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An Exploration of the Critical Success Factors for the Sustainability of Rural ICT Projects – The Dwesa Case Study Caroline Pade, Brenda Mallinson and David Sewry Rhodes University, Department of Information Systems [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract Rural development can be enhanced and supported by information and communication technology (ICT), the use of which is highlighted by the emerging importance of information and knowledge as key strategic resources for social and economic development. The use of ICT presents a number of constraints which threaten the sustainability of rural ICT projects. Sustainability is key to the effectiveness of a rural ICT project. The categories of sustainability reveal critical success factors that need to be considered in the implementation and management of rural ICT projects. An exploration of the Dwesa project reveals the extent and effect of the application of these critical success factors of sustainability.

1 Introduction Information and communication technologies (ICT) can make a significant contribution to the rural development process, given the growing information and knowledge society. Rural ICT projects, however, are confronted with constraints which threaten sustainability. The sustainability of an ICT project is essential for a long-term positive impact in rural communities. The aim of this research study is to highlight the concept of sustainability, and identify a trend in the factors that contribute towards ICT project sustainability in rural areas, with an exploration of the Dwesa project. Literature on rural development and sustainable ICT is examined. Subsequently, the derived critical success factors of rural ICT project sustainability are summarized, followed by an exploration of these factors in the Dwesa ICT project. The conclusion summarises the findings and identifies the need to formulate an approach to rural ICT project management that is sensitive to the critical factors that promote rural ICT project sustainability.

C. Barry et al. (eds.), Information Systems Development: Challenges in Practice, Theory, and Education, Vol.1, doi: 10.1007/978-0-387-68772-8_26, © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009

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Caroline Pade, Brenda Mallinson and David Sewry

2 The Significance of Sustainable ICT in Rural Development Rural development is a significant focus for developing countries as the poverty that exists in the world today is predominantly rural (Mwabu and Thorbecke 2001). Rural areas hold substantial human and natural potential which must be harnessed to contribute effectively to development. Information and knowledge are key strategic resources in the rural development process as they provide rural people with the ability to expand their choices through knowing what works best in their communities, hence contributing to development, competitiveness and productivity (Canadian International Development Agency 2003). Access to information and knowledge can be enhanced by ICT, which effectively connects and facilitates information flows between rural communities and more developed regions (Heeks 1999; Pade et al. 2006a). Although some rural ICT projects have been successful with major project goals being attained, the challenges associated with ICT use has resulted in projects that either totally fail (the project has ended up not being implemented) or partially fail (major goals have not been attained, hence sustainability failure) (Heeks 2002). The success of an ICT project to enable rural development relies on its ability to be sustainable. Sustainability can be defined as, “Development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (NetTel 2005). It can be viewed either as the sustainability of ongoing rural ICT access, independent of specific technologies or projects; and/or the sustainability of rural development results through ICT-enabled development (for example, education, health, empowerment) (TeleCommons Development Group (TDG) 2000). The concept of sustainability in most research is closely related to the financial sustainability (cost recovery) of the project. However, it also considers other facets such as rootedness in local communities, cultural and political acceptance, and value to rural individuals (Keniston 2005). Pade et al. (2006b) identify the categories of sustainability that need to be applied in rural ICT projects: Social and Cultural, Institutional, Economic/Financial, Political, and Technological sustainability. It is important that the needs, demands and driving forces of these categories are in harmony and integrated to achieve the overall sustainability of the project (Pade et al. 2006b; Hietanen 2002). The significance of the development of sustainability implies that ICT project implementation needs to be receptive to critical factors that promote the sustainability of the ICT project in rural areas.

3 The Dwesa Case Study Dwesa is a rural area situated within the former Transkei, along the Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It forms part of the Dwesa–Cwebe area which comprises the protected area (nature reserve) and extended frontline (Palmer et al. 2002). The Dwesa–Cwebe area has become involved in a development

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initiative as the nature reserve and wild coast that they share are a chief asset for the communities (tourism) (Palmer et al. 2002). The vision for development for Dwesa–Cwebe has been to take advantage of their rich natural asset through tourism. The land’s ownership has recently been restored to the community. The Dwesa ICT project consists of a collaboration of research projects between the Telkom Centres of Excellence (COE) at Rhodes University and the University of Fort Hare. The aim of the project is to develop an open source/standard e-commerce/telecommunications platform to deploy within rural and semi-rural areas in South Africa. The ICT project therefore endeavours to promote e-commerce in tourism (through the nature reserve, a chief community asset) and other rural development activities. The project commenced in November 2005 and provides an opportunity to observe the critical success factors applied to promote sustainability. The researchers in the project consist of postgraduate students experiencing an ICT project in context for the first time. Their different research sub-projects support the overall goal of the Dwesa ICT project. This research investigates the Dwesa project at its early stages of development. The project is currently still active within a pilot stage. The Dwesa ICT project team chose to initially implement the project within the Mpume community of Dwesa, at Mpume Primary-Junior Secondary School.

