Robin van Koert Brooklyn, USA robin_van_koert@yahoo.com Completed consulting projects Evaluation of AISTAR, a database containing activism supporting information (principal: Amnesty International - International Secretariat, London, UK) Evaluation of three databases, or "virtual collaborative workspaces" (principal: Amnesty International - International Secretariat, London, UK) Research project on electronic surveillance and the related UK legislation (e.g. the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and the Data Protection Act 1998) (principal: Amnesty International - International Secretariat, London, UK) Timbuktu: an information and communication demand assessment (Multipurpose Community Telecentres) (principal: Johan Ernberg, International Telecommunication Union, ITU, 1998) The world is not a deterministic place where one event inevitable follows another. As a result, it is also not a predictable place. Although most people would generally, and intuitively, agree with this statement, the potential of technology is still often perceived from a rather more deterministic point of view. The technology is more versatile, therefore the use of that technology will also become more versatile. Unfortunately, people tend to throw serious spanners in the wheels of such arguments. Typically, a user of technology has his or her own interpretation of the specific benefits of a certain technology. If the benefit aimed at by an organization does not match with the perceived benefits of the users, most of the expectations on how a technology is going to work wonders can be thrown out of the window. In order to make technology work, you need to be able to put yourself in the shoes of the users. Based on my experiences as an in-house consultant in the corporate world and an independent consultant for Amnesty International, I can provide you with custom made advice that will make technology work for you, because your users will want it to work. The field of international development is very broad and complicated. Therefore, it seems to be "common sense" that good and objective research on an issue in international development can only be conducted by people with very specific knowledge of, and experience with, that specific issue. During four years of research on the application of ICT in rural development, I have obtained in-depth knowledge of, and experience with, that specific aspect of international development. I have conducted interviews with a wide range of experts in the telecommunication and international development sector in Ghana, Indonesia, Mali, Peru and Vietnam. In addition, I have extensively researched literature on ICT in rural development. The results of my desk and field research are displayed in my dissertation. Given my knowledge, experience, language skills and independence from vested interests, I am ideally qualified to provide you with excellent consultancy work in the field of ICT and international development. If you are interested in a discussion on having research or consultancy in the field of ICT and international development conducted by me, please do not hesitate to contact me personally, by phone or via e-mail Send an e-mail