Lessons from ICT4D in Water and Health sectors

By mid-2013 more Africans will

have a mobile phone

subscription than access to an

improved water source

(Foster et al., 2012a)

In Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya

After installing digital monitoring systems coverage rates in urban areas were significantly revised.

Before: coverage rates were being reported at around 90% (across these three countries).

After: rates were reported at solely 47%

(GIZ 2009)

Le

tte

r

Fa

x

Em

ail

Ce

llp

ho

ne

Speed

Cost

Multiple recipients

Archive

Low barrier to entry

Photo

GPS

What‟s driving this?

Call

SMS

USSD

Internet

Photo

GPS

Database

Apps

Normal Smart

‘traditional systems’

• linear and closed flow of information

‘new systems’

• new ICT tools allow radical changes

Motivations driving the adoption of ICT

Three key design considerations:should your system be based on >>

One - Offs

Repeated

Staff

Crowd

One Way

Two Way

One - Offs

Repeated

Staff

Crowd

One Way

Two Way

One - Offs

Repeated

Staff

Crowd

One Way

Two Way

There is already wide experiencein Developing Countriessome examples >>

Kenya

Tanzania

Tanzania

India

Madagascar

Kenya

& whilst water services can too often

become a vicious

circle

Low revenue collection

Customer dissatisfaction

Poor services

Deterioration of assets

Weak finances

Poor services

Customer dissatisfaction

Low revenue collection

Weak finances

Deterioration of assets

ICT is being

used to ...

... as a tool to create a

virtuouscircle

Quality services at a

fair price

Customer Satisfaction

Better revenue

collection

Strong finances

Investment in new assets

Better revenue

collection

Cape-Town based

Focus: ICT & WASH services

1. Advice

2. Training

3. Software

“ very interested not just in the technology, but how and why it gets used “

& in June of 2012 we helped convene a

wide group of „experts‟ and practitioners

to discuss lessons emanating

from the application of ICT (or

ICT4D) across the water and

health sectors.

The meeting was called

“But does it Float?”

2 day workshop@ 40 people

co-hosted by SeeSaw and the

University of Cape Town

explored ICT-related trends and challenges in

both the WASH & health sectors.

Key lessons

More data (on its own)

=Better Results

Too often the tools & the ability to collect

data in a different way is the focus

Not sufficient attention to:

1. what the data gets used for

2. how the provision of data can actually change

the dynamics of the situation

3. how reliable the data is

4. who will continue to provide it once

novelty value has worn off.

Yet design system to local context • just transplanting a system from one

context to a new environment is

generally troublesome.

Only then see whether ICT systems

can generate

- additional

- better or

- faster information

(and get it to where it is needed)

The use of ICT systems can pay for

itself quite quickly

via ... • efficiency gains

• & costs saved

“& seeing is believing” when it comes to

persuading sceptics within an organisation

So above all pay close attention

to the incentives of key

stakeholders

• those that need to adopt the system,

• those whose inaction can block it &

• those who will resist change altogether.

Before asking

What system?

come a range of other questions that

people making decisions about using ICT

need to ask

What system is appropriate to local

Hierarchy of

questions to ask in

developing a new

ICT system

(© SeeSaw, 2013)

What system is

appropriate to local

conditions?

Will ICT change underlying behaviours? Is it expected to?

Why will users provide reliable information to the system? Are

there incentives?

What is the full 'cost' of the system (time,

effort, $$$) and where do these resources

come from?When is the info needed? How often is it

sent?

What system is appropriate

to local conditions?