4 Research Methodology The overall research investigation examined the project management techniques applied in the Dwesa rural ICT project. An exploration of the critical success factors of sustainability formed a part of the overall research investigation. A case study qualitative research methodology has been adopted to assess the ICT project in a real-life rural environment (Yin 2003). Data were collected from November 2005 to September 2006. The main instruments used as sources of evidence include: • Interviews: These were conducted in September 2006. Members of the project team were interviewed as they are familiar with the progressive life and practices of the project. The Dwesa community directly involved in the project (two project champions, the School Headmaster, and two community members) were also interviewed separately to explore their different perspectives on the uses and challenges of ICT, and the project’s approach to promoting sustainability. • Participant Observation: The researcher was exposed directly to the operations associated with the project through participatory-observation from early development to intermediate operation (from November 2005 to September 2006). The role of observer was ultimately participant, although participation was limited to assisting and sharing in delegated project tasks. Participant observation did not necessarily interfere with the general operation of the project. • Documentation: Project funding proposals, project progress reports, the community training register, and published background research of the Dwesa area by Palmer et al. (2002) were made available to the researcher.

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The data collected were analysed to extract relevant themes and their incidence or frequencies. The approach adopted was content analysis which uses a special application of systematic observation to examine the data collected for key themes (Welman and Kruger 2002).

5 The Critical Success Factors for Sustainability The categories of sustainability relevant to an ICT project rely on factors that are critical for the development of ICTs in a rural community. A range of previous project case studies from development organisation literature reveal the lessons learned and good practice for the success or sustainability of rural ICT projects. An analysis of these related lessons disclose critical success factors (CSFs) that need to be applied to support the effectiveness of the rural ICT project process. The importance of some CSFs depends on the objectives of the particular project. Nevertheless, most of these factors, to an extent, play a significant role in promoting sustainability across a variety of projects. The CSFs of rural ICT project sustainability are summarised below, followed by an exploration of their application in the Dwesa case study: 1. Simple and Clear Project Objectives: Clear and simple project objectives sensitive to the community’s needs and limitations need to be determined for specific phases of implementation, hence setting out a solid realistic plan of small achievable steps and project deliverables that can be clearly communicated and accountable to stakeholders (Batchelor and Norrish 2002; Bridges 2006a; IDRC 2004; Standish reports in Schwalbe 2006; Talyarkhan 2004; UNDP et al. 2001). 2. Approaching the Project in a Holistic Way: The project should not focus unduly on its immediate and narrow concerns, but keep in mind the specific needs of the rural community at large, in relation to the capability and sustainability of the technology for an enduring impact. Most of the CSFs of sustainability are based on applying this holistic approach (Batchelor and Sugden 2003; Schwalbe 2006; UNDP et al. 2001). 3. Using ICT to Enhance Existing Rural Development Activities: ICT projects need to be anchored to local organisational and existing rural development activities so as to be part of wider development plans and processes, hence providing a more immediate and identifiable development benefit (Batchelor and Sugden 2003; Ferguson and Ballantyne 2002). 4. Cultivating an Influential Project Champion: ICT champions essentially inspire, drive, create awareness, and encourage the targeted community to use ICT, thereby facilitating the introduction of ICTs as smoothly as possible (Batchelor and Sugden 2003; IDRC 2004; Schwalbe 2006; TDG 2000; UNDP 2001) 5. Incorporating Socially Excluded Groups: ICT projects should incorporate social cultural factors (for example, gender awareness) into policy formulation, planning, implementation and the evaluation of projects for effective participation of social groups (Bridges 2006a; Ferguson and Ballantyne 2002; Talyarkhan 2004; TDG 2000; UNDP 2001).


