First Nations first

Listening is the first act of respect. Approach with humility, acknowledging that First Nations knowledge holders are the experts. Learning is ongoing, not a one-time briefing. Deep listening creates trust, reveals deeper context, and ensures that digital transformation responds to real needs, not assumptions or external agendas.

First Nations knowledge systems must shape the project's vision, strategy, and outcomes — not just be consulted. Embedding Indigenous perspectives means First Nations people stakeholders at all levels, involving them in governance, and ensuring their worldviews are reflected in how problems are understood and solutions are imagined.

Relationships are the heart of working respectfully with First Nations peoples. Trust takes time and must be earned through consistency, reciprocity, and transparency. Quick, transactional engagement causes harm. Invest in building long-term partnerships that extend beyond the life of the project and centre community priorities at all times.

Country is a living entity, not just land. Culture and community are deeply interconnected with technology, data, and systems. Honour them by designing with sensitivity to place, language, story, and cultural protocols. Solutions must grow from and strengthen these relationships, not abstract or extract from them.

True transformation supports First Nations communities in setting their own digital priorities, owning their data, and shaping their futures. Self-determination means communities have authority, agency, and control, while sovereignty demands respect for cultural, intellectual, and territorial rights — both in digital environments and in governance structures.

Trust takes time. Digital timelines often push for fast results, but true collaboration moves at the pace needed for consent, understanding, and relationship-building. Prioritising trust over speed ensures ethical outcomes and deeper, lasting impact — and avoids reinforcing colonial patterns of extraction and imposition.

Success isn’t just ticking off project milestones. It’s about strengthening community wellbeing, supporting self-determination, and enabling long-term capability. Measure progress by asking: whose goals are met? Who benefits? Are relationships stronger? Are communities empowered? Outputs alone cannot capture the full story of transformation.

Inclusion must happen from the very start, not after the strategy is set. First Nations people should lead ideation, co-create design, shape implementation, and steward the long-term maintenance and evolution of digital systems. Real co-creation honours expertise, shares power, and creates truly community-driven outcomes.

Respect and protect Indigenous stories, knowledge, languages, designs, and data. These are living cultural treasures, not resources for open use. Always seek permission, attribute appropriately, and ensure communities retain ownership and control. Legal protections are important, but ethical respect must go beyond formal frameworks.

Many digital systems are built on Western assumptions, which can unintentionally perpetuate exclusion and harm. Recognise that bias is often "baked in" to algorithms, design practices, and data models. Mitigating bias means intentionally designing for cultural safety, inclusivity, and equity at every stage.

Digital solutions must be usable and meaningful for all community members. This means designing for different languages, literacy levels, connectivity realities, and cultural preferences. Accessibility isn’t just technical; it’s cultural. Ensure that everyone — regardless of background or resources — can fully participate and benefit.

A true transformation leaves behind skills, confidence, and pathways — not just platforms. Invest in training, mentorships, internships, and leadership development. Build local capability so communities can maintain, grow, and adapt digital systems on their own terms, long after external partners step away.

Technology should enhance, not harm, relationships with the natural world. This means considering environmental impact, aligning digital solutions with sustainable practices, and respecting Country as a living system. Technology must support, not sever, people’s connection to land, spirit, and the rhythms of nature.

Story is a sophisticated, living technology for transmitting knowledge, ethics, law, and history. Rather than replacing story with databases or platforms, digital transformation should elevate Indigenous storytelling traditions. Story is not just content; it is system design, and it must be treated with deep respect.

Change doesn’t stop at the project boundary. Advocate within your own teams, organisations, and industries for First Nations rights, values, and leadership. Challenge internal systems that reinforce colonial norms. True allyship means using your influence to push for systemic change, not just project-level adjustments.

Dreaming is not a luxury; it is a vital part of Indigenous innovation. Make space for visioning, creativity, and future-building shaped by Indigenous imaginations. Dreaming allows for the emergence of solutions that are relational, regenerative, and life-affirming — not just efficient or scalable.