CIDA’s Toolkit on How to Integrate Information and Communication Technology into Development Projects and Initiatives

1. Introduction

The objectives of this document are:

• to provide some guidance on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in development programming; and
• to raise awareness of the opportunities offered by ICT to help address developmental issues and contribute to CIDA's development objectives.

1.1. Rationale

The value added that ICT brings to programming, and thus to the achievement of CIDA's development goals and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), is twofold. ICT can:

1. help improve existing development practices or activities, and impact the way a project/program is designed, implemented, or delivered; and
2. enable new business and management models to develop, and thus create new opportunities in areas where interventions are found to be difficult or almost impossible.

1.2. About ICT for Development

1.2.1. ICT in general

ICT in this document refers to a wide array of technologies, ranging from traditional ones such as radio, television, and print media to more sophisticated and newer technologies and applications such as the Internet, information management, e­­-health, and e-business applications. This broad definition takes into account the role of ICT tools that permit collaboration between groups of individuals-indigenous people, women, youth, and other thematic associations-in spite of geographic distance and the existence of physical and state boundaries, which make such development collaboration difficult.

1.2.2. ICT for Development

In contrast to focusing on the technology itself, the term ''ICT for Development'' refers to the use of ICT for development purposes and involves integrating ICT into broader development goals such as the delivery of basic education or health care in rural and remote regions in developing countries.

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2. Defining the Framework for the Use of ICT in Development Programming

2.1. Basic Procedure for Using ICT in Development Projects

The following document on the use of ICT can help to find out whether the projects/programs will benefit from ICT enhancing the projects' outcomes. Consider using ICT when a development project involves:

• creating a supportive environment, such as improving transparency in processes and procedures, improving efficiency and productivity of private and public institutions, fighting corruption and strengthening accountability systems, and developing new policies and regulations to support economic development and poverty reduction;
• promoting outreach and advocacy activities, such as knowledge and information access and dissemination, information sharing or network development, as well as strengthening civil society and networking activities on issues related to local, regional, and global concerns, including facilitating network approaches in support of good governance, democratization, and sustainability issues;
• delivering capacity-building activities such as training development and delivery, transfer of know-how, development of a community of practice and networks, as well as content development and delivery;
• creating new business models and/or improving existing private-sector practices, such as improving productivity and competitiveness of existing production processes, access to new and existing markets, industrial and private sector development, supply chain linkages, and public reforms;
• managing information, such as providing quick and easy access to information, and collecting, organizing, and storing data and information, as well as developing databases;
• improving the capacity to scale, modify, or replicate systems and practices in various contexts through sharing knowledge and best practices among various groups or collectivities;
• integrating reporting, monitoring, and evaluation activities, such as the development of reporting systems, the implementation of databases, information management, compilations of statistics and dissemination media; and
• empowering individuals, groups, and collectivities, such as participation in political processes, having a voice in decision-making processes and procedures, local governance, human rights education, indigenous collaboration, and gender advocacy.

2.2. ICT Design - A Reality Check

After the preliminary assessment, practitioners need to assess the overall environment of the project and to be able to deal with some of the limitations for using ICT in the development context. This assessment will help to determine whether it is feasible and appropriate to use ICT in a local setting.

As risk assessment remains an essential part of the design and a key input to the overall decision-making and implementation processes, the following factors will help you appropriately assess the risk related to integrating ICT into a specific project/program.

Political Will/Leadership - Is there political will to support and sustain the use of ICT? Is the political will at the appropriate level? Is priority given by government or users to support the development of a favourable environment?

Physical Access - Are there communication service providers delivering services to your area and nearby one? Is the ICT infrastructure physically accessible to the target group at a reasonable cost? Is a power supply or alternative energy solution available? Are the appropriate functionalities such as Internet access and appropriate software available?

Appropriate Technology - What kind of technology is appropriate for the intended use? Is it available, or are there alternative technologies? Are the technologies interoperable or able to be easily translated and/or reformatted for other mediums of communication?

Affordability - Is the chosen technology affordable? Are all complementary costs included in the estimate, e.g. hardware and software, maintenance, and operating costs? Does the government provide subsidies to lower ICT rates to encourage access?

Capacity/Human Capital - Do users make efficient use of the technology, e.g. skills, interest, and management capacities? Is the user organization prepared for organizational changes and the negative/positive externalities to technology adoption? Does the target group trust the technology? Are there any gender, ethnic, or social issues regarding the use of the technology?

Content - Is locally relevant content available? Is the content culturally appropriate and accurate? Do users have ownership of the content and its use? Does the current environment allow for the free flow of information?

Environment Considerations - Will the technology have short- or long-term environmental impact? Can the equipment be recycled in other projects, or does it need to be destroyed?

Local and National Legal and Regulatory Environment - Does the current policy and regulatory environment affect the use of the technology? If yes, how? Does the technology have incidence on privacy, security, or cybercrime? Can the use of the technology be sustained in the current environment or be disseminated more widely to foster economic growth? If not, what should be done to allow it? Does the government have a policy or strategic plan in place to oversee ICT infrastructure? Is there censorship by government? Is the regulatory environment conducive to reducing the cost of communication through telecommunication competition?

These factors to be considered during an ICT assessment are not ranked by their importance but serve as an indication of the opportunities and risks associated with integrating ICT into specific projects. This type of assessment will help to provide some insight into potential fits or mismatches between design and reality, and hence the likelihood of success or failure of the ICT component of the projects/programs.

2.3. Planning and Budgeting for ICT Components in Development Projects

This section will help guide the required feasibility analysis. It will also help to establish appropriate budget for the design stage.

When planning for ICT in a development project, it is important to find out, with the support of an ICT specialist, what other donor agencies are doing and whether or not there are similar projects from which to benefit. There might be an opportunity to partner with other donor agencies or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) already active in this area.

At the budget-planning phase, it is important to consider complementary investments that will ensure that the technology is used efficiently, including skill training and organizational changes. Simply providing the technology is often counter-productive if it is not accompanied by additional investment to ensure that the technology is used and maintained adequately and in a sustainable manner. The equipment cost is often outweighed by the required complementary investment needed by a 1:4 ratio. An ICT specialist can help identify budget requirements by taking into account the following factors: capital and operational costs, provision and planning for recurring costs, complementary costs such as training, costs for custom-built application software development and for data entry (both of which can be substantial), and contingency costs such as system interoperability and life-cycle renewal of the technology.

2.4. Monitoring and evaluating the impacts/outcomes of ICT in development projects

The monitoring and evaluation of the impact of ICT in development projects should be part of regular performance assessment, audit, and evaluation activities of the project/program in order to assess the results achieved and the lessons learned.