An overview on strategies for local government to foster digital inclusion. Presentation by David Keyes for the 2013 National League of Cities Congress mobile digital inclusion workshop. This covers the digital inclusion framework, community assessment and Community Technology programs of the City of Seattle Department of Information Technology. Also IT Equity Project management tool. For more also see seattle.gov/tech

1. Community Technology Program
Ensuring digital inclusion for all…
SO
Residents & neighborhoods
have the
Information technology capacity
needed for
• employment,
• civic and cultural participation,
• lifelong learning, and
• access to essential services
David Keyes
Derrick Hall
Delia Burke
Vicky Yuki
Seattle.gov/tech
@diginclusion

2. 
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Access
Literacy
Content
(reading & writing)
For residents, businesses and NGO’s
Digital Divide
Digital Inclusion
Broadband Deployment & Adoption

3. Access to devices and the internet
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Availability, cost, ease of use for connectivity to the Internet,
and end-user hardware and software. Assistive technology.
Also tech support.
Literacy in using computer and internet technologies
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Skills required in order to utilize the equipment and Internet
effectively for essential services, education, employment, civic
engagement and cultural participation.
Meaningful and useful content and services available

Services available for those in need, culturally and
educationally appropriate design, marketing and placement
appropriate to reach underserved communities, and enabling
of content production and distribution by lower capacity
residents, businesses and organizations.

4. ◦ In Brief
 Work alongside Web Team, Seattle Channel & Cable
Office
 Started with a bulletin board and then public terminal
as part of the Public Access Network (PAN)
 Cable funded
 ~ $1.3 million
 Funds and tech assistance
reinvested in the community

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Ensure all residents can get to city services &
participate in city processes
Educational excellence
Youth development & violence prevention
Workforce training
English literacy and immigrant services
Small business development
Use of e- gov & essential services
Civic engagement
Safety & emergency preparedness
Community building and problem solving
Race & Social Justice

6. 
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Map community assets
Staff is critical to develop strategy and build
internal & external partnerships
Reinvesting tech/telecom revenue into related
purposes
Leverage city funds
Use trusted community liaisons
Encourage best practices, evaluation and staff
continuity
Advisory board or council on digital inclusion
brings added value

8. • Measures based on city & community goals
• Phone & online surveys
• Focus groups
• Data on cable, broadband use and on e-civic
participation, as well as barriers to use
• Used in planning city services
Seattle.gov/tech/indicators

9. Focus groups in multiple languages, and with the disabled
and African American community provide input on electronic
civic participation, Internet use and barriers to use, social
media, and technology literacy needs.

11. 
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72% want to give opinion electronically
Email preferred way to get info
58% interested in community meeting via
high speed Internet
69% of those 18-25 would prefer to get
urgent information from the City via text.
Combined strategies important!

12. 
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Broadband access, adoption & civic
engagement
Competitive annual grant program
$320K to 23 projects
Wide range of community groups
Match more than 1:1
Guided by Advisory
Board
Seattle.gov/tech/tmf
Councilmember Harrell with grantees at City Hall

13. Civic Engagement
Job & Homelessness
Rainier Beach Empowerment Coalition enabled 15
youth journalists to post 247 headlines on issues
they care about
Children & Families
TAF engaged 24 youth of
color in learning robotics,
blogging and genetics
Jubilee Women’s Center
helped over 100 low
income women gain MS
Office Certification &
other tech skills
Education
Rainier Vista Tech
Center provided
computer-based ESL
classes to 60
immigrants and
refugees

14. Resource hub, incl. map of computer centers
Training and networking
State Council on Digital Inclusion
Developed state definition of digital inclusion/
community technology
◦ BTOP Public Computing project
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 35 Centers
 Workforce Development Council
 Computers in Courthouses, Libraries and community
Communitiesconnect.org

15. Covers team, plan, product, & deployment
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Identify accurate requirements
Make conscious and deliberate choices
(i.e. languages)
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Identify and eliminate unintended barriers
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Improve user acceptance
Link to Tool

16. 
What diversity is there in the stakeholders?
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How does the project team reflect that diversity?
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How does product design/selection ensure best
outcome?
How are differing needs of user groups met
throughout the project lifecycle?
•
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Outreach
Training
•
Support

17. 
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National Everyone On Campaign
Pew Internet and American Life
NTIA /census report: Exploring the Digital Nation
Communities Connect Network
Seattle Digital Inclusion Framework
Seattle Information Technology Equity Project
Management Tool
Seattle Race and Social Justice Initiative
Seattle Information Technology Indicators
Connecting People for Development Study

18. To learn about the research and evaluation projects
lead by the U.S. IMPACT Study research group and
how the IMPACT Team can help your library through
implementing strategic evaluation, workshops,
research, visit:
http://tascha.washington.edu/usimpact/
Learn about the project team and download
a copy of the extended report:
http://tascha.uw.edu/projects/digitalinclusion-framework/
Find out more about IMLS initiatives to help
community leaders make strategic decisions
about technology investments at
http://www.imls.gov/about/digitally_inclusi
ve_communities.aspx

20. David.keyes@seattle.gov
@diginclusion
Seattle.gov/tech