Designing a More Effective Way to Surface the Information Needs of People in Developing Communities

Abstract

This paper is a reflection on the research design of an information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) research project using design science research (DSR) in the pragmatic tradition. The artefact created and evaluated during the study is the Community Shaping Solutions Framework (CSSF) in response to the problem that this study addresses: how should the information needs that are meaningful to women working as domestic workers, be effectively translated through the use of ICT in order to enhance their experience of the good life as defined by Sen's (1999) capability approach and to contribute to the success and social value of ICT4D projects.The study is conducted in Pretoria and Johannesburg, South Africa. A group of women from the domestic cleaning sector represents a developing community in an urban setting and is selected using snowball sampling to participate in the study. Six organisations that have an interest in interacting with developing communities were selected using purposive sampling and participated in the study to provide a perspective on information inclusivity. The study has three phases starting with the group of women using journals to self-document their interactions with information, followed by a design thinking workshop with the women and ending with the organisational interviews.The CSSF contributes to knowledge as a theory of design and action. The novelty of the CSSF is the combination of DSR with ICT4D, the use of journals as a self-documentation technique to collect data, followed by a design thinking workshop and interviews. The effectiveness of the CSSF and utility to the community of users are demonstrated through the participatory approach to facilitate the community to shape solutions that they value and the empowerment experienced through both the activities as well as the impact of the solution as an expansion of choice.

Mobile marketing application for entrepreneurship development: Codesign with women entrepreneurs in Iringa, Tanzania

“…However, an imperative recommendation shared by scholars is the necessity for close collaboration between designers, researchers, and project participants (Goodyear‐Smith, Jackson, & Greenhalgh, ). This kind of collaboration is important for the successful implementation and adoption of the designed artifact because the artifact's effectiveness and utility to the end users' community are better demonstrated through a participatory approach that facilitates the community to shape solution (see Grobler & De Villiers, ).…”

Assessment of Digital Competences in Communication Students across four Latin American Universities

“…This research is based on the findings of a questionnaire survey conducted over a period of five months (i.e. from 1st September 2004 to 31stJanuary 2005 and more often than not, trying to bridge the digital gap in developing countries focuses more on ICT implementation, rather than allowing solutions to surface according the capabilities of local users (Grobler & de Villiers, 2017).…”

Design Science Research Strengthened: Integrating Co-creation and Co-design

“…The direct involvement of end-users as active partners through participatory design during the development and deployment of DSR in ICT4D has been briefly mentioned previously, albeit it is a rare practice. For instance, Grobler and De Villiers [4] reported using human-centred design thinking with DSR as a way to enhance and boost the DSR to create an artefact, the community shaping solutions framework, CSSF. It is well accepted in the ICT4D community that when developing technological solutions to realworld contextualised problems, a human-centred design approach is useful.…”

“…It is well accepted in the ICT4D community that when developing technological solutions to realworld contextualised problems, a human-centred design approach is useful. It is fundamental to look at what people actually want to have and/or use instead of what is technologically feasible to create [4]. Therefore, Grobler and De Villiers in their work used a design thinking iterative process, where the community was directly involved to "cocreate frameworks, solutions, opportunities and prototypes" [4].…”

“…It is fundamental to look at what people actually want to have and/or use instead of what is technologically feasible to create [4]. Therefore, Grobler and De Villiers in their work used a design thinking iterative process, where the community was directly involved to "cocreate frameworks, solutions, opportunities and prototypes" [4]. This, in fact, seems to fall beyond the user-centred approach to the premises of viewing 'users as partners' with direct participation in the research practice and development [5].…”