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6. Awareness of Specific ICT Policy Influencing the Project: Research is required on the policy environment, to understand the issues arising across the country and regions which affect rural ICT implementation and sustainability, both directly and indirectly, so as to take measures to enhance or mitigate the effects of policy (Batchelor and Norrish 2002; Bridges 2006b; Ferguson and Ballantyne 2002; Stoll 2003; Talyarkhan 2004; TDG 2000). 7. An Understanding of the Local Political Context: The introduction of ICTs to a community can be perceived as a threat to local authority, such as government officials and traditional village leaders, which can considerably influence rural community buy-in. Steps need to be taken to mitigate the political effects on the project, and hence adapt in the political environment as needed (Bridges 2006a; Ferguson and Ballantyne 2002; TDG 2000; UNDP 2001). 8. Participation of Community Target Groups in the Project Process: Participation aims to create the conditions in a project required to speed up and make appropriate the purpose of ICTs in the rural context, based on the expectations of the community. Aspects include selecting target groups to participate, introducing the goals and benefits of the project, identifying the limitations and risks in the community, performing a needs assessment and local content development, and providing continuous communication and feedback (Batchelor and Sugden 2003; Mphahlele and Maepa 2003; Talyarkhan 2004; TDG 2000; UNDP 2001). 9. Focusing on Local/Demand Driven Needs: ICTs need to focus on being demand driven and not supply driven, in accordance with the assessed needs for information and services (Batchelor and Sugden 2003; Bridges 2006a; Conradie et al. 2003; Keniston and Kumar 2003; Jacobs and Herselman 2005; TDG 2000; UNDP 2001; UNDP et al. 2001). 10. Building on Local Information and Knowledge Systems: Taking into consideration the local context associated with sharing knowledge created from social interactions between people ensures that information can be substantially understood, adopted and integrated into the daily lives of rural people (Batchelor and Sugden 2003; Bridges 2006b; Talyarkhan 2004; UNDP 2001). 11. Appropriate Training and Capacity Building: Appropriate training that is sensitive to the community ICT skill gaps should be practiced. Training should importantly consist of content development, technical support, and business and development activity support. A train to train approach needs to be applied for widespread community training (Batchelor and Sugden 2003; Bridges 2006a, 2006b; Conradie et al. 2003; Ferguson and Ballantyne 2002; IDRC 2004; Jacobs and Herselman 2005; Stoll 2003; Talyarkhan 2004; TDG 2000; UNDP 2001; UNDP et al. 2001). 12. Facilitating Local Content Development: The community needs to engage in local content development that is sensitive to the rural livelihood environment, so as to become producers of locally relevant, understandable, meaningful and applicable information and knowledge (Batchelor and Sugden 2003; Bridges 2006b; Keniston and Kumar 2003; Stoll 2003; Talyarkhan 2004; TDG 2000; The World Bank 2003; UNDP et al. 2001).

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13. Motivation and Incentive for ICT Job Placement in the Community: Local ICT project training and capacity building should ensure that the skills acquired respond to the job market need, assist trainees with job placements in the telecentre, and equip them with proactive skills for finding jobs (Bridges 2006a, 2006b; Dymond and Oestman 2004; Ferguson and Ballantyne 2002; Mphahlele and Maepa 2003; The World Bank 2003). 14. Focus on Economic Self-Sustainability – Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship and creativity (economic sustainability) need to be fostered in rural areas, as the economic environment in which they operate eventually determines the extent and frequency of ICT use in the long term (Bridges 2006a, 2006b; Ferguson and Ballantyne 2002; Keniston and Kumar 2003; Mphahlele and Maepa 2003; UNDP et al. 2001; The World Bank 2003). 15. Encouraged Local Ownership: Ownership plays a significant role in setting the foundation for local buy-in and is crucial for relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and impact. It translates into a willingness to invest effort and resources in the ICT project (Bridges 2006a; CIDA 2003; Ferguson and Ballantyne 2002; Mphahlele and Maepa 2003). 16. Building Local Partnerships: The essence of partnership is that different actors have special competencies and capacities based on their particular mandates that can contribute to rural ICT project sustainability in the form of finance and/or non-financial support (promoting services, raising awareness, and technological infrastructure) (Batchelor and Sugden 2003; Bridges 2006a; Ferguson and Ballantyne 2002; IDRC 2004; Mphahlele and Maepa 2003; Stoll 2003; TDG 2000; Talyarkhan 2004; The World Bank 2003; UNDP et al. 2001; UNDP 2001). 17. Choosing Appropriate Technology: Mechanisms aimed at selecting the right technology for rural environments need to be incorporated. For instance, an infrastructure audit should be undertaken to determine existing and required infrastructure, etc. (Batchelor and Sugden 2003; Bridges 2006a, 2006b; Dymond and Oestman 2004; Ferguson and Ballantyne 2002; IDRC 2004; Talyarkhan 2004; TDG 2000; The World Bank 2003). 18. Building on Existing Public Facilities: Ideally, a community should support the project through providing a building that is rent and maintenance free. Preferred requirements of a building to house the ICTs include electricity, a telephone connection (if no wireless technology), security, and an appropriate location (visible and accessible) (Jacobs and Herselman 2005; Mphahlele and Maepa, 2003; The World Bank 2003). 19. Ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation of the Project: Continuous monitoring and evaluation keep the project on track and reveal the impact on the rural community. Evaluation aims to enable stakeholders to understand the change that has occurred in the community as a result of the project, identify and understand mistakes and shortcomings of the project, improve on past experience, and influence project policy formulation (Batchelor and Sugden 2003; Bridges 2006a; Dymond and Oestman 2004; Jacobs and Herselman 2005; Talyarkhan 2004; TDG 2000; UNDP 2001).


