Knowledge Intermediation at the Grassroots: Experience from Bangladesh

Ananya Raihan

September 20, 2011

Joint EADI 13th General Conference and DSA Annual Conference University of York 19th – 22nd September 2011

“NEW ALLIANCES: THE ROLE OF INTERMEDIARIES IN BRIDGING POLICY RESEARCH AND PRACTICE”

Background

• Information Poverty is largely a missing element in poverty paradigm• Information and knowledge intermediation can play a critical role in

establishment of citizenship for both men and women• ICTs can be great enabler to ensure both way information and knowledge

intermediation

Context

• Triple Illiteracy of marginalized population in various combinations:– Read and Write Bangla– ICT Illiteracy– Information Illiteracy

• Access to ICTs is increasing through various private and public initiatives• Public goods versus market based products and services• Scientific literature are in English or in Bangla, which are not meant for

general population

Context

• Information which are not even under exemption under RTI Act 2009 are not available

• Private access to ICTs is increasing:– Mobile phone penetration rate is very high, ~ 50%– Phone with many smart phone features is available now for USD 50– Television penetration rate is high 63% house-hold.

Context and Approach

Information Illiteracy Information Illiteracy Information Illiteracy

ICT Illiteracy ICT Illiteracy

Inability to read and write

Search or menu-based Bangla language text and picture content

Search or menu-based Bangla language text and picture content

Search or menu-based Bangla language text and picture content

Audio content Audio content Audio contentAudio-visual content Audio-visual content Audio-visual

contentInfomediary Infomediary InfomediaryPrivate Self Access Private Self Access Private Self Access

Defining Infomediary

Infomediary is a person who combines a set of technological resources and coaching to meet users’ information needs and communication capabilities.

Infomediary at Brick and Mortar Public Access facilities

Infomediation at Brick and mortarpublic access

facilitiesSearch or menu-based Bangla language text and picture content

Audio-video

Continue ..…

Infomediation at Brick and mortal public access facilities

Infomediation at the Door Step

Who succeeds?

Private self-access

Citizen journalism…

www.write3.com

Emerging policy participation tool ?

Knowledge Intermediation: Bottom up

Features:Upload CommentsMake FavoriteEdit/PostNotificationCreate pageSearchAdd, delete, editMultimedia ArticleMMS, SMS

www.write3.comKnowledge Intermediation: Bottom up

Key Shifts

• Scientific/ research knowledge itself does not reach and achieve ultimate targets

• Content content and content– Language: careful selection of words– Presentation: combination of voice and visual– Cognition: way of learning and trust building– Use case: the life style and usage pattern analysis

• A whole new industry of development knowledge intermediation is emerging

Pallitathya ModelInformation and knowledge system for the poor and marginalized

Measuring Benefit of Knowledge Intermediation

• Benefit on Investment’ (BOI) - a new concept for measuring benefit of knowledge intermediation

• ROI misses the ‘public goods’ dimension of this kind of initiatives

• BOI is a ratio of benefits to the community on investment for public access to ICTs in monetary terms

What is the uniqueness?

• A number of methods are available for analysis of benefit of knowledge intermediation:

– Only on the costs but not the benefits– Time taken for service, quality of service, user satisfaction– Others focus the cost effectiveness

• The methodology of measuring Benefit on Investment (BOI) of knowledge intermediation to the community has following scenarios:

– Saving cost of livelihood– Increasing income opportunities– Saving from loss or damage from any sudden occurrence– Value of benefit claimed as a result of exercising rights.

How?

• The methodology was applied in various initiatives of information and knowledge intermediation

• BOI was calculated following the formula:

• The criterion of acceptable level of BOI>1

k

m

k

n

jjk

m

ki

C

V

BOI

1

1 1

Result?

• Considering all costs including local unit set-up and operation cost, research cost and cost of operation at head office level

– BOI = 1:4.64 (i.e. community received benefit Taka 4.64 for each Taka investment)

• Considering only local unit cost

– BOI = 1:18.33 (i.e. community received benefit Taka 18.33 for each Taka investment)

4.42

0.25

17.43

1

0

4

8

12

16

20

Information and knowledge services Ancillary services

BO

I (tim

es)

Considering all cost

Considering local unit cost

BOI by service category

Result?

BOI by Information delivery channels

1.68

2.68

4.39

7.02

0

2

4

6

8

Offline content (Jeeon IKB) Mobile phone, email & skype basedHelpline

BO

I (tim

es)

Considering all cost

Considering local unit cost

Result?

Thank you

Benefit of Knowledge Intermediation with Grassroots