A presentation focusing on key lessons in applying ICT (Informations Communications Technology) to water and health challenges in developing countries. Given at the Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC) conference in Kenya in July 2013.

3. By mid-2013 more Africans will
have a mobile phone
subscription than access to an
improved water source
(Foster et al., 2012a)

4. In Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya
After installing digital monitoring
systems coverage rates in urban areas
were significantly revised.
 Before: coverage rates were being reported at
around 90% (across these three countries).
 After: rates were reported at solely 47%
(GIZ 2009)

5. Letter
Fax
Email
Cellphone
Speed
Cost
Multiple recipients
Archive
Low barrier to entry
Photo
GPS
What‟s driving this?

6. Call
SMS
USSD
Internet
Photo
GPS
Data
base
Apps
Normal Smart

7. ‘traditional systems’
• linear and closed flow of information

8. ‘new systems’
• new ICT tools allow radical changes

9. Motivations driving the
adoption of ICT

10. Three key design
considerations:
should your
system be based on >>

11. One - Offs
Repeated
Staff
Crowd
One Way
Two Way

12. One - Offs
Repeated
Staff
Crowd
One Way
Two Way

13. One - Offs
Repeated
Staff
Crowd
One Way
Two Way

14. There is already
wide experience
in Developing Countries
some examples >>

15. Kenya
Tanzania

16. Tanzania
India

17. Madagascar
Kenya

18. & whilst water services
can too often
become a
vicious
circle

19. Low revenue
collection
Customer
dissatisfaction
Poor services
Deterioration
of assets
Weak
finances
Poor services
Customer
dissatisfaction
Low revenue
collection
Weak
finances
Deterioration
of assets

20. ICT
is being
used to ...

21. ... as a tool
to create a
virtuous
circle

22. Quality
services at a
fair price
Customer
Satisfaction
Better
revenue
collection
Strong
finances
Investment in
new assets
Better
revenue
collection

24. Cape-Town based
Focus: ICT & WASH services
1. Advice
2. Training
3. Software
“ very interested not just in the technology, but
how and why it gets used “

25. & in June of 2012 we helped convene a
wide group of „experts‟ and practitioners
to discuss lessons emanating
from the application of ICT (or
ICT4D) across the water and
health sectors.
The meeting was called
“But does it Float?”

26.  2 day workshop@ 40 people
co-hosted by SeeSaw and the
University of Cape Town
 explored ICT-related trends and challenges in
both the WASH & health sectors.

27. Key lessons

28. More data (on its own)
=
Better Results

29. Too often the tools & the ability to collect
data in a different way is the focus
Not sufficient attention to:
1. what the data gets used for
2. how the provision of data can actually change
the dynamics of the situation
3. how reliable the data is
4. who will continue to provide it once
novelty value has worn off.

30. Yet design system to local context
• just transplanting a system from one
context to a new environment is
generally troublesome.

31. Only then see whether ICT systems
can generate
- additional
- better or
- faster information
(and get it to where it is needed)

32. The use of ICT systems can pay for
itself quite quickly
via ...
• efficiency gains
• & costs saved
“& seeing is believing” when it comes to
persuading sceptics within an organisation

33. So above all pay close attention
to the incentives of key
stakeholders
• those that need to adopt the system,
• those whose inaction can block it &
• those who will resist change altogether.

34. Before asking
What system?
come a range of other questions that
people making decisions about using ICT
need to ask

35. What
system is
appropriat
Hierarchy of
questions to ask in
developing a new
ICT system
(© SeeSaw, 2013)
What system is
appropriate to local
conditions?
Will ICT change underlying
behaviours? Is it expected to?
Why will users provide reliable
information to the system? Are
there incentives?
What is the full 'cost' of
the system (time,
effort, $$$) and where
do these resources
come from?
When is the
info needed?
How often is it
sent?
What system
is appropriate
to local
conditions?