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Are Associations Using Technology To Full Advantage
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Technology can be used to send messages around
the world, faster than the speed of sound. It can be used to store
vast amounts of information, and can recall detailed facts with
the push of a button. It is enhancing knowledge management activities
for organizations at an unprecedented rate. It can be used to
help you run your association better. But are you using technology
to your association's full advantage?
Do you remember a time before fax machines, word processors,
and the Internet? Do you remember what it was