Co-Design as an Agile Information Systems Strategy to Empower Bottom-of-the-Pyramid (BoP) ICT End-Users in National Government Departments in Developing Countries

Abstract

Lack of user involvements in the design phase of Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is believed to be the contributing factors to the barriers inherent to the poor use and acceptance of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems at the Bottom-of-the-Pyramid (BoP) level. In addition, the majority of ICT systems within National Government Departments in South Africa are implemented without adequate participation of BoP end-users hence later these ICT systems become unsustainable and take time to reach the expected adoption rate or later they become unsustainable with their life cycles cut short. It is therefore necessary to investigate the extent of the Agile Information Systems strategy to align ICT systems with business processes along with user involvement at BoP level within National Government Departments in South Africa. In addition, co-design is one of the methods that can be used as Agile Information Systems strategy to facilitate user involvement. This research study therefore investingates: How can Co-design be applied as an Agile Information Systems Strategy to Empower BoP ICT End-Users South African National Government Departments to enhance Use and Acceptance of ICT System.