From Research to Researchable Questions

Early Experiences of the Global Impact Study of Public Access to ICTs

Chris Coward

Research Problem

1. What are the observable social and economic impacts of public access to ICT?

2. What is the magnitude of these impacts and how can we measure them?

3. What is the relationship between costs and benefits of providing public access to ICT?

Phase 3:Dissemination

1. Reach of Public Access ICTs2. Usage of Public Access ICTs3. Physical Design and Location of Public Access

Venues4. Public Access Venue Services and Operations5. Information Ecologies6. Policy and Regulatory Context

Research Areas

Phase 3:Dissemination

7+ domains (education, health, etc.)

27+ Research Questions

6+ socio-economic contexts(countries)

Phase 3:Dissemination

Assessing Impact

Inventory

Surveys

Probes • Types of Impact • Levels of Impact • Areas of impact • Impact mechanisms

• Distribution and reach• Magnitude• Sampling frame

• Usage• Venue characteristics• Magnitude

»INDIRECT IMPACT»DIRECT IMPACT

»PERCEIVED IMPACT»SERVICES, OPERATIONS»USAGE

»ACCESSIBILITY

»AVAILABILITY

Phase 3:Dissemination

Research QuestionDo Public Access facilities afford opportunities for sharing of experience, space, expertise, and technologies so as to enhance outcomes/impacts in ways that could not have been as effectively realized outside of a public access space?

Hypotheses1. End-user co-present space sharing (people occupy the space together but have

their own computers) enhances the outcomes/impacts of computer use in many cases.

2. End-user co-present technology sharing (people occupy the space together and also share a single computer) enhances the outcomes/impacts of computer use in many cases.

3. End-users will share at times equipment even in the presence of abundance in order to satisfy individual interests or social norms.

4. The architecture, rules, and norms of the public access space influence the ability of people to engage in end-user co-present space sharing. These spaces can be designed to encourage the best sort of sharing.

5. The code of technologies influences the ability of people to engage in end-user co-present technology sharing. These computer technologies can be designed to encourage the best sort of sharing.

End-user SharingEnd-user Sharing

Phase 3:Dissemination

www.globalimpactstudy.org