Presentation at Change Seminar, 22 January 2019

1. Visual methodologies
in participatory ICT4D
Caitlin M. Bentley, David Nemer, Sara Vannini

2. visual methodologies in
participatory research in ICT4D

3. visual methodologies in
participatory research in ICT4D

4. Purpose:
Analysis & Reflection about research methodologies
motivations, processes, & outcomes
Considerations in light of the literature (ICT4D; visual
methodologies) & our research outcomes

5. paper methodology
• 3 researchers, 3 case studies
Analysis & Reflection about research methodologies
motivations, processes, & outcomes
• Considerations in light of the literature (ICT4D;
visual methodologies) & our research outcomes

6. Bridge differences and communication gaps between researcher and
participants
[Bignante 2010; Collier, 1967; Young and Barrett 2001]
Help communicating factors that are hard to verbalize
[Gomez & Vannini 2016]
Empowering participants to take part in the research conversation
[Vannini et al., 2015]
Enable participants’ critical engagement with ICT
apply reflexive ICT practices, develop a situational awareness of the role of
ICT in context, gain greater power and control over use & design of ICT
visual methodologies
in the literature

7. Bridge differences and communication gaps between
researcher and participants
[Bignante 2010; Collier 1967; Young and Barrett 2001]
Help communicating factors that are hard to verbalize
[Collier 1967; Gomez & Vannini 2016]
Empowering participants to take part in the research
conversation
[Bignante 2010; Vannini et al. 2015]
Enable participants’ critical engagement with ICT
[Gomez & Vannini 2016; Nemer 2013]
visual methodologies
in the literature

8. Bridge differences and communication gaps between
researcher and participants
[Bignante 2010; Collier 1967; Young and Barrett 2001]
Help communicating factors that are hard to verbalize
[Collier 1967; Gomez & Vannini 2016]
Empowering participants to take part in the research
conversation
[Bignante 2010; Vannini et al. 2015]
Enable participants’ critical engagement with ICT
[Gomez & Vannini 2016; Nemer 2013]
visual methodologies
in the literature
cultural identity lens/emphasis

9. Bridge differences and communication gaps between
researcher and participants
[Bignante 2010; Collier 1967; Young and Barrett 2001]
Help communicating factors that are hard to verbalize
[Collier 1967; Gomez & Vannini 2016]
Empowering participants to take part in the research
conversation
[Bignante 2010; Vannini et al. 2015]
Enable participants’ critical engagement with ICT
[Gomez & Vannini 2016; Nemer 2013]
visual methodologies
in the literature

10. Bridge differences and communication gaps between
researcher and participants
[Bignante 2010; Collier 1967; Young and Barrett 2001]
Help communicating factors that are hard to verbalize
[Collier 1967; Gomez & Vannini 2016]
Empowering participants to take part in the research
conversation
[Bignante 2010; Vannini et al. 2015]
Enable participants’ critical engagement with ICT
[Gomez & Vannini 2016; Nemer 2013]
visual methodologies
in the literature

11. Bridge differences and communication gaps between
researcher and participants
[Bignante 2010; Collier 1967; Young and Barrett 2001]
Help communicating factors that are hard to verbalize
[Collier 1967; Gomez & Vannini 2016]
Empowering participants to take part in the research
conversation
[Bignante 2010; Vannini et al. 2015]
Enable participants’ critical engagement with ICT
[Gomez & Vannini 2016; Nemer 2013]
visual methodologies
in the literature

12. Bridge differences and communication gaps between
researcher and participants
[Bignante 2010; Collier 1967; Young and Barrett 2001]
Help communicating factors that are hard to verbalize
[Collier 1967; Gomez & Vannini 2016]
Empowering participants to take part in the research
conversation
[Bignante 2010; Vannini et al. 2015]
Enable participants’ critical engagement with ICT
[Gomez & Vannini 2016; Nemer 2013]
visual methodologies
in the literature

13. Critical engagement with ICT:
• Reflect on their own ICT use (reflexive ICT practices)
• Understand and reflect on the role of ICT in context
(situational awareness)
• Gain greater power and control over the use and design of
ICT within their lives

14. paper methodology
• 3 researchers, 3 case studies
Analysis & Reflections about research methodologies
motivations, processes, & outcomes
• Considerations in light of the literature (ICT4D;
visual methodologies) & our research outcomes

15. 15 Sub-Saharan African countries (mainly South Africa,
Mozambique and Swaziland)
Investigate learning approaches, reporting, and ICT practices
across donors and different offices of the organization

16. 15 Sub-Saharan African countries (mainly South Africa,
Mozambique and Swaziland)
Investigate learning approaches, reporting, and ICT practices
across donors and different offices of the organization
Two interview types: (“rich pictures” and follow-up interviews)

