COST Action 269, User Aspects of ICTs belongs to the domain Telecommunications Information Science and Technology (TIST). Its main objectives are to study and analyse ICTs usage and users, with emphasis on communication, in order to increase knowledge of how and why a person incorporates or rejects ICT products and services into his/her daily life.

COST269 is a successor project to COST248 “The Future Telecommunications User”. The final reports of this Action can be downloaded here.

COST Action 269 offers a unique opportunity for European scientists to participate in open research of user aspects of ICTs. An opportunity to meet and discuss ICT user aspects without regard to any particuluar discipline. The members of COST 269 represent as diverse disciplines as technology and sociology, as an example. They work for telecommunications research departments, universities or are independent consultants. Some are experienced researchers with academic responsibilities and some are graduate students.

Signatory Countries

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Main Objectives

The main objectives of the action are to study and analyse ICTs’ usage and users, with an emphasis on communication, in order to increase knowledge of how and why a person incorporates or rejects ICT products and services into his/her daily life. (see MoU COST269)

1. To collect and analyse information, in order to identify which variables are likely to be important in the ICT assimilation process, whether that person is stationary or mobile.Ê In the case of rejection, to identify possible causes.Ê On the basis of this we aim to identify key factors shaping the market for a variety of ICTs.
2. To promote the exchange and dissemination of results from ICT user research between experts from both behavioural and technical disciplines.Ê This will be managed via a number of mechanisms including participants reporting back to their own companies, ongoing ties with EURESCOM, the publication and promotion of material on the COST248 web site and participating in conferences and seminars organised by other bodies.
3. To create a network which includes any expert interested in this field, regardless of discipline.
4. To analyse peoples competence in the use of ICTs.
5. To collect information on the processes by which states, municipalities and other such institutions manage ICT use in the relation to their citizens.

Other objectives are:

1. To improve knowledge of and the dissemination of the empirical research conducted in the single participating countries which would not normally be translated into English and thus not known and avail-able on a European level.
2. To provide an overview of the similarities and differences between European countries in the use and adoption of ICTs and the main variables that influence these.
3. To provide an overview of the similarities and differences of the needs and experiences of different users according to key factors such as age, gender, ethnicity and disability.
4. To generate recommendations for improving the quality of research concerning the social use of ICTs in Europe.
5. To highlight the user issues which need to be taken into consideration by telecommunications operators and service providers, researchers on users, politicians and others developing public policy, other decision-makers and strategists.