SIRC: A Socio-Technical Information System for Preventive Community Relations

General information

Project name:

Executor:

Large-scale energy infrastructure company (confidential)

Role in the organization:

System Designer & Product Owner

Project timeline:

2021 – 2023

Beneficiaries:

75+ community relations field operators

Additional data:

Financier: Confidential (corporate internal investment)
Estimated total cost: Confidential
Main allies: Community Relations teams, Project Management, Legal and Sustainability areas

Additional data:

Financier: Confidential (corporate internal investment)
Estimated total cost: Confidential
Main allies: Community Relations teams, Project Management, Legal and Sustainability areas

Executive summary

SIRC is a socio-technical information system designed to prevent social conflict in large-scale infrastructure projects by improving how community data is captured, processed, and used.

Implemented across gas distribution projects in urban and rural Peru, the system supports community relations teams working in diverse territories and high-risk social environments.

Designed and led from the Community Relations function, SIRC combines Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and agile delivery to move teams from reactive conflict management to preventive social risk governance.

The system enabled earlier detection of conflicts, standardized field data, and improved decision-making, supporting the sustainable rollout of more than 2,000 km of infrastructure.

Context and challenge

0 %

Standardized digital system for community relations before SIRC.

High

Dependence on individual experience for conflict management.

Fragmented

Community data stored across emails, Excel files, WhatsApp, and paper reports.

Reactive

Decision-making approach prior to system implementation.

Design challenge

How might we design a simple, adoptable information system that enables early detection of social risk in large-scale infrastructure projects?

Beneficiaries

Field-based community relations staff and supervisors responsible for managing social risk across infrastructure projects in urban and rural contexts.

Field operators: 75+ users

Supervisors and coordinators: Regional teams

Design process

(Methodology: Design Thinking + Lean Startup)

Empathize

Field teams were shadowed to understand real reporting practices, constraints, and decision-making contexts in urban and rural settings.

Define

The problem was reframed from lack of reporting to lack of usable, timely, and standardized data for prevention.

Ideate

Multiple tool options were explored, prioritizing simplicity, speed, and field adoption over technical complexity.

Prototype

A minimum viable system was built using digital forms, mandatory geolocation, and structured qualitative and quantitative fields.

Test

The system was piloted with selected teams, tracking adoption rates, errors, and usability issues.

Iterate

Fields, workflows, and dashboards were refined based on real usage, reinforcing adoption and decision value.

Implemented solution

Format:

4 in-person workshops + Digital network of women entrepreneurs

Key topics:

Female leadership and self-esteem
Finance for women entrepreneurs
Digital marketing
Management of local ventures

Highlighted innovations:

Creation of the first Women’s Network with Sustainable Enterprises in the province.
Replicable model based on Australian experiences (Women’s Business 2nd Chance).
Training adapted to the rural context and Andean worldview.