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5.1 CSFs Applied to the Dwesa Case Study Simple and Clear Project Objectives (1): The Dwesa project was not planned sufficiently and the development of simple and clear objectives that can be communicated to the project team and community still needs to be improved. Meetings were held occasionally with the community to discuss the project’s progress, but were avoided at times because the project team assumed it was too formal, and would pressurize or intimidate community stakeholders. Decisions were at times ad hoc and unplanned. The sub-projects were also not sufficiently integrated to support the main project goal, with limited planned delegation, monitoring and accountability of deliverables, possibly due to the absence of a project manager. Approaching the Project in a Holistic Way (2): There is slight evidence (Table 1) that the Dwesa project aims to approach the project holistically. Focusing on Mpume School initially would eventually reveal other rural development activities, as the school acts as a centre for community meetings on development. As ICT acts as an enabler in rural development, project stakeholders (Mpume teachers) can work together through partnerships, also setting the groundwork for community members who have been trained in ICT. Using ICT to Enhance Existing Rural Development Activities (3): Mpume School was chosen as an initial target in the Dwesa ICT project as it is an existing influential organisation in the local community. The project team assumed that focusing on the school initially as a base for the ICT project’s impact, will eventually reveal other rural development activities, as the school acts as a centre for community development meetings. Cultivating an Influential Project Champion (4): Initially, two project champions who would drive the project in the community were selected: Mr. Jabe (Deputy Headmaster of Mpume) and Mrs. Gxarisa (teacher at Mpume). They were involved in planning and decisions regarding the implementation of the project in the community, and motivating community involvement. They both have good ties in the community, and were able to link the project team with other local schools, and community members involved in commercial activities such as the production and selling of indigenous craft. The Dwesa project team maintained communication with the project champions so as to be informed about the local progress of the project. Incorporating Socially Excluded Groups (5): A vital component of the Dwesa project was community participation, especially involving social groups such as the youth and women in project meetings. In addition, a female project champion was chosen, who played a significant role in promoting the confidence of rural women, particularly elderly craft women to become involved in the project. The champions have also encouraged the enthusiastic youth to become actively involved. Awareness of specific ICT Policy Influencing the Project (6): The Dwesa project team is aware of the influence of the ICT policy environment, particularly considering it is a Telkom (Telecommunications Company) funded project. For instance, the project did not necessarily apply for certain licences (WiMAX) individually, as the licences fell under Telkom. Furthermore, the research students are

