In our April 2022 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Simone Pasmore and Robert Forrester, the panel discusses: The cost of web and app development, what should one expect; and Access, the Holy Grail of ICT Development in the Caribbean region.
This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple iTunes, Google Play Music, Spotify, Amazon Music and on Stitcher!
If you had not noticed by now, the majority of our Community Chat conversations, which are guided by the topics submitted by our guest panellists, are topics that seek to improve how we leverage technology. The conversation for our April 2022 Community Chat is no different; but its focus – for all intents and purposes – is at opposite ends of the spectrum, specifically, ICT for business, and ICT for development.
Below we introduce our guests, their topics, and share very brief insights into the conversation.
Introducing our guests and their topics
Simone Pasmore is the Chief Executive Officer of Webstylze, a web and mobile applications development firm, based in Barbados. In addition to being CEO, Simone’s areas of expertise include, data science, artificial intelligence, web development, and app development to name a few.
As the owner of an applications development firm, Simone engages with clients and prospective clients who are looking to have a custom-built website and/or mobile application developed. However, it has become clear that many people do not understand mobile/web application development entails, and so baulk at the prices they are being charged. Simone thus thought to put the matter squarely on the table by having us discuss, The cost of web and app development, what should one expect.
During the conversation, several factors that contribute to the cost of web and mobile applications development, which businesses should consider, were discussed. However, it was also noting that micro- small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) may be challenged in paying for these projects, which in turn limits not only the number platforms that are developed, but also the effectiveness of those that are.
Robert D. Forrester is a Development Specialist with deep interest in Digital Transformation and the promises it brings to advancing the human condition. He is an entrepreneur and is involved in several start-up companies in the housing, oil and gas, telecoms/ICT, energy, agriculture and light manufacturing sectors. For the past 25 years, and through Robert D. Forrester Associates, he has been consulting with various MSMEs with a focus on strategic planning, organisational development, media, marketing, finance, and more recently digital transformation and management.
He is also actively involved in civil society organisations, having served as Programme Manager for GuyberNet, and is the Founder of the Amazonia Development Foundation Trust. Robert has a passion for research and an avid advocate of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Having worked in the development space, Robert is acutely aware of the challenges rural communities, in particular, face, which are exacerbated by the limited access to and availability of internet services in those areas. He is thus of the view that internet access is the linchpin to development, and so submitted the topic, Access, the Holy Grail of ICT development in the Caribbean, discussion.
One of the key points that Robert made when his topic was being discussed, was the need for access to become more people-centric – especially if is to be leveraged for development in currently underserved areas. Further and due to the impact ICTs can have in rural communities, the need, in terms of bandwidth and services, may be as much as, or even greater than, that supplied to urban areas.
We would love to hear from you!
Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.
Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.
Let’s make it happen!
Select links
Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:
Images credit: S Pasmore; R Forrester; Pix4free.org; Alpha Stock Images
Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell
Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez
