Picture from FlickR – World Resource Institute Staff
Information And Communication
Technologies For Development
(ICT4D)
With Special Focus On Web 2.0
And Mashups Of Existing Services
Defensio Presentation
Florian Sturm
23 March 2009

Schedule
Motivation
•
Introduction - the digital divide and ICT4D
•
ICT4D - potentials and problems
•
Web 2.0 and mashups in ICT4D
•
Example projects
•
Own projects
•
NoisR
•
ICT4D.at
•
Conclusion
•

Picture from FlickR – Greg Miles
Motivation

Motivation
Broad interests
•
Inspiration by ICT4D program at Stockholm
•
University & Prof. Thorsten Hampel:
ICTs can be used in & for development
•
assistance
Interoperability and combined services
•
The thesis:
•
General introduction to ICT4D
•
Proof of concept that web 2.0 and mashups
•
can produce vast synergies in ICT4D

Picture from FlickR –Eric Lafforgue
Introduction -
the digital
divide and ICT4D

The digital divide
\"gap between those who have access to use
•
computer technology and the Internet and
those who do not\" [Katz & Aspden 1998]
\"Western world\" vs. \"Less developed
•
countries\"
Differences in infrastructure, availability,
•
affordability
Inhibiting economic development [Tiglao &
•
Alampay 2004]

ICT4D
Information and Communication Technologies
•
for Development
Using ICTs for supporting social and economic
•
development
giving the people access to these
•
technologies
supporting organizations in development
•
assistance

ICT4D -
potentials and
problems

Potentials
Economic development
•
Social development
•
Education
•
Democracy
•
Health
•
Banking
•

Problems
Different conditions
•
Sustainability
•
Focus on technology
•
Development
•
\"for\" local people
•
\"with\" local people
•
\"by\" local people
•
Currently: call for new ways of carrying out
•
ICT4D projects
ICT4D 2.0 [Heeks 2008]
•

Picture from FlickR – Swiatek Wojtkowiak
Web 2.0 and
mashups in
ICT4D

Web 2.0
Everyone can participate
•
The web is the platform
•
Web 2.0 is free of charge
•
Low prerequisites
•

Mashups
Easy and few programming
•
Internet Tools for everyone - power to the
•
people
Few problems with acceptance
•

Picture from FlickR – Julie Dermansky
Example projects

Tradenet.biz

Ushahidi

Own projects

NoisR

ICT4D.at

Picture from FlickR – Swiatek Wojtkowiak
Conclusion

Conclusion
ICT4D – received a lot of attention
•
A lot of potential – but not yet fully
•
tapped
Shifted approach towards ICT4D \"lessons
•
learned\" → ICT4D 2.0
Web 2.0 and mashups fit in the context
•
Examples
•
Own projects – proof of concept
•
More research necessary
•
Interdisciplinary approach
•
Critical evaluation & statistical evidence
•

Cited papers
[Heeks 2008] Heeks R. (2008) \"ICT4D 2.0: The Next Phase
•
of Applying ICT for International Development\", IEEE
Computer, June 2008, Volume 41, Number 6, 26-34
[Katz & Aspden 1998] Katz J. E., Aspden P. (1998)
•
\"Internet dropouts in the USA: The invisible group\"
Telecommunications Policy, 22(4-5), 327-339.
[Sturm et al 2008] Sturm F., Hauer D., Hampel T.,
•
Hornich A. (2008) \"Fighting Hunger with Information -
Mashups in ICT4D Increase Accessibility of Vital
Services\", Proceedings of SIG GlobDev's First Annual
Workshop, Paris, France December 13th 2008
[Tiglao & Alampay 2004] Tiglao N., Alampay E. A. (2004)
•
\"Mapping Ict4d Projects In The Philippines\",
http://www.ict4d.ph, Retrieved 26 February 2008 from
http://www.ict4d.ph/proceedings/Project_Inventory2.php

Picture from FlickR – Jose Carlos Costa
Thank you!

Appendix

Economic development
Is ICT4D actually fostering economic
•
development?
No study yet showing statistical evidence on
•
overall economic impact
Many studies on small-scale, project-wise
•
impact (e.g. Bayes et. al. 1999, Eggleston et.
al. 2002, de Silva & Zainudeen 2007, Bedia
1999)
Depends on many non-technological factors
•

Can technology solve problems?
\"those that think that poverty in our
•
countries is just a matter of not having
access to information and technology are
showing much ignorance about social
injustice, human exploitation and
inequalities not only between countries, but
also among social classes within each
country. Information is not the magic cure
for hunger\" [Arunachalam 2002]
Mix of measures
•
ICTs are just a tool in this context –
•
but a tool with huge potentials

Web 2.0
Expression first appeared in 2005 [O'Reilly
•
2005]
Interactive & collaborative elements of the
•
internet
Transforming the consumer into a
•
contributor
Wikis, blogs, content sharing, social
•
networks
Technology is not new (AJAX, RSS)
•

Mashups
Web application which generates content
•
through the combination of services
Three components:
•
API/content provider
•
Mashup site
•
Client's web browser
•
Mashup editors
•

SOA
Service Oriented Architecture
•
Combinations of loose coupled, low-level
•
services which form a business process
Services are independent units of
•
functionality
Services are available over the network and
•
communicate with each other
Different principles:
•
Reuse, granularity, modularity, composability,
•
componentization, portability,
interoperability

Web Services
Implementation of SOA
•
Software application which
•
is identified by a URL
•
is defined, described and searchable through
•
an XML artifact
Interaction with other SW-agents via XML
•
Requester – Broker – Provider
•

NoisR – Implementation

NoisR – Implementation
Underlying database – XML
•
User Interface – PHP
•
Google Maps – JavaScript API
•
eSpeak (text-to-speech) – Linux Shell Script
•
Creation of podcast – PHP & XML
•
Podlinez (telephone number for podcast) –
•
manual

NoisR – Implementation

ICT4D.at – Implementation

ICT4D.at – Implementation

ICT4D.at – Implementation