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aware of the ICT policy environment, given their field of research and educational knowledge on ICT policy. An Understanding of the Local Political Context (7): The Dwesa project team attempted to understand the political environment through background research on the Dwesa area, and the assistance of project champions. Furthermore, the Dwesa Development Board that manages the Trust (political body) was initially approached to create awareness of the ICT project, so as to promote community buyin. However, the project team chose to avoid involvement in local politics and left it to the champions to be accountable to their political environment. A community meeting led by the Chief of Mpume was also held to introduce the ICT project, therefore motivating the community to participate in the project. In effect, participation and buy-in from local political leaders required a constant flow of communication to generate awareness which allowed the project to be less vulnerable to any significant political shifts when they occur. Participation of Community Target Groups in the Project Process (8): The main community target in the Dwesa ICT project for the participation process has been the teachers, who would eventually train the community. Community target groups have not necessarily been identified at the current stage of the project. Nevertheless, local entrepreneurs involved in crafts have been targeted and an attempt has been made to elicit their requirements. Community meetings have also been held occasionally to introduce the goals of the project, and understand the needs and limitations of the community. The project champions continually communicate project issues between the community and project team through phone calls and email. Focusing on Local/Demand Driven Needs (9): It is imperative that the Dwesa ICT project implementation meets the local needs of the community. Since the community lacks an understanding of ICTs capabilities, it is difficult for them to articulate their technology needs in relation to their rural development goals. The teachers at Mpume School have been trained to train and introduce community members to ICT, so as to stimulate demand and user requirements for ICT services in the community. Furthermore, one of the researchers is embarking on an approach to elicit requirements, especially from local entrepreneurs (craftsman and shop owners) who may take advantage of the technology. Building on Local Information and Knowledge Systems (10): A research subproject in the Dwesa ICT project focuses on the development of knowledge networks in the ICT project through analysing the local knowledge system. This will assist in the development of locally relevant content. Appropriate Training and Capacity Building (11): The project team attempted to understand the skill gap in the community by occasionally interviewing the teachers at Mpume School. This enabled the project to provide sufficient and ongoing training (refresher courses) for the community to take effective advantage of ICT. The project team selected the teachers at Mpume and the local youth as key gatekeepers in the community to be trained so as to be able train other community members. At this stage, the community has been trained in how to use Open Office, Internet and email, Wikipedia, and the installation and network connection of computers.


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Training in the project process needs to be associated with an appropriate training structure to apply to the rural community, such that training can be effective and widespread. No training structure was designed for the project team, nor were the teachers assisted in designing an appropriate structure to train the community. Training in the Dwesa project was therefore done in a sporadic and ad hoc manner. Facilitating Local Content Development (12): The project champions and teachers at Dwesa have been trained to produce their own content (for example, to assist with education/lesson planning) with the ICT resources available. As more community members are trained, they are encouraged to produce their own content to support their rural livelihood activities. Language compatibility is also important in local content development. The Open Source Edubuntu platform used in the Dwesa project has the option of being used in English, Xhosa, or Zulu. This allows some community members constrained by language to use the ICT. Other aspects to still consider include communication habits, cultural norms, literacy, appropriate taxonomies, and intellectual property rights. Motivation and Incentive for ICT Job Placement in the Community (13): The Dwesa ICT project has not necessarily employed any community members to run the ICT services provided. It currently operates on a volunteer basis with the project champions in charge of the provision of ICT services. The project champions are, however, planning to provide an incentive for the youth to assist in community training, through eventually charging for training. Focus on Economic Self-sustainability – Entrepreneurship (14): At the early experimental stages of the Dwesa rural ICT project, ICT services were provided free of charge to build up awareness and confidence in use. However, it is imperative that the community does not become entirely dependent on donor funding, as the project may not be sustainable in the long run once donor funding discontinues. The Dwesa project team has encouraged the community to raise money for a printer, which has resulted in planning how to charge for computer literacy training. As the community pays for the services provided, they should become aware of the costs of providing services, such as maintenance of equipment and purchasing paper or toner, so that they become more willing to support the ICT services provided. Encouraged Local Ownership (15): Local ownership has been significantly encouraged in the Dwesa project, through the level of responsibility and involvement of project champions and community members in making some decisions about the project. Furthermore, training and capacity building has equipped community representatives to effectively drive the project. The aim of the project is to build a system of accountability within the community. The type of ownership assumed by local stakeholders at different stages of the project needs to be redefined accordingly, as the ownership of the project is dynamic and embedded in the social context. As the ICT project expands to more communities and schools, the ownership assumed by the initial location, Mpume, will change as resources are shared over the network. Building Local Partnerships (16): The Dwesa project has a partnership with their major donor Telkom, the national telecommunications organisation in South Africa. Telkom provides funding for the Dwesa ICT project, and liaises with the

