Paper Reading #3: Multi-lifespan information system design in post-conflict societies: an evolving project in Rwanda

Comments:


Reference Information:
Title: Multi-lifespan information system design in post-conflict societies: an evolving project in Rwanda
Authors: Batya Friedman, Tron Nilsen, Lisa Nathan, Robert Utter, Milli Lake, Mark Ring, Neil Carden Grey,     Zoe Kahn
Presentation Venue: CHI 2010 April 10-15, 2010 Atlanta, Georgia, USA


Summary:

Rwanda's Flag

The paper starts out by describing the problem that starts this research. In 1994 800,000 Rwandans were massacred in just 100 days. The transitional government that followed the genocide had three justice systems emerge, one of them being the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). The ICTR was made to prosecute those who organized and masterminded the genocide.


49 video interviews were conducted to collect the experiences of the ICTR's judges, prosecutors, defense lawyers, investigators, interpreters, and the everyday staff. These videos are called the 'Tribunal Voices'. The goal of this was to address the social and technical challenges of creating an information system to preserver, manage, and support access and reuse of the ICTR's information.


This is relevant to HCI because of the intersection between information systems, design, and societal issues.
Multi-lifespan information systems are mentioned because it is important to not that peace building from a genocide is unlikely to be solved in a single human lifespan, so the information must be preserved efficiently.


This project made three important contributions. First, it supports the Rwandan people in their efforts to achieve justice. Second, it provides the HCI community with methods and approaches for undertaking information in post-conflict situations. Third, it it describes the first exploration of multi-lifespan information system design.

Discussion:


This was very interesting to read because I didn't know much about this subject. I think this is significant to the HCI community because of how they use HCI to help in pressing societal issues. It also uses digital material that the Rwandan disempowered population can access instead of in the form of a book which might be clearer to some people

I think the mention of multi-lifespan information systems is important because in the paper it is stressed that this project will possibly help contribute to the lasting peace of Rwanda by keeping this information managable for many human lifetimes to come.