The benefits and barriers identified from workshop discussions and research covered the three areas or levels discussed: services; resident-related activities; and personal benefits. They included the following:

Potential benefits for residents

• Services will be more readily available for those online.

• The Net provides groups and individuals with additional access to information and the means of communicating, collaborating and lobbying online. This could be important in partnership working.

• Those who learn to use computers and the Net can find this gives a general boost to confidence. The Net offers both young and old new opportunities for learning.

• Online networks could help build a stronger sense of community.

Potential barriers for residents

• Residents may not understand - or be confident about - the technology and find it difficult to see benefits for themselves or others in their household.

• Development of online services may mean reduction of other services. Solutions may be imposed with little or no consultation.

• Getting connected is likely to be costly if computers are used. Services may be relatively limited if digital TV is used. Computers and the Net simply may not be a priority for residents on low incomes.

• Residents may have given up fixed phones in favour of mobiles, which may mean neither computers nor interactive digital TV can be used (since this requires a return path via the phone).

• Where systems are developed to help tenants' associations and similar groups, the housing association may be unwilling to allow tenants fully to control development and content.

Possible benefits for associations

• Enhanced delivery of services and/or reduced costs in the long term.

• Additional means of consultation and communication as part of tenant participation.

• Computers and the Net can make a contribution to wider objectives of community development and capacity building.

The barriers for associations

• Most senior managers don't understand the technology and so find it difficult to see the possible benefits and to develop technology plans.

• There are concerns about the security and possible misuse of electronic data. In many cases, housing associations haven't developed effective information management systems.

• Introducing technology requires changes in organisational culture. There generally does not appear to be the will to do this.

• Front-line staff do not believe technology can help significantly, and/ or are worried that data collected may be used against them.

• There is a perception that the majority of tenants are currently not interested in using new technology.

• The benefits in efficiency or effectiveness are in any case uncertain in the short term, while the additional staffing needed will cost money and require organisational change.

The challenge - developing overlapping agendas

From the above analysis of potential benefits and barriers, the challenge is to find the common ground for residents and housing associations, and develop a shared agenda.