been built up, and ways of recruiting, com-
municating and engaging with them devised accordingly. Comparable in-
depth understanding of the diverse characteristics of stakeholders is needed
to inform ICT design decisions and solutions. Such knowledge and infor-
mation is necessary to ensure that design outcomes are desirable, easy to
use and accessible to the widest possible constituency. It is also neces-
sary to identify and develop an appropriate approach to participation/
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