2. Building on Existing Systems and Working with Existing Policies

Many donor-driven information systems are overly ambitious, overly complex and over-designed. Initiatives are often planned and implemented from scratch, overlooking the fundamental organizational processes and institutional incentives that drive information use. They can also ignore the influence of potential “losers” who may subsequently resist implementation. Oversights generally fall into two categories: attempts to create new systems of communication rather than enhancing those systems which are already in place and accepted, and failures to recognize the ways in which the existing policy environment will affect the intervention.

Existing Systems

Experience shows that the most effective systems for providing specific information to specific users are simple and modest, and build on existing communication and data collection systems. There is a danger that the current focus on Internet-based information systems in developing countries will undermine rich and effective existing information networks. Through a better understanding of existing systems, project designers can enhance communications technology in ways that are relevant and appropriate to the users. Designers should also attempt to gain support from internal 'champions' who are advocating change take care not to disrupt local cultural values, and offer incentives to individuals for contributing information.

Existing Policies

Similarly, it is counterproductive to design interventions without full knowledge of the existing policies and their impact on:

• the free flow of information and communication in a society, whether vertical or horizontal, public or private;



• how revenue is generated and taxed; and



• whether content is heavily censored or completely unregulated.

An understanding of the current regulatory framework may provide crucial insights into why ICD systems do not currently exist, or any potential implementation problems relating to taxes, zoning or other administrative issues.