Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
require the active participation of very many role holders, especially from
the ICT design community, the technology providers, ICT manufacturers
and retailers. Government will also have a significant role as a major initia-
tor of large scale ICT developments, a major customer of ICT systems, ser-
vices and products and as guardian of democracy. The roles of these key
stakeholders in achieving the shift in focus of ICT design is considered next.
10.5.1 ICT Designers
One of the themes of this topic has been the importance of having ICT sys-
tems, services and products that are well matched to the characteristics of
citizens. We have suggested that this will be achieved successfully by
integrating into ICT design principles from the five complementary ap-
proaches of sociotechnical theory, participatory design, information
ecologies, inclusive design and change management. New challenges
along with new rewards are likely to characterize this new way of work-
ing. Giving designers the confidence and enthusiasm to work within an
integrated design approach will be a key part of the institutionalization
process.
An important consideration in the preparedness of designers to adopt the
suggested approach is their skill and knowledge. There are important ways
in which the skills of ICT designers need to be extended and comple-
mented by those of other professionals to meet the needs of 21
st
century
society. University degree courses for software designers and for product
designers have for many years included teaching in human-computer inter-
action (HCI). This has helped to improve interface design considerably
from the users' perspective. Teaching of inclusive design principles is still
far from standard practice. This is despite moves in the European Union
several years ago. In February 2001 the Council of Europe Committee of
Ministers passed a resolution that introduces the principles of 'Universal
Design' into the curricula of all relevant occupations in member countries.
(Council of Europe 2001). While such principles are already part of the
teaching in centres of excellence in design and education in the UK and in
other countries, the principle of inclusive design is still something of a
novel concept elsewhere.
Concepts which relate to social psychology and human interactions with
other people and with technical systems - in other words, sociotechnical
thinking - are even less likely to be part of the curriculum of courses for
designers. Yet knowledge about citizen's concerns, attitudes, and needs
regarding many aspects of their lives would seem highly relevant to design
decisions about digital products, systems or services. Knowledge which
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