Making new technologies meaningful at local level

My old friend David Wilcox offers a pretty comprehensive account - with serious input from Gary Copitch - of recent applications of the local tech game that David and Drew Mackie have been developing. The process requires people working in groups to invent a local character or characters, choose from a set cards those projects they think will benefit them, then tell the story of how they would use the technology in their given context. Life being occasionally worthy of imitation (and David and Drew being the way they are) the facilitators throw in a few wild cards as you go along.

This instance looks tasty because it's clearly helping people get to grips with the kinds of issue usually described as 'reaching the hardest to reach'. Gary's input (which David quotes) really broaches the need to get local people who experience exclusion exploring the issue, not just professional people playing games about them.

Having watched, participated, and sometimes contributed to the development of some of their games over the years, what's special I think is how they make some complex things simple enough for you to get to grips with them, but at the same time clarify why some things that ought to be simple are just so damn complex.