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Introduction
What is Technology Planning
Steps:
1. Assess
2. The Technology Team
3. State goals
4. Create plan itself
5. Establish Priorities and timeline
6. Make decisions
7. Implement and train
8. Evaluate
9. Revise
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Introduction and Caveats
This is a simple version of something I'm in the process of expanding,
as I migrate the resources from my "Rewiring the Arts Organization"
course for SAIC. I expect that things will develop over the next couple
of months considerably.
This is the basic content of the talk(s) from the Technology & Nonprofits
Conference in Chicago on May 20 and 21, 1999, repeated in Minneapolis
on June 4, 1999.
Joe Matuzak
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What is Technology Planning?
Must be consistent with organization mission
and overall strategic plan
Should cover 3 - 5 years, with specifics for 18 months
Should cover hardware, software, staff training and other IT equipment
-- phones, faxes, multimedia, and other specialized equipment
Most arts organizations have no line items for technology in their budgets,
let alone plans
Preparing
The organization should agree:
- to develop a long range technology plan
for the organization, if it doesn’t have one
- that the leadership on the organization --
board and staff -- will commit to the
process
- that it will encourage the staff to participate
and give them the time to do so
Planning criteria and overview links:
North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium
What is Technology
Planning?
Basic Principles
of Technology Planning
National Computational Science Alliance
The
Hard Work of Planning
Bellevue Community College
Educational Technology Planning
Workshop
EDmin Open Systems
Tech Planning Overview
Western School Board (Canada)
Why Technology Planning?
What is Technology Planning?
Basic Principles of Technology
Planning
Information Systems of Florida (a consulting firm)
The Do's and Don'ts
of Technology Planning
John See
Technology Integration Specialist Minnesota Department of Education
Developing Effective Technology
Plans
Sylvia Bodolay
Master Thesis on Technology Planning
A Guide to
Technology Planning: Preplan
National School Services
Technology Improvement
Planning Strategies
Education Technology Planners
Technology Profile
Summary (PDF document)
The Eastern New Jersey Regional Library Cooperative
Technology Planning Process
From Now On (The Educational Technology Journal)
Technology Planning Questions
Rockefeller Technology Project (Circuit Rider's Section)
Building Organizational
Capacity With Technology: A Strategy for Assisting Grass-Roots Environmental
Groups With Computers and Telecommunications
Nonprofit Tech
Technology
& Nonprofits
National Center for Technology Planning
Technology Planning: Recipe
for Success
The Internet Non-Profit Center
How important
is a computer?
How do I know
when I should upgrade a computer?
Coyote Communications
Introducing New
Technology Successfully into an Agency and Why Your Agency Needs a Technology
Plan
Arts Wire Technology Planning Workshop
Getting
Ready for a Technology Planning Process
Getting
Ready Questions
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Assess
Assess your current technology and your organization's readiness to engage
in the planning process.
Assessment links and resources:
ARCH National Resource Center for Crisis Nurseries and Respite Care Services
Sticky Figures: Using a Needs
Assessment
Nonprofit Tech
Assessment
Tips
Computer
Usage Survey
OneNorthwest
Organizational
Assessment forms (PDF File)
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The Technology Team
Create a technology team, asking the following questions:
Who has the power to accept or reject a Technology Plan?
Who can help gain support for the plan?
Who has the skills or knowledge to help define
Technology Plan?
Categories of stakeholders and possible members
may include:
• Executive Director
• Board Members
• Administrative Staff
• Program Staff
• Clients/Audience
• Local Computer hardware/software companies
•“friends” of the organization who have useful expertise
• significant funders of the organization
Rules
have a leader
have regular meetings with agendas, tasks and timelines
assess where you stand -- do an inventory!
develop a vision statement for the plan
Sylvia Bodolay
Master Thesis on Technology Planning
Organize
the Players and the Goals
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State Goals
What are the overall goals of the oganization in terms of technology?
What are the expected outcomes?
Create a vision statement for your plan -- how does it relate to your
organization's mission?
General Technology Issues
Programmatic
- production and presentation
- collections or information management
- scheduling
- member databases
Administration
- fiscal
- personnel
- scheduling
- management reports and planning
- evaluation
Connectivity
Phones and other IT
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The Technology Plan
• Where does the organization want to be?
• What is realistic and achievable?
• What’s the gap between here and there?
Checklist
Does your plan:
Deal with goals and mandates?
Define how technology benefits mission?
Define how it benefits clients/audience?
Address both program and administrative issues?
Designate a lead team responsible for its implementation and evaluation?
Include staff training and development?
Have a mechanism built into it for change?
Address equity?
Address upgrades, obsolescence and maintenance?
Address the ongoing need for a technology team in the organization?
Allow for an ongoing review and reporting process?
Establish a reasonable timeline and scope?
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Establish priorities
Which parts of your plan are more critical or important than others?
What areas require new resources?
Does everyone in the organization understand these priorities, and how
they are affected by them?
Develop a timeline for implementation.
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Make Decisions
Make decisions on hardware and software and develop a realistic budget.
If necessary, raise the money needed.
A realistic budget can and should include:
- Equipment costs
- Upgrade costs
- Software costs
- Setup charges -- wiring, furniture, facility modifications
- Network access fees
- Service contracts and maintenance charges
- Insurance Coverage
- Operating Costs -- phone lines, security, utilities, expendable materials
(paper, toner, etc.)
- Personnel costs -- in-house Technology Specialist, consultants
- Staff Development -- workshop costs, consultant fees, substitute
pay, course registration, materials, etc.
Beware buying technology without budgeting for staff development!
Funding
Sources
- grants
- contracts
- fees
- off-price purchasing
- partnerships
- local fundraising
Use good fund raising practices
- get to know the funders
- follow the guidelines
- short, well written proposals
- let the funder know how the gift was used
- give recognition, without being asked
Working in your favor:
- Technology is a hot issue
- Funders believe it can improve efficiency
Working against you
- Nonprofits should be “people” not machine oriented
- Funders will doubt you have the necessary expertise to properly manage
Information Technology
This is why you make a plan -- POINT TO IT!
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Implementation
Expect change, and make ongoing adjustments
Be flexible, but try to stick to your timeline
If possible, try pilot projects first
Pilot Projects
- work out the bugs before you go full-scale
- use pilots to test solutions before expensive commitment
- staff involved should be enthusiastic and willing
- make it a true learning experience, but design for success
- provide training and planning time before beginning pilot
Build on your successes
- use successful pilots to encourage others to participate
- encourage staff desire to investigate new applications
- talk about and listen to complaints and accomplishments
- encourage collaboration
Publicize your efforts
- Communicate what you’re doing and why
- keep staff, Board, funders and audience informed
- publicize milestones
- praise accomplishments
Staff Development
- Schedule specific times for technology training throughout year
- Staff need time to discuss and consider technology change
- Training needs to be ongoing; it can’t all be done at once
- Some people learn better in lecture format; most others need hands-on
experience
- Use peer coaching and mentoring
- You can’t allow too much time
There are many types of training:
Self training
- software, tutorials, instruction books
Staff training staff
- one-on-one peer tutoring
- mentoring, pairing experienced staff with less experienced staff
- workshops designed and led by in-house staff; staff members
- continue to be available where hired consultants move on
Trained experts
Outside Workshops and seminars
- vendor-sponsored
- universities/colleges in your area
- computer collaboratives
On-site shadowing
- staff can shadow staff in other organizations
Community Resources
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Evaluate
Evaluate the technology, the implementation, your process and your plan.
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