Inclusion and Technology Design

There is increasing evidence to suggest that meaningful access to ICTs and capabilities required for their effective use are ensconced in myriad interactions between individuals’ skills, social positions and their larger network of social relations. Hence, when we think of an inclusive [digital] society, we need to focus on these issues as important factors shaping people’s engagement with ICTs. This course presents a brief conceptual and practical toolkit for combining the technical and social support required for achieving greater inclusion in the design of ICTs. Towards this end, we will look at three axes through which exclusion usually takes place, namely, class, disability and gender. The aim of the course is to highlight the ways in which technologies can become exclusive, how it could impact different segments of the society and how we can think of alternative design principles that will make our ICTs more inclusive.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: Any Interested Learners
PREREQUISITES: Anybody with a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline INDUSTRY SUPPORT: Companies/organizations engaged in designing digital products for diverse social groups Companies/organizations interested in leveraging digital technologies to complement their existing delivery channels

COURSE LAYOUT

Week 1: Introduction: The political nature of technology designs Week 2: Missing Women in Tech: Why lack of female technologists matters for technology design and development? Week 3: Gender and Technology: Challenges and Concerns Week 4: ICTs and Gender: Field Concerns and Project Management Critical for Technology Design.