Facilitating Community Processes through Culturally Appropriate Informatics: An Australian Indigenous Community Information Systems Case Study

Abstract

This chapter discusses how community processes may be facilitated through the use of information systems (IS), developed via a highly participative methodology. It examines the utility of several approaches to modeling community information requirements. By way of illustration, it describes progress on the participative development of the Ieramugadu Cultural Information System (ICIS). This project is designed to develop and evaluate innovative procedures for elicitation, analysis, storage and communication of indigenous cultural heritage information. It is investigating culturally appropriate IS design techniques, multimedia approaches, and ways to ensure protection of secret/sacred information. Development of ICIS is being carried out in close cooperation with an indigenous community in Western Australia.