The contextual relevancy of the right information for

The contextual relevancy of the right information for the right person at the right time, for the right purpose in an online environment Retha de la Harpe Associate Professor Faculty Informatics & Design Cape Peninsula University of Technology South Africa

The contextual relevancy of the right information for the right person at the right time, for the right purpose in an online environment AGENDA

Abundance of information today, Available in the global connected world.

INFORMATION v Those without access to this information are increasingly becoming isolated. v We live in a digital world.

INTRODUCING TECHNOLOGY v. Introducing technology solutions v. Addressing information literacy at the same time.

INFORMATION LITERACY

DEFINING INFORMATION QUALITY § People need the right information at the right time for the right purpose.

DEFINING INFORMATION QUALITY Information quality is complex, Multidimensional and has human involvement Fit for purpose § What is meant by these quality dimensions?

DEFINITION OF INFORMATION QUALITY • The right information means that it must have: Meaning R-Information Recipient Access R-Time Appropriate R-Purpose

ONLINE ENVIRONMENT & CONTEXT v The online environment v The information producer & consumer -in a specific context. v The information needs of these people need to be considered. So much information! So many choices! What does it all mean?

INFORMATION CONTEXT In community-based contexts, information intermediaries often provide information to individuals from communities with a low literacy level.

INFORMATION INTERMEDIARIES v The information intermediaries typically convey information on an informal basis, via face-to-face meetings, focus groups, or discussions. v This could result in information degradation over time, or prove inadequate for sharing and public dissemination.

COMMUNITY BASED CONTEXTS HEALTH INTERMEDIARIES • There is emphasis today on wellbeing through health promotion and disease prevention. • More individuals obtain relevant information to enable them manage their own lifestyles.

COMMUNITY BASED CONTEXTS HEALTH INTERMEDIARIES v In community-based contexts health intermediaries take on the role as information consumers to convey relevant information to the individuals. v Even in these cases the health intermediaries may also not have easy access to relevant information.

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH v The context of ubiquitous mobile technology in the Global South v Community-oriented information systems v Granting universal access – but is this enough?

What is e. Health literacy? Defined as the ability to seek, find, understand appraise health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained to addressing or solving a health problem. Unlike other distinct forms of literacy, e. Health literacy combines facets of literacy skills and applies them to e. Health promotion and care. WHO, 2013

Reaching poor communities • A mobile library and resource centre for outreach to support rural schools, early childhood care centres and adult education • Poor communities - rural and urban communities where people are trapped in a perpetual cycle of poverty and unemployment with the appalling social ills such as… substance abuse, family violence, child abuse, disease and crime … amongst others. A mobile library goes out to rural primary schools to improve the reading literacy rates.

Health Information Literacy An Asset • For individuals & communities • Important form of social capital • and means empowerment

The story of a Health Intermediary Health promoter: David • Completed his Matric; works for NPO in a high-transmission area • Distributes promotional health materials (condoms, pamphlets) • A lot of tense discussions with community members, especially medical male circumcision, unprotected sex, and condom use • Uses paper-based promotional materials; wishes these were more colourful and interactive • He owns a feature mobile phone and uses a pay-as-you-go option. He has limited money available to buy more airtime

Context considerations to design m. Health Solutions Four intersecting dimensions of context – Personal (micro) – Physical (meso) – Socio-economic (macro) – Interactional (dynamic)

Context Information need Personal (micro) Locally defined information about treatment, prevention, and promotion. Physical (meso) Information that supports the services provided, including health facilities, resources, services, partners, and training opportunities in the region. Socio-economic (macro) Information about guidelines, policies, international best practices, and laws. Interactional (dynamic) Information practices; information seeking and behaviour of individuals and groups; experiences when interacting with information objects and with mobile devices, systems or applications.

m. Health Intermediary Information Model • Health intermediaries need information to support their work practices; • Currently, the vast amount of health information is not always accessible and locally relevant; • An intervention may be needed to facilitate the access and use of relevant health information for intermediaries. m. Health has the potential to facilitate this; • Intermediaries’ work practices are influenced by the contexts in which they function;

m. Health Intermediary Information Model • Contextual aspects are complex and need to be unpacked to provide for possible information interventions; • Contexts manifest as both static and dynamic modalities. Example, availability of a phone (static) against using the phone to seek and use information (dynamic). • In designing mobile interventions, both static and dynamic context considerations are required.

Global Health and Wellbeing Information Macro Mobile App Physical Information Space Personal Information Practices Information Recipient Intermediary Time

Two contextual design considerations 1. Determine the static context dimensions across three levels: Ø personal (subjective, experiential realms) Ø physical (temporal, spatial, material realms) Ø macro (geographic and socio-economic realms) 2. Determine the dynamic information space in terms of Ø information practices Ø Relations Ø user experiences (the ‘fourth context’) This concerns the interaction between intermediaries and recipients, especially related to information practices, objects and behaviour.

Acknowledgement INDEHELA-ISD 4 D Project –funded by the Academy of Finland

Thank you