Know your context – Making All Voices Count Learning Event in Tanzania

In August 2017, Making All Voices Vount completed a mapping of the tech for governance sector in Tanzania. A key observation is this mapping is that:

‘Few actors pay attention to the overall context in which tools and information are expected to ‘work their magic’. There is an overall tendency to build tools, or collect data, first. In practice, this means that Tech4Gov interventions are often more tech- than governance-focused, with broad assumptions being made about how governance works. What seems to be lacking is the extensive involvement of target groups in the co-designing and testing of tech tools. Furthermore, since a lot of the technology and data is internet and smartphone based, rural and female populations are underserved by the Tech4Gov sector. The Tech4Gov sector needs to pay greater attention to reaching more diverse audiences, and try harder to reach women, rural communities and the less ‘tech savvy’. The sector needs to go beyond focussing on the collection of data and the development of tools – both important in their own right – to approaches whereby a strong understanding of the governance context and the intended target groups are central to their Tech4Gov intervention.’

With the above observation in mind, Making All Voices Count will bring together a group of tech for governance stakeholders to discuss the importance of mapping your context and stakeholders first, and receive practical tools with which to do this.

In particular, those providing mentorship and training to others in the design of tech for governance projects and tools will be able to take lessons learned on board and use them in their work going forward.