Exploring the problem domain: a socio-technical ICT design for the developing world

Abstract

The paper is a work in progress that explores the use of socio-technical matrices to try and design a fit for purpose ICT for two sub-Saharan Africa farming communities. Rooted in Hansen's (2006) socio-technical experiments in design processes and Summerville and Dewsbury's (2007) system dependability model, the paper offers a systematic design route from initial field study results to the development of use cases and scenarios that are in turn evaluated in iterative socio-technical matrices. The approach offers a solution in multi-disciplinary and geographically diverse structures of design that explore the problem domain, concluding by highlighting the merits and difficulties of the approach.

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