The Broadband Applications Networking Group (BANG) is comprised of students pursuing Masters and PhD studies in computer science at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and University of the Western Cape (UWC). Bridges.org was asked to conduct an independent evaluation of the BANG project and assist the group with project planning. The evaluation exercise aimed to help the group realise its goals of linking computer science with community needs and government policy-making.  The end result would be an academic policy to help students frame future computer science projects in the context of community implementation and/or policy recommendations.

In the first phase of the evaluation, the bridges.org evaluation criteria were considered in the context of BANG projects and a set of questions applicable to the group's research was compiled. These questions were used as a framework for the second phase evaluation.  A two-part questionnaire encouraged the students to think about their research in terms of its connections to real community needs and/or effects on ICT policy-making, and to determine how they can apply best practice standards in their projects.  Responses were judged on the degree to which the student addressed, or at least considered, these criteria in planning and implementing their projects.  

The results highlighted a dichotomy between those projects designed at inception to address a technological need in the community, which scored highest, and those that are more technical in nature. During a workshop held to discuss the evaluation findings, the group acknowledged that more help was required for the technical projects, to bridge between their research and using ICT for development. Further, it was suggested that for the next phase, students broaden their thinking around Real Access and describe their findings more descriptively.