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universities to assist in the purchase or use of required telecommunications infrastructure. However, there is no evidence in the Dwesa ICT project of planning to build local partnership in the Dwesa community. The Dwesa project team has indicated that it plans to research and create more partnerships to complement the rural ICT project. Once partners have been selected to participate, the goals of the project and their defined roles and responsibilities need to be clearly communicated through a Memorandum of Understanding. Similar documents were drafted in the initial proposal of the project for funding. Choosing Appropriate Technology (17): The Dwesa project team conducted a feasibility study in the initial stages of the project to determine appropriate applications and compatible locations for the ICT project. Schools were mainly targeted for implementation. Therefore, the computer applications chosen are appropriate for educational environments in developing countries. These include the Edubuntu Open Source platform (an open source Linux-based operating system designed for school environments (http://www.edubuntu.org)), the Gutenberg project (a collection of free online books) and Wikipedia (a free content encyclopaedia of information). A WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) Terminal has been implemented in Dwesa. It is considered to be appropriate communication technology for rural environments and will eventually host a potential fixed telephony service among different communities in Dwesa. In addition, a VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) has been installed at Mpume School, which has provided access to the Internet. Refurbished computers were also used to keep costs low. The first computers provided were all new, but the project has recently received a donation of computers (in good condition) from an Australian University. Building on Existing Public Facilities (18): Mpume School was selected as an initial base for the ICT project during the feasibility study. The school acts as a central location for community meetings, and is located along the main road in Dwesa. The Headmaster and teachers have allocated a classroom (with sufficient electricity) for community training and access to ICT services. The classroom originally did not have burglar bars, which posed a security threat. Community funds were therefore raised to install the burglar bars, before the project team was willing to provide the school with more computers and hardware. This also promotes ownership and accountability in the community. The computers are, however, affected by an occasional discontinuous flow of electricity which was identified at a later stage of the project. Ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation of the Project (19): The practice of monitoring and evaluation is weak in the Dwesa ICT project. The occasional field visits were relied upon for updates on the progress of the project. However, there was no plan or designed assessment tool to monitor and evaluate the progress of the project towards achieving its goals. Project team meetings were held to discuss the project’s progress, but these were not held on a regular basis which sometimes hindered the progressive development of the project. Regular reports were also compiled and loaded onto a Wiki to show project progress. However, these reports were informal with no defined template for guidance.


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No evaluation has necessarily been conducted for the Dwesa ICT project. Furthermore, no exiting strategy exists to guide post implementation monitoring and evaluation.

6 Classification of the Critical Success Factors The CSFs identified support one or more of the different categories or types of sustainability as shown in Table 1. Table 1 also provides a summary of the extent of the presence (“strong”, “slight”, “weak”, “none”) of the CSFs in the Dwesa ICT project.

12. Facilitating local content development 13. Existing motivation and incentive for ICT job placement in the community 14. Focus on economic self-sustainability business development (entrepreneurship) 15. Encouraged local ownership

* *

* *

* *

*

*

* *

* *

*

*

*

*

*

*

* *

Presence

Technological

2. Approaching the project in a holistic way 3. Using ICT to enhance existing rural development activities 4. Cultivating an enthusiastic influential project champion 5. Incorporating socially excluded groups 6 Incorporating/awareness of specific ICT policy influencing the project 7. A good understanding of the local political context 8. Significant participation of community target groups in the project process 9. Focusing on local/demand driven needs 10. Building on local information and knowledge systems 11. Appropriate training and capacity building

Political

1. Simple and clear project objectives

Institutional

CSFs

Social and cultural

Categories of sustainability

Economic/financial

Table 1. Classification of the critical success factors into the categories of rural ICT project sustainability

Weak Slight Slight Strong Slight Slight

*

Strong

*

Slight

*

*

*

*

*

Slight Weak

*

Slight

*

*

*

*

*

Weak Weak

*

Slight

*

16. Building local partnerships 17. Choosing the appropriate or right technology 18. Building on existing public facilities

*

*

19. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the project

*

* *

*

Slight * *

*

Slight Strong Strong

*

*

*Critical success factors associated with specific categories of sustainability

*

*

Weak

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7 Conclusion Information and knowledge are key strategic resources which can be effectively applied through ICTs that enable rural development. However, the constraints to rural ICT use result in projects that fail at different levels particularly with respect to sustainability. Sustainability is key to the effectiveness of a rural ICT project. The categories of sustainability reveal critical success factors that need to be considered in an ICT project. An exploration of the Dwesa rural ICT project presents the application of the CSFs of sustainability. The practice and application of particular CSFs in the Dwesa case still needs to be improved to promote the sustainability of the project. Nevertheless, given some factors that have been adopted, there are successful aspects of the project, and this has equipped and provided researchers with the experience and reality of rural ICT projects. The CSFs show that the effective implementation of rural ICT projects relies heavily on the consideration of human/user (community-oriented) factors related to social, political, cultural and economic influences. The factors that need to be considered and characteristics of such projects differ significantly from the approach to development of ICT projects in more developed countries or regions. Consequently, an approach towards ICT project management that is sensitive to rural requirements and the critical factors that promote ICT project sustainability needs to be formulated.

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