When choosing and acquiring technology, it is important to take local infrastructure considerations into account.
The local physical environment and social infrastructure may limit the appropriateness of some technologies. A country with an intermittent power supply, for example, may not be an appropriate location for implementing a wide area network of personal computers that requires a reliable power source. High humidity or high levels of dust or sand may also restrict the choice of appropriate technology.
Infrastructure considerations are more likely to be problematic in less developed countries. For more detail, see Special Considerations In Less Developed Countries.
The following types of infrastructure are only some considerations in ensuring that the type of technology chosen will perform adequately under local conditions.
Communications
There are several different types of communications infrastructure that may be relevant to the technology under consideration. These include:
- Telecommunications, using fixed lines or broadcast signals to transmit voice, faxes, images and data
- Radio systems, including general public broadcast radio and person-to-person radio communication
- Computer networks, including Local Area Networks (LANs), Wide Area Networks (WANs), Intranets and Extranets, connecting various groups of computers together for sharing of data and communication purposes
- The Internet, connecting computers all over the world
- Email, allowing messages, images and data to be sent around the world from computer to computer
For more detail, see Communications Technology.
Physical Environment
Computers and other items of technology are generally sensitive to their physical environment and generally have special needs. For more detail see Physical Environment.
Power Generation
Where technology is powered by electricity (and most electoral technology is), the availability of reliable power infrastructure is crucial. Even in developed countries with well established power grids, power can be cut off without warning. In less developed countries power supply can be erratic, intermittent or non-existent. Consequently, in all circumstances where continuous power supply is essential, backup power supplies should be an integral part of the technology system.
For more detail on ensuring reliable power supply, see Physical Security.
Maintenance facilities
Availability of maintenance facilities is an essential infrastructure consideration.
If the local infrastructure is not capable of maintaining the chosen technology, either the system is likely to fail, or maintenance facilities may need to be imported to support the technology. If system failure is likely, then this would indicate that the technology is not appropriate for the circumstances. If special imported infrastructure is called for, the cost-effecitveness of this option deserves detailed scrutiny.
Skills Base
Another infrastructure consideration is the skills base available to operate and manage the technology.
The local skills base may not be capable of supporting the technology. There are two ways to ensure that the appropriate skills are available: equip local personnel with the appropriate skills by training them, or import personnel with the appropriate skills when needed. The first solution may be difficult to achieve in the short term, but will be more sustainable in the long term if it is achievable. The second solution is more likely to ensure success in the short term, but may be less cost-effective and sustainable in the long term.
New technology may be able to be managed in-house, if suitably skilled personnel are available, or it may be necessary to rely on external service providers. Training in-house personnel has its costs, and there may be delays while staff are brought up to speed. However, once staff are skilled, the ongoing cost of maintaining technology in-house may be lower than relying on external providers. An EMB will need to ensure that it is able to maintain in-house expertise if staff turnover depletes its skills base.
If an EMB relies on external providers it needs to be aware of the likely costs and include them in budget calculations. Where external providers may only be needed intermittently they may be less costly and more reliable than in-house staff as they should be more likely to be experts in their field than in-house staff. However, external providers who are needed regularly or full-time may cost significantly more than in-house staff performing the same functions. If the external providers are in a competitive market an EMB may be able to reduce costs by regularly reviewing contracts and suppliers. On the other hand, if providers have a monopoly over their product or the EMB is locked into an open-ended contract, it may be required to pay higher costs than might otherwise be necessary.
