SA Connects: The many futures of our digital lives

Adelaide Thinker in Residence, Dr Genevieve Bell will help shed light on our use of broadband and associated communication technologies in South Australia and beyond. Genevieve is an anthropologist with a distinguished academic and industry background whose research provides considerable insight into the importance of culture in the adoption and adaptation of technology around the world.

Currently the Director of User Experience in Intel Corporation’s Digital Home Group, USA, Genevieve travels extensively, observing people in their homes, to find out how they use and what they want from technology in their everyday lives. She observes people’s lifestyles and identifies aspects that are important to them, bringing the human component into discussions about technology. Genevieve uses her research and observations in her work to inform the development of new technologies.

During her residency, Genevieve will undertake ethnographic research and fieldwork to understand how South Australians are using technologies in their every day lives. She will spend a significant portion of her time in regional areas meeting with a broad cross section of South Australians to gain a complete picture of what makes South Australian’s ‘tick’ when it comes to technology. Her work will help to identify opportunities, spaces and barriers for further uptake of technologies for economic and social development.

To get a better understanding of South Australia, Genevieve will meet with people in schools, community groups, libraries as well as informal settings such as the local pub and the corner shop. Genevieve already has significant experience in rural South Australia, having conducted several periods of ethnographic fieldwork in our state. She is also a part-time resident of Terowie, in the state’s mid-north.

As part of her extensive fieldwork and research plan, Genevieve has set out to collect over 1 million stories from South Australians about our use of technology and how we stay connected with each other. Genevieve is keen to hear from all members of the community and so South Australians can also share their experiences by

• completing a ‘SAstories’ postcard, being distributed broadly through networks in South Australia
• by visiting Genevieve’s ‘blog’ on http://www.sastories.com/ and posting a story on the website
• by emailing adelaidethinkers@dpc.sa.gov.au for a copy of the postcard.

Genevieve is travelling extensively, covering as many towns as possible during February and March 2009 and so you may come across her in your town.

Click here to go to the Adelaide Thinkers in Residence Website.