Innovation Reimagined: IYF's Take on the Refreshed Principles for Digital Development

In March 2024, the Digital Impact Alliance launched a refresh of the Principles for Digital Development. The Principles provide a “compass for those working to promote sustainable and inclusive development in today’s complex digital landscape.” IYF has proudly been an endorser of the Principles for nearly five years, and we draw inspiration from the Principles across our digital work. Originally launched in 2014, the original and now refreshed nine Principles act as guideposts for development-sector donors, international organizations, and civil society organizations. Since the refreshed Principles came out last month, IYF staff in our Digitally Curious Group have been abuzz—discussing the Principles, the refresh, and what’s next for digital at IYF. Keep on reading for our hot takes on some of the Principles, hot dogs, and super heroes from five of our colleagues.

Elizabeth Salazar, Sr. Technical Advisor for Youth Opportunities

What do you like about this Principle?
I like that this Principle prioritizes people and their access to information about them and that they may benefit from over others that may also use and benefit from that information. It’s one thing to say we can all share and benefit from certain information and it’s another to set priorities and to put people first in how their information is collected, analyzed, and shared back with them.

What phrase in the Principle description stands out to you the most? Why?
“It is thus critical to consider people and to put their rights and needs first...” It’s important to remember that we have rights when it comes to data about us. On the surface it may not seem like we are giving up anything by sharing information about ourselves, but that can change depending on how and with whom that information is shared.  We also have needs, and if our data can help address some of those needs, then we should be the first to benefit from it.

What IYF project or activity embraces it well? How?
IYF takes steps to ensure that we are designing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating approaches and results from programs that benefit youth. To do this we need to co-design and partner with young people, youth leaders, youth-led and youth-serving organizations who know best the challenges they face and solutions that programs can try to address. We work with them to both collect, implement, and evaluate programs.

What can this principle tell us about which country makes the best jollof rice?

This principle has a lot to say about the best jollof rice! Everyone is different and has unique needs and preferences. I may like my jollof rice less spicy, while someone else may disagree with that. If you appreciate the things that make each of us unique, there is room for different variations on a dish. But it’s about the people.

Kaitlyn Anderson, Corporate & Foundation Partnerships Coordinator

What do you like about this Principle?
I like that this Principle ideally benefits people and communities! Using evidence means acknowledging the nuanced needs of a group or environment to make better decisions over time.

How does embracing this principle improve the lives for young people?
Evidence, such as data or qualitative surveys, can help inform a program’s design to more accurately address the varied needs of young people. For example, if transportation is a barrier for a group of young people, changes to an IYF program can be made to address this.

What should we call a superhero that focuses on this Principle?
Let’s go with Reason Ranger!

Linda Fogarty, Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning

What do you like about this Principle?
I hate to see wasted energy! So much has already been done—whether it’s work on technology products or related research or policies—so why not build on the best that’s out there instead of starting from scratch. I love the idea of tapping into what’s out there, and then contributing improvements for the next person working on a similar problem.

What phrase in the Principle description stands out to you the most?
“Forgoing this principle in favor of do-it-alone approaches leads to…undue burden on people that can hinder trust and participation.” Why? Developing good and useful digital products requires a lot of collaboration. It’s easy to focus on the amount of work WE will do in that development process, but we sometimes forget the burden on our collaborators and the importance of maintaining their good will.

What IYF project or activity embraces it well? How?
Internally, IYF maintains a bank of digital M&E forms in FormAssembly that are available to everyone in the organization for reuse. They help standardize our measurement approaches, but also allow for adding new dimensions and improvements for future users.   

What more would you like to see IYF do to honor it?
Create and maintain a tracker that lists digital products commonly used internally so at least within the organization we share, reuse and improve our digital products. Ideally this would be extended to commonly requested relevant external products as well.

How does embracing this principle improve the lives for young people?
It saves money and time that can be used instead to align the product better with the current needs of young people.

What should we call a superhero that focuses on this Principle?
I’d call her The Recycler!

