Promoting Technological Adoption in Vulnerable Communities. A Call to Action.

Technical possibilities have always been the bases to conceptualize the relation between humanity and environment. Nowadays, when the technological possibilities are greater than ever and their challenges to our society disclose new-fangled unpreparedness, a deep reflection about the humanistic meaning of digitalization is very needed.
If technological developments come with ambiguities, since they can be seen both as salvation and threat for humanity, they bring even great uncertainties in vulnerable communities, where the changes that new technological resources introduce can emphasize the socioecological instabilities of a community. In this context, design, planning and policy making face a new challenge: facilitating technology adoption, so that technological resources could effectively reduce both the digital divide and the contextual socioecological vulnerabilities. Of course, the adaptation of technology entails a journey fraught with difficulties, risks, and complexities that all stakeholders engaged in sustainable transformation processes must acknowledge and confront. This Networking Event will indagate how to adequately address the challenges associated with the transfer and adaptation processes within vulnerable communities, to put every people first in our digital era.
The discussion will start from the research project “Design for Vulnerables – Technology Challenge” (www.designforvulnerables.com), which is implementing ongoing and successful cases of bringing accessible technological resources closer to vulnerable communities, solving contextual problems.
Even if common patterns can be uncovered, the very concept of vulnerability is extremely contextual and the definition of common design approaches for technological adaptation and transfer may become quite arbitrary. For this reason, the panel will bring together thoughts originated from different countries. Challenges for vulnerable communities in Kenia will be presented by Dr. Samantha Winter, who spent last years working with women in Nairobi’s informal settlements. Dr. Ni will bring Asian experiences of digital participation for inclusive growth. European vulnerabilities and digitalization challenges will be discussed by Dr. Cattaneo, with a focus on information and participation. Challenges for Latin America will be presented by Dr. Andrade, who underlines the role that technological resources and digitalization can play in Brazilian urban vulnerable communities. The main input for discussion will come from the presentation of a previous collaboration: Dr. Giorgi will introduce the “Design for Vulnerables – Technology Challenge” research project, which offers a design process applied during 2023 and 2024 in the realization of six interventions in four Mexican vulnerable communities, aimed to facilitate the introduction and the appropriation of accessible technological resources.