Achieving a Culture of Participation and Engagement - Informing Digital Futures: Strategies for Citizen Engagement - page 208

In conclusion, citizen engagement strategies offer a potent way forward
for the Information Society of the 21 st century to inform desirable digital
futures. These are likely to be most fruitful within a design framework that
integrates a number of approaches including a sociotechnical perspective.
The challenges in achieving such a shift in focus of design are enormous
and profound but realizable if we collectively have the courage and
foresight to pursue the vision. The tantalising potential rewards for vast
numbers of the world's citizens, for governments, for societies and for
economies make the striving towards the vision worthwhile. We shall
leave the last word with other authors:
“… the worst thing we can do is to ask too little of the future - and ask
too little of ourselves in determining the future …” (Nardi and O'Day
1999).
References
America Speaks (n.d) Homepage http://www.americaspeaks.org/
Bearden H (2005) ICT for development: Empowerment or exploitation? ActionAid,
http://www.reflect-action.org/
Bennis WG, Benne KD & Chin R (1969) The Planning of Change. Holt Rinehart
& Winston Inc., USA.
Bourn J (2000) NAO Report - (HC 25-III 2000-01): Report of the Comptroller and
Auditor General on Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Appro-
priation Accounts 1999-2000.
British Computer Society (n.d)a. BCS and society. http://www.bcs.org/
server.php?show=conWebDoc.2417
British Computer Society (n.d)b. BCS mission and values. http://www.bcs.org/
server.php?show=conWebDoc.1586
Council of Europe (2001) Resolution RESAP (2001) On the introduction of the
principles of universal design into the curricula of all occupations working
on the built environment. http://wcd.coe.int/viewdoc.jsp?id=186495&
BackColorInternet=9999cc&BackColorIntranet=FFBB55&BackColorLogged
=FFAC75
Guardian Unlimited (2005) Government websites attract few visitors Bobbie
Johnson and Michael Cross. http://politics.guardian.co.uk/egovernment/
story/0,12767,1661852,00.html
Hewitt P (2005). Speech by Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP, Secretary of State for
Health 23 June 2005; Britain Speaks. http://www.dh.gov.uk/NewsHome/
Speeches/SpeechesList/SpeechesArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4114050&chk
=%2Bsw3kj
Jhai Foundation (n.d.) Homepage http://www.jhai.org/commitment.htm.