The design of information systems for the project will inevitably be
a learning process. The main phases include the establishment of overall
goals, selection of initial implementation requirements, and the shaping
of longer term strategies. Initial activities will be influenced strongly
by the start-up process of the project as a whole.
A clear picture of the pattern of start-up activity will of course only
emerge after the event, but it can be helpful to try and make some estimate
of the way the project may develop initially:
Early pressures to get activity going in project sites - get project
momentum established, with a concurrent need to remove information bottlenecks
quickly.
The early stages will see the emergence of different professional groups
with different levels of skill and experience, different access to resources,
facing different technical requirements. Groups will seek opportunities
for horizontal transmission of technical knowledge and experience, both
inside and outside country. There will be a need for a variety of external
technical expertise in some cases
Local project activity will consolidate and expand over the life of
project. In each country, several groups may be involved at any time, facing
a wide range of technical issues. Groups will come together and interact,
and a range of other stakeholders in each locality will be drawn in. It
is likely that a number of "invisible colleges" will form in
any given country during the life of the project. Their character will
be different in each country but in each case there will be a need to ensure
that younger participants get a chance to shine through
The process of diffusion of mitigation activity will be complex. Groups
involved in influence and promotion will vary: professionals, and staff
of city administrations may be prominent, but other groups may be involved.
Local factors will dominate but "promoters" will seek strong
outside backing to enhance their credibility.
Generally there will be a strong need for project visibility and credibility
to provide milieu for diffusion
Take up will require extensive local discussion and education, even
where city authorities are enthusiastic. Political factors will be as important
initially as technical ones, often more so.
Take up will be substantially related to three issues: The extent that
the complexity of the arguments in favour of effective mitigation can be
reduced. The extent to which innovations can be tried on a limited basis,
at low risk The extent to which the results of successful mitigation can
be easily communicated to new players, with clear evidence of effectiveness
The process of diffusion and take up will be different for each city,
reflecting politics and personalities and risk profiles. The more that
is known about local conditions, the more likely will persuasion and diffusion
work.
Groups involved in later projects will need to be encouraged to look
for and rely on lessons developed in earlier ones.
Other parallel projects are likely to develop involving other donors
and specialist centres, and there will be a need to develop collaborative
information sharing relationships with these other projects.
