ICTworks

9 Principles for Digital Development in ICT4D

The principles for digital development are a set of guidelines that aim to ensure that digital technologies are used in a way that is effective, sustainable, and inclusive. The principles were developed to promote the responsible use of digital technologies to advance development goals. The principles are as follows:

1. Design With the User
   User-centered design starts with getting to know the people you are designing for through conversation, observation and co-creation.
2. Understand the Existing Ecosystem
   Well-designed initiatives and digital tools consider the particular structures and needs that exist in each country, region and community.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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 those data to take action.
6. Use Open Standards, Open Data, Open Source, and Open 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.
7. 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.
8. Address Privacy & 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.
9. Be Collaborative
   Being collaborative means sharing information, insights, strategies and resources across projects, organizations and sectors, leading to increased efficiency and impact.