Eldis 20th Anniversary Workshop 2016: Geoff Barnard

Eldis 20th Anniversary Workshop 2016: Geoff Barnard

• 1.
  What’s changed sinceEldis was set up, and what does it mean for the future? Eldis 20th Anniversary Workshop: Learning from 20 years of digital knowledge sharing for global development 15 September 2016 Geoff Barnard www.ids.ac.uk Knowledge sharing for development 1 [email protected]
• 2.
  Where’s the bar? The ascentof intermediary man
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  Thinking Technology User expectations Donor appetitesand priorities Global development landscape What’s changed since 1996? 1996 2016A Lot !
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  Phases 1996 201620102000 20052015 0 1 2 3 4 5
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  0. Pre-Eldis Phase(before 1996)
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  1. The EarlyDays (1996-2000) First there was empty (cyber) space Research comms in infancy The Policy Briefing was quite a revolutionary concept Nobody knew if the internet would catch on An era of experimentation (launch of Eldis, id21, Euforic, Bellanet) Conventional library role under scrutiny
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  2. Catching thewave (2001-2005) First there was empty (cyber) space Web clearly taking off Research comms gathering steam (RAPID) KM hits the development sector (World Bank  Knowledge Bank) A burst of new initiatives (GDNet, Development Gateway, SciDev, DFID Resource Centres, DGroups) DFID budget expanding, other donors getting on board
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  3. Riding thewave (2006-2010) First there was empty (cyber) space Research comms more sophisticated & mainstream Knowledge intermediary role being recognised and studied Rise of mobile phones Web 2.0 opening new avenues (wikis, online communities, crowd sourcing) Lot’s of hype but no one very sure which way it’s all going Funding easy to find (in UK)
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  4. High tide(2010-2015) First there was empty (cyber) space Social media taking off Open knowledge gaining foothold (GOKH, MOOCs) Knowledge hubs for big programmes Demand side focus (BCURE) Proving impact still elusive Getting harder to fund collection and curation work KM going out of vogue
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  5. Today (2016) Firstthere was empty (cyber) space ICTs more powerful than ever Big data Mobile devices ubiquitous We want it now, we want it free Research comms embedded Hard to fund free-standing intermediary work Some big initiatives winding down Renewed focus on learning
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  A detour intothe climate world Big new priority area Massive need for reliable information at all levels Portal proliferation syndrome Silo tendency If in doubt – hold a workshop!
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  Encouraging signs ofprogress Growing community of practice Strong collaborative ethos Some clever data sharing tools  the ‘knowledge grid’ An emerging vision New focus on capacity building
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  The Achilles heel Ouch,we’ve run out of funding Ouch, we’ve run out of funding
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  It all hingeson people Effective knowledge sharing does not happen by magic It requires skills, dedication, ingenuity, support systems, a conducive setting, funding… What’s not changed since 1996?
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  So where isthis all going? Technology drivers: Atomisation, AI, Big data Dominance of big players (Google, Facebook, etc.)  Connectivity Research drivers: Ever more crowded marketplace Northern dominance  Pressure to show impact Development drivers: World more complex & interconnected than ever Knowledge at a premium Funding drivers: Aid under scrutiny New donors emerging Politics
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  Where does thisleave the user?
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  Where to fromhere? … let’s discuss! Pack up our portals and head for the bar? Regroup, reinvent, and radically improve our funding pitch?