The trouble with computers
Theories of the Information Society
Theories of the Information Society
Linked
Simulation for the Social Scientist
Simulation for the Social Scientist
Digital Era Governance: IT Corporations, the State, and e-Government
Digital Era Governance: IT Corporations, the State, and e-Government
Web science: an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the web
Communications of the ACM - Web science
Proceedings of the 3rd international conference on Theory and practice of electronic governance
Envisioning digital Europe 2030: scenario design on ICT for governance and policy modelling
Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance
Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance
| Hi-index | 0.00 |
Attempts have been made to measure the Information Society, globally or partially, ever since computing and telecommunications became ICTs, some twenty to thirty years ago. The least we can say is that it has not been easy. Though this complexity lessens when measuring specific features for local appraisal goals or benchmarking them within a broader framework, measurement of the socio-economic value of ICTs is particularly controversial. Here the challenge is not only to count possessions, connections or usages, but assess to what extent ICT investments trigger new valued added and increase overall performance. This paper aims to highlight various types of measuring contributions, putting them in perspective within a new paradigmatic requirement. More specifically, we claim that ICTs can only be "measured" when the measuring objective and context are coupled with: 1. reflexive questioning (how do we know that we know what we know regarding ICT efficiency and effectiveness?), and 2. modelling design and research (how do we represent that efficiency and effectiveness, with what computing modelling techniques and within which kind of assumption and theoretical debates?). After examining traditional views on ICT measurement, this paper suggests some concrete steps forward in measuring-modelling and discusses the most promising ways to tackle grand challenge level issues (ICT impact is not about small improvements only). The paper builds upon the hypothesis that there is a need to develop meta-measuring and multi-modelling approaches which address macro-economic needs as well as micro-economic indications. The paper concludes by outlining how user-driven dynamics and broader transformational signals can lead us to a better understanding and measurement of critical Information Society dynamics such as participation and democracy, computer literacy and wellbeing, governance and inclusion to mention just a few.