PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES FOR POWER

Digital inclusion in education is widely acknowledged by governments and international organizations. If we take the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), even if none of them refer to digital inclusion directly, they all advocate for the three components of digital inclusion: marginalized groups and communities should be included in society, ICT can act as a general enabler, and quality education for all should be imperative.

The Principles for Digital Development were developed in 2017, building on the UNICEF Innovation Principles, Greentree Principles, and UK Design Principles, as an attempt to unify previous principles and create a community of practice for those who work in digital development. The principles are designed to help integrate best practices into technology-enabled programs and are intended to be updated over time.

FIRST

Design with the user

User-centered design starts with getting to know the people you are designing for through conversation, observation and co-creation.

FOURTH

Build for sustainability

Building sustainable programs, platforms and digital tools is essential to maintain user and stakeholder support, as well as to maximize long-term impact. SECOND

Understanding the existing ecosystem

Well-designed initiatives and digital tools consider the particular structures and needs that exist in each country, region and community.

FIFTH

Be data driven

When an initiative is data driven, quality information is available to the right people when they need it, and they are using that data to take action.

SEVENTH

Reuse and improve

Reusing and improving is about taking the work of the global development community further than any organization or program can do alone. EIGHTH

Address privacy and security

Addressing privacy and security in digital development involves careful consideration of which data are collected and how data are acquired, used, stored and shared. THIRD

Design for scale

Achieving scale requires adoption beyond an initiatives’ pilot population and often necessitates securing funding or partners that take the initiative to new communities or regions.

SIXTH

Use open standards, data, source, and innovation

An open approach to digital development can help to increase collaboration in the digital development community and avoid duplicating work that has already been done.

NINETH

Be collaborative

Being collaborative means sharing information, insights, strategies and resources across projects, organizations and sectors, leading to increased efficiency and impact.

Radical ideas to make you think

Adopting a digitally inclusive mindset

Let’s make the move from digital divide to digital inclusion. You’ve now seen definitions, studies, and principles around the topic. So, what do you make of it? Over 100 policymakers, advocates, and trainers all came together for the Digital Inclusion Summit in July 2021 with a common mission to make a radical impact. From 100+ digital inclusion changemakers we narrowed in on 4 radical ideas to foster an interdisciplinary, solution-oriented mindset moving forwards.

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