Communitites, action and inter-action : a framework for mediated communication exploring service delivery and planning of community care services

Computer mediated interaction offers a rich application area for exploring communication between communities and service delivery provider. This paper outlines the conceptual framework, methodology and initial interpretations of a pilot study undertaken by a governmental human service network, HSNet. The study, conducted in a rural community in NSW, Australia, approaches the communication between the service delivery and consumer as a dialogue. A dialogue between two parties can be positioned to trace and reflect on the governmental planning model of service delivery and the community that experience these services as individuals. Such experiential knowledge can be gained from understandings from a range of client stories that reflect the community interaction with service delivery. We approach the communication between parties as a transcript of differing parts that can actively construct relations through the mediation of the human services network, HSNet. Further dialog can be modeled on three levels: content, structure and presence. Each or all of these levels can be directed to supporting or nullifying common ground between parties. Here common ground refers to the knowledge shared by two communicating parties (Berg, 1997, cited by Coiera 2000,). The design problem focuses on how to increase the bandwidth for such interactions so that all parties can derive meaning. The long term goal is to position the health service network in a role where such mediation between parties can be explicitly and implicitly linked to action that affects service planning and community delivery, and that the experience of the individual in the community can be incorporated actively into the process of such planning. The paper concludes with summary of preliminary insights from the project and a brief overview of future developments.