17. Brazilian favelas
Ethnography, collaborative photo-book, focus groups

18. Stigma, creating awareness of
how ICT have been
appropriated; creating an
advocacy tool

19. RE-ACT
Mozambique
Meanings, values
and practices
attached to CMCs
&
identify actions
for improving the
CMCs

20. Participatory
photography,
interviews,
focus groups
RE-ACT

21. paper methodology
• 3 researchers, 3 case studies
Analysis & Reflections about research methodologies
motivations, processes, & outcomes
• Considerations in light of the literature (ICT4D;
visual methodologies) & our research outcomes

22. Pictures were beneficial for sparking
discussion and gathering
interpretations
Meanings researchers and participants attached to
ICT were sometimes different than pre-supposed.
Participants gained a sense of empowerment when
their meanings and contributions derived value for
their personal identities and community places.

24. “We always talk at the radio about
the importance of hygiene to
prevent the spread of diseases, they
want the CMC to be clean because
we have to set the example for the
community, and we have to do
what we predicate.”

25. “Beauty is important for
the human being…
beauty is a value that
makes human beings
what they are.”

26. Participants expressed a sense of
empowerment when their meanings
and contributions derived value for
their personal identities and
community places.

28. “I took a picture of myself
working … speaking at the radio.
I like working for the people. […]
I see that people need more
information for everything, this
photo is because people will see
that working for the people is
very good.”

29. “Who would have told that one
day I could have had significant
experience in working with
computer, working as a secretary,
have a radio show here in the
community. That opened my
mind, I began to realize that after
all I can do many things, that if
there is the chance I’ll want to
grab any opportunity and I will
grow, I will reap rewards because
of being here.”

30. Researchers are major players in
developing reflexive ICT practice skills

31. Researchers are major players in
developing reflexive ICT practice skills
Participants’ attitudes towards ICT were pragmatic and
positively affirmative  Participants were not accustomed to
examining their own ICT agency.
• Different levels of reflexive ICT practice occurring
simultaneously. Researchers needed to renegotiate their own
cultural identities and how these influenced their own
concepts and assumptions of ICT.
• It should not be assumed that participants can change their
ICT practice merely by reflecting on their power and position.
Visual methods are an important tool for researchers to
support participants to develop reflexive ICT practice skills.

32. “It is important because we learn to know what a computer is, we
learn computer programs, we study the computer as well, but it is
much more a honor for Xinavane, we now know that we have
informatics courses.”

34. Researchers are major players in
developing reflexive ICT practice skills
Participants’ attitudes towards ICT were pragmatic and
positively affirmative  Participants were not accustomed to
examining their own ICT agency.
Different levels of reflexive ICT practice occurring
simultaneously. Researchers needed to renegotiate their own
cultural identities and how these influenced their own
concepts and assumptions of ICT.
It should not be assumed that participants can change their
ICT practice merely by reflecting on their power and position.
Visual methods are an important tool for researchers to
support participants to develop reflexive ICT practice skills.

35. Researchers are major players in
developing reflexive ICT practice skills
Participants’ attitudes towards ICT were pragmatic and
positively affirmative  Participants were not accustomed to
examining their own ICT agency.
Different levels of reflexive ICT practice occurring
simultaneously. Researchers needed to renegotiate their own
cultural identities and how these influenced their own
concepts and assumptions of ICT.
Reflexive practice is hard. It should not be assumed that
participants can change their ICT practice merely by reflecting
on their power and position. Visual methods are an important
tool for researchers to support participants to develop
reflexive ICT practice skills.

36. Power & Control over the use and
design of ICTs

37. Power & Control over the use and
design of ICTs
All three cases had an intention to change structures
through the design and use of ICT and related
services: different levels of structural change were
achieved in the three cases.

41. Conclusions
Critical engagement with ICT as the linchpin for
meaningful growth in ICT4D research
• deemphasizing the role of ICT to confront technological
deterministic views in development not viable
• ICT is increasingly intertwined and embedded in our
individual and collective identities and environments
Visual methods in participatory research are a beneficial
starting point for understanding and facilitating responses
to ubiquitous inequalities caused by ICT.

42. Conclusions
Critical engagement with ICT as the linchpin for
meaningful growth in ICT4D research
• deemphasizing the role of ICT to confront technological
deterministic views in development not viable
• ICT is increasingly intertwined and embedded in our
individual and collective identities and environments
Visual methods in participatory research are a beneficial
starting point for understanding and facilitating responses
to ubiquitous inequalities caused by ICT.

43. Conclusions
Own Analysis & Reflection about research
methodologies motivations, processes, & outcomes

44. Thank you!
Sara Vannini
Department of Communication
University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
vanninis@uw.edu
Bentley, C., Nemer, D., Vannini, S. (2017). “When words become
unclear”: unmasking ICT through visual methodologies in
participatory ICT4D. AI & Society.