Adapting corporate modelling for community informatics

Purpose This paper aims to address the need for responsive methodologies to investigate how information and communication technologies ICTs are used in nonbusiness and noncorporate environments. Designmethodologyapproach The paper presents a case study on developing an IT strategic plan in a community organisation using the process modelling and analysis methodology called CoMAP. Findings CoMAP as a methodology is significant in being a participatory, responsive, and nonobtrusive tool to work with welfare workers in getting to articulate information, knowledge and technical issues for decision making. Research limitationsimplications The research provides a way of obtaining knowledge about structuring of socialtechnical relationships in a welfare organisation through a sympathetic approach to its business and culture. Practical implications CoMAP could be fruitfully used in other organisations, though whether this needs an external facilitator to carry out the process and manage the complex data analysis process is a moot point. Originalityvalue The significance of this case study is that it develops a model for adaptation of how to research and represent data, information, and knowledge flows within a social services organisation, for which there are few other detailed case studies.