I started ICTworks sixteen (16!) years ago to engage international development leaders to use ICT4D in their programs. This humble website is now the blog of record for a global digital development community and we’ve lasted longer than any single USAID program.
We have 25,000 email subscribers from around the world, with most of our readers from the Global South (thak you!). I regularly cull that subscriber list to ensure that each subscriber opens at least one email a month. When you add in website views, ICTworks has an impressive reach:
Every ICTworks post in 2024 was seen by an average of 10,000 people.
ICTworks is a community effort, with multiple authors from across the digital development community. You can share your ideas or insights in a free Guest Post or advertise your program to our readership with a paid Sponsored Post.
Top ICTworks Post Themes in 2024
Annual averages don’t tell the real story of which posts and trends were the most popular with program designers, project managers, software developers, academics, and humanitarian professionals.
Here are the 8 key themes we saw when analyzing our readership metrics last year. Scroll down to see the most popular posts of 2024 and what will excite digital development practitioners in 2025.
8. Digital Principles
The Principles for Digital Development were first introduced a decade ago to drive a systematic approach to ICT4D. Fast forward to 2024, and new we have multiple digital principles. It was also time to update the original Digital Principles and create new ones:
- Introducing the Updated Principles for Digital Development
- 13 Principles for Digital Transformation for Development – DX4D
- Introducing USAID Principles for Educational Technology Investments
7. National Digital Policies
Multiple countries introduced national digital policies intended to drive digital transformation across government agencies, including USAID and other major donors. These policies and strategies help us all implement better digital development programs.
- Introducing USAID Digital Policy: International Development is Digital
- Introducing FCDO’s New Digital Development Strategy
- Introducing the German Strategy for International Digital Policy
6. National AI Policies
Many countries took their digital development policy actions one step further and developed artificial intelligence strategies that either pushed for private sector solutions or worried about employment risks, as you can see from these posts:
- Ranking African Government Artificial Intelligence Readiness
- Why Do LMIC Governments Want Artificial Intelligence Solutions?
- Nigeria vs Rwanda: Which National Artificial Intelligence Policy is Better?
5. ICT4D Solution Examples
We all want to know who is innovating, what they are working on, and which solutions are successful. Last year, we found multiple interventions in international development that excited and inspired us. Here are the most popular solution sets from 2024:
- 10 Examples of Successful African e-Government Digital Services
- 18 Uses of Artificial Intelligence in International Development
- 10 Examples of Generative AI Solutions for 6 Global Health Challenges
4. How To Guidelines
Practical guides that help us deploy digital solutions are always welcomed, especially when they are developed by major donors. USAID came through again this year with guides for AgriTech and Gender, while ChatGPT showed us how to respond to USAID RFPs.
- New USAID Toolkit on Inclusive AgriTech Digital Solution Design
- USAID How To Guide for Bringing More Women Online
- How to Apply: $95 Million USAID Advancing Digital Democracy RFP
3. Generative AI
Speaking of ChatGPT, last year saw continuous innovation in how we can use Generative AI in the formal procurement process. From writing RFPs, to responding with proposals, and evaluating which ideas are the best, new forms of GenAI were there to help in every step.
- 5 Practical Tips to Use Generative AI to Create Winning Grant Proposals
- Use My ChatGPT GenAI ChatBots for Free! Explore FAR, FAM, ADS, AIDAR, and more today
- Find Generative AI Insights in USAID Development Experience Clearinghouse
2. Winning New USAID Contracts
Everyone wants more donor funding for impactful digital development programs. In 2024, three of our most popular posts looked at how implementing partners could increase their win rate with USAID contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements.
- How Will President Trump Impact USAID Business Forecast Procurement?
- Winning Funding Proposals Written by Generative AI: Should That Matter to You?
- 5 Generative AI Grant Writing Tools for Your Fundraising Proposals
1. Stinging Critiques of International Development
Last year’s most popular posts all asked deep questions of our almost-blind faith in digital development solutions to improve international development outcomes. In fact, our most popular post ever on ICTworks – of any year – questioned the use of Generative AI by a major donor.
- Breaking News: Bill Gates Sacks Foundation Staff for Generative AI Copilot
- Please Stop Conjuring Blockchain Pilots in Humanitarian Relief Programs
- AI4Health: A Masterclass in Wasting Money We Don’t Have
Share Your Idea with 10,000 Readers
You are reading ICTworks right now. It is the best way to get your idea into the minds of digital development practitioners around the world. You can submit an idea or a finished draft for a new post or articles published elsewhere. We especially welcome posts from:
- Donors looking for new solutions from innovative technologists
- Organizations that want to share case studies or impact stories
- Consultants with strong views on how we can improve digital development
- Researchers who wants their papers to be read and change minds
Please read our guest post guidelines and sponsored posts opportunities. You can send us your ideas today and be the next author reaching thousands of digital development practitioners.
