Finding threads, weaving patterns: Using GTM to build a communication evaluation tool in context

In many low-income countries, agricultural researchers often work in teams with members from high-income countries and the low-income country to address problems in food security and agricultural production. This is a ‘wickedly’ complex context for communication between team members, particularly as they are culturally, politically and economically as well as geographically dispersed. Using a case study with such team members residing in (low-income) Lao PDR and (high-income) Australia, a study identified the most useful online tools for effective communication between these dispersed team members. Grounded theory methodology (GTM) was used to identify personal and organisational contingencies for communication between 30 team members operating in Lao PDR. These contingencies were operationalised to modify a standard Heuristic Evaluation tool into the Intercultural Heuristic Evaluation Tool, or I-CHET. This tool was used to evaluate the effectiveness of nine information and communication technologies utilised by these team members, including instant messaging, SMS, Facebook and email.