The risk of zealotry and the case for developing better content
13 May 2009
I have just posted the below to the http://digitalengagement.org/ blog. For those who are interested in issues around digital inclusion it is a great way to engage with people and organisations as we work towards solutions that close the digital divide.
I think the digital world is fantastic and so do all you, but maybe some of those who don't agree have right on their side, at least from where they sit; perhaps the services that some people want are simply not available. Stop for a minute to think about the characteristics of those groups of people who are most likely not to be on-line: older people, people with a disability and people on low incomes, for example. These groups of people are likely to be particularly heavy users of public services. Stop for another minute and think about the quality of public services that are available on-line and you might just have found the key to some digital exclusion.
There is a mass of public service information on-line, but very few truly interactive public services. the sort of services that offer us something new, different and better than public service offerings off-line. It has proved particularly difficult to get public service providers to invest in digital services that could really make a difference. In conversations with providers, it is never long before the chicken and egg problem crops up - we will invest in the services when the network is there to support them and make them available to all citizens and consumers.
Well now is that time. Recent Communications Consumer Panel research shows that people are anticipating a time, not very far away, when telemedicine and other such digital services will be making their lives better. These people will be sorely disappointed unless public service providers start to play catch up pretty quickly. So I think, we should make sure that a significant plank of our digital action going forward is focussed on bringing about the kind of change that will be required at the heart of public service delivery at local and importantly, national levels.
There is no question that more people would go on-line if only they knew how good the digital world can be, if they had the skills and if the costs were manageable. But maybe, the fact that some people don't want to go on line is quite rational and it will take digital public services to persuade them it is worth the effort.