The Process

As a joint venture involving people in at least five core organisations, and frequently many others, the project required substantial interaction.

Most of the internal communication was by e-mail, with opportunities to meet face-to face grabbed when possible. While the whole group has not met since December 1998, several sub-groups have met informally. Thus, IRC, GARNET and OneWorld met in Delft and Bonn in June and December 1999. World Bank staff were in Maastricht with GARNET, IRC, and OneWorld in May 1999. WaterAid met with IRC in December 1999 and earlier with GARNET and OneWorld. Aside from these incidental (but very important) meetings, there was a steady flow of e-mail between the partners, especially in preparing each e-conference. Two or three times, OneWorld circulated an informal message to all concerned with an update on progress. Outside the group, there was significant communication with the partners of the partners, especially to mobilise their participation in the on- and off-line discussions.

The only area where significant differences between the partners occurred was in selecting the topic for the second e-conference. World Bank staff wanted a rural focus whereas the organisers proposed a more urban focus. The issue was resolved through a World Bank compromise. In retrospect, the issue could have been avoided through clearer communication on the scope of the Think Tank.

Division of tasks

The project was foreseen as a joint venture with a division of tasks among the participating groups. Thus, GARNET took the lead in setting up and organising the e-conferences, working with the moderators and doing the evaluations. IRC has taken the lead, assisted by OneWorld on the web site. WaterAid and the World Bank contributed staff time and stimulated the involvement of partners in the South. OneWorld acted as facilitator and catalyst, seeking also to involve its various networks. This has taken time to develop but, after the first year of operation the various roles and task division and respective strengths of the partners became clear.

An important part of the process was to 'marry' the information and communication skills of the partners with the people having real 'content' issues and expertise. The e-conferences, especially, have developed as a tool for practitioners, managed at least on the content side, by practitioners. The web site is a more traditional information and communication tool, put together mainly by people working in the information and communication 'business.' All in all, the mix seems to have been effective with both sectoral practitioners and communication specialists interested in the results.

Mobilise participation

In a sector as large and important a water and sanitation, there are numerous organisations and initiatives active in the general information and communication area, and having a stake in the issues discussed. One of the challenges has been to reach out to these organisations, to solicit their involvement and support, and to mobilise their participation. The latter has largely been forthcoming via the e-conferences. However, aside from informal links with groups like GHK and GESI, the formal involvement of other organisations in the actual functioning of the project, as core partners so to speak, has not yet materialised (nor has it really been actively sought).

Likewise, partner organisations in the South have been substantially involved in the e-conferences but did not 'join' the project group. One of the key challenges in the future will be to broaden the base for projects such as this one, North and South, and to see how the capacities needed to organise such projects in the South can be developed,. In other words, the project had many participants, a small number of collaborators, and very few partners.

Awareness raising: before and after

The need to link with other groups was mentioned above. Early on, it was recognised that awareness-raising, visibility, and marketing are crucial to the success of the project. This is needed for each e-conference and for the project as a whole (for continued sustainability). It is also important to ensure that the approach and the lessons are also shared with other groups seeking to do similar things.

As a result, each e-conference was preceded by mailings to interested groups, including those outside the sector who might be interested in the issues. OneWorld has highlighted the project on its main page, its regional editions, and in the e-newsletter sent to all 700+ partner organisations. IRC, GARNET and WaterAid included write-ups and information in their newsletters and web pages. The project was listed on the World Bank's web site and on its discussion forum.

Regarding the project as an example for information and communication activities, various presentations and demonstrations were made at interntional meetings (Delft, Maastricht, Bonn, Rome, Harare).