Rhonda Greenaway, Technical Advisor, Digital Development

What do you like about this Principle?
To me, designing with people is the most basic building block of good digital development. Intentionally and uniquely engaging different stakeholders connected to a solution helps you produce a solution that is responsive to a community’s needs, and also acts as a catalyst in driving adoption and rollout. In working alongside the intended audience in decision-making and design activities you are also building advocates for the solution and its success.

What phrase in the Principle description stands out to you the most? Why?
“Establishing avenues for feedback and redressal that are regularly monitored and addressed; and committing to agile methods that allow for continual improvement.”

Asking someone for their insight, needs, and opinion on any solution (or anything for that matter) is a bit like opening a door. You’ve taken the first step and introduced yourself and your initiative but to build a relationship and get invited in you need to establish trust and value. Returning and sharing what changes you’ve made and communicating your progress based on their insights helps move you one step further. After that, share an expected cadence or path to continue hearing from them. This cements the relationship and helps you further refine your solution—what works today might not work two months from now!

How does embracing this principle improve the lives for young people?
Any well-designed solution should make your user’s life — at minimum — easier. In leveraging this principle you’ve taken the time to engage them in a dialogue, capture their frustrations, goals, experiences, expectations, etc. With their inputs integrated their experience should feel intuitive, convenient, and supportive. By embracing this principle you’ve not only helped make their complicated lives a tad simpler, but you’ve also shown them how powerful their input can be on the systems and solutions that serve them.

What should we call a superhero that focuses on this Principle?
Oh jeez, let’s put out the Bat-Signal for ChatGPT to join this super team. Some suggestions, courtesy of the internet’s favorite AI tool: Dialogic Defender, Empathic Echoist, and the Feedback Falcon.

What can this principle tell us about whether a hot dog is a sandwich?
This principle would clearly say this widely debated question is not for us to determine in a vacuum, but rather an opportunity to ask those who eat hot dogs what they think. Where should we be stocking hot dogs in the grocery store? Does the type of hot dog matter? What if they’re out of buns — does the type of bread make a difference? What about how it’s cooked — stove, grill, air fryer, or microwave?

Eric Couper, Digital Development Director 

What do you like about this Principle?
The tech world has historically loved the mantra of “move fast and break things,” but technology’s role in our societies now means that tech evangelists aren’t just breaking code, but instead breaking lives in a very real way. This principle challenges us to stop and understand the full picture of our work before we push forward.

What phrase in the Principle description stands out to you the most? Why?
I really appreciate the phrase in the description that recognizes the risk of digital development to “exacerbate[e] existing digital divides.” I’m focusing a lot in my work currently on Generative Artificial Intelligence and how we use it for good, but we are likely to see a broadening divide. For the past decade, the digital development community have focused on who has internet and who doesn’t. The adoption of paid AI tools by those with greater resources will introduce a new paradigm of haves and have-nots. I am excited for IYF to play a role in narrowing that gap.   

What is your personal favorite app, website, online community, social media trend, etc.? Does it honor this principle?
I got more deeply engaged in Reddit two years ago when I moved to a new town and had a kid. Reddit is essentially a huge series of discussion boards (subreddits) with the option to vote comments up and down. In well-managed sub-reddits that are designed to mitigate harm, the culture of downvoting toxic means that I see less content that may negatively affect my mental wellbeing.

What should we call a superhero that focuses on this Principle?
The Foresight Friend—She would travel the world and politely remind people before they make harmful decisions. She would drive by a time machine and use the catch phrase “Slow Your Roll.”

What can this principle tell us about whether a hot dog is a sandwich?
My friends would be devastated if they asked for a sandwich, and I gave them a hotdog. To mitigate that potential harm, it’s best to keep hot dogs independent.

The refreshed Principles for Digital Development serve as a guiding light in the ever-evolving landscape of digital development, sparking conversations and igniting inspiration within IYF's Digitally Curious Group. Whether conducting qualitative surveys to enhance program effectiveness and better meet the needs of youth, or designing digital solutions to streamline their lives, at IYF, our shared aspiration is clear: to empower young people and amplify their agency across various domains. Check out other insights, perspectives, and discussions by exploring more of IYF’s digital development work.