by Asher Smith
Tuesday evening, the Humanitarian Centre event “Participation, Technology and Development” found two world leaders -one in software and the other in international development- comfortably sharing a sofa. To celebrate a year of events focused on Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D), Dr. Alistair Cockburn and Professor Robert Chambers led a robust discussion on the potential for a new, Agile, participatory method to allow international development programs to harness the unlimited potential of ICTs.
For audience members from the international development background, Professor Chambers’ work represents the participation of those most directly affected by a program throughout the project’s development. Professor Chambers’ socratic introduction did not disappoint. Audience members -intended recipients of the evening’s benefits- were necessary participants. He introduced participation by simple survey: “Let’s see who we have here” he inquired, “Who is here with the University? The private sector? Software development? Research?” Engaged, Dr. Cockburn eagerly asserted his support for the exercise. Noting that the audience demographic was evenly divided between the software and development community, he inducted a highly interactive discussion experience.
Professor Chambers’ proved an engaged and curious participant. He was cautiously optimistic: citing ICT applications which he found inspiring such as Cambridge-based charity Mountain Trust’s Radio Gulu program, yet soliciting the audience for examples of negative uses. He was congenial: qualifying discussion of his previous work with his facetious ERR: Egocentric Reminiscence Ratio (the rate at which a person talks about themselves; known to be directly affected by age, retirement and alcohol). Chambers used his previous work to highlight changes in his field. As recently as the 1990’s, development workers subscribed to specific, definable methodologies, but today “we’ve moved to eclectic pluralism in development” where practitioners mix and match the best bits of numerous methodologies. The evening’s challenge proved to be exploring the potential of adding Dr. Cockburn’s Agile ideas to the methodologies pantheon.#
Dr. Cockburn rose to the challenge of translating a methodology created for software design to development leaders by describing the innovation of Agile Development. While unpacking the Manifesto for Agile Software Development, he drew clear parallels between his and Professor Chambers’ philosophies including privileging people over tools and procedures. Most poignantly, is the Manifesto’s principle of customer collaboration which stresses that the ‘us’ of a design team isn’t limited to the developers but includes the customer/donor and those using or affected by the program. The audience’s follow-up questions, dominated by those in international development over those in software, proved Dr. Cockburn had their attention.
The theme of the evening quickly centred on the potential for application of Dr. Cockburn’s Agile Development method in the international development community. The introduction of the working programs over paperwork and adaptability over following a plan -standard practice for the software development community- proved intriguing to development workers beleaguered by bureaucracy, rigidity, and donor pressures. The audience responded with questions, criticism, scepticism, and optimism. Dr. Cockburn proved an excellent guide through the exploration exercise continually encouraging and refocusing the discussion.
Simultaneously, ICT’s were not forgotten. ICT’s are experiencing ‘exponential growth’. Projects that incorporate ICT4D perhaps express the loudest demand for a philosophy and system which is agile enough to keep up with technology that is constantly refreshing. Dr. Cockburn challenged one audience member’s question regarding education in the Global South by asking whether we need be talking about ICT’s at all. Her refreshingly honest response was that ICT’s have intrinsic motivation abilities. Likewise, the 2011 Cambridge International Development report, which focuses on ICT4D and was lanched at this event, points out the global reality is that ICT’s prevalence and unbridled proliferation means the question is not whether to introduce them but how best to use them for good.
Professor Chambers excitedly pronounced the potential of ICT’s saying “never before have such channels existed that can reach the excluded.” Conversely, he acknowledged that fifteen years ago a project he was developing could include a now unheard of 10-15% of the budget allocated explicitly for “unexpected opportunities.” What is yet to be tested is whether the ears of development community donors would be as receptive as Dr. Cockburn’s CEO clients to promises of “early delivery of business value and reduced bureaucracy.” Perhaps the testing of this query could be done incrementally.
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