Good Advice on Technology Planning

Implementing new technologies at your nonprofit is no easy feat. You must understand what you're asking of a given technology, budget for it, put a risk management plan in place, and be prepared to evolve.

Here's a list of planning tips to help you get started. These tips came from stories told by technology managers in the article "Does Your Reach Exceed Your Grasp?" originally published in the California Association of Nonprofits' Alert May/June 2005 newsletter (see links on the right). The stories represent a wealth of experiences and expose lessons that other nonprofits can learn from when jumping into a new technology project.

Planning and Foresight

Know what you're compromising. How much is it costing you to patch systems and rely on outdated technology –– in dollars, in program productivity, and in mission achievement? Would your organization be more effective if it invested in its technology needs instead?

Know what's driving your tech decisions. Affordability? Opportunity? Mission? Technology expenses are still often seen as a luxury, an adjunct, something you’ll do if there's money left over. Even though the work of nonprofits will largely remain a face-to-face business, programs and mission can be strengthened through the strategic use of the right technology.

Be ambitious but realistic. Understand what you're asking of your technology, what it can deliver, and what is still up to you. Technology can facilitate relationships, for instance, but it can't shake hands and look someone in the eye the way real-life contact can.

Integrate your efforts. Just as technology should be integrated into your budget, it should also be integrated into your communications and program plans. Amnesty International brilliantly coupled its conflict-diamond Flash-animation ad with traditional pavement-pounding activism.

Document success. Determine your status quo and the goals you expect your technology to achieve before you upgrade -- so you can show the impact of the upgrade once it's been implemented. Doing so may help you get funding support for new technology.

What Technology Can, and Can't, Do

Speedy technology doesn't necessarily mean speedy results. We often expect fast results from technology. But behind every computer is a person -- and people cannot process information as quickly as a computer. Most organizations aren't going to get a million newsletter subscribers in the space of a year (if ever).

At the same time, people in cyberspace tend to want frequent updates. So persist. Know that repetition is key to spreading your message.

The old rules still apply. People won't automatically see something just because it's on the Internet. You still need to use traditional methods to connect with people and engage them. Remember who your audience is and use what makes sense for your goals, what supports your mission, and what you have the capacity to manage.

Just Doing It

Seize the day. MoveOn's first e-mail to just a handful of people came at just the right time. It hit a nerve that made those initial recipients want to send it on to others. The movement gathered steam and the rest is history. Even if your issue and audience are on a much smaller scale, seize the opportunity when the time is ripe.

Be ready to respond. Most of us can only dream of having our server crash because millions of people are trying to access our Web sites. It's better to prepare for great success by putting a risk management plan in place ahead of time should an interruption in service occur.

Take calculated risks. Judges in Montana's legal system were skeptical about videoconference hearings for fear that witnesses would be coached. But the program went ahead and is now an accepted part of the way the state's judges do their work.

Let it evolve. It's difficult to shift away from the mindset of creating a brochure you can't change once the presses are running, but that's part of the beauty of Web. The staff at CompuMentor doesn't really know, for example, how the Consultant Commons Web site will evolve. It just put up the site, gave it a rough taxonomy, and invited the audience to use all with the hope and belief that it will become exactly what it needs to become as people use it.

What It's Really About

Technology is the means, not the end. Very few nonprofits could claim they need technology for the sake of having technology. Once a Web site, database, or teleconferencing system is in place, it must be used, maintained, and improved just like any other aspect of your organization. You wouldn't hire a case manager or a costume designer with all the skills and experience you need just to sit that person in a corner all day long.

It's not all about the money. Legal Services Corporation knew it would be tough to develop a complicated, centralized system. But the cross-country partnerships and community that resulted were worth the headaches. Think beyond saving time and money to other, possibly unintended, outcomes of a technology upgrade. Will people who were previously isolated be brought into the fold? Will information be more readily available to your clients or constituents? Will your data improve? Will you be able to serve more people or provide a deeper level of service?

It's not all about the Internet. While there is likely a place for your nonprofit in cyberspace, other technologies might strengthen your mission more than the Internet will. For instance, the Montana Legal Services Association is using videoconferencing to facilitate hearings for people who are isolated in that state's rural communities.