A framework for service recipient inclusion in community IT projects

Not-for-profit organizations put considerable effort into community-based Information Technology (IT) projects to bridge the gap between the 'haves and the 'have-nots' of the digital divide. However, the outcomes of these IT projects are often seen as problematic with service recipients failing to gain the intended benefits. It is proposed that this is often because the recipients fail to be engaged as a result of being ascribed with belonging to a community without the perceived power or ability to participate. It is also proposed that this is an area for further study with a bias towards using Participatory Design Techniques in conjunction with the model suggested in this paper. The researchers believe that this could provide an area of investigation for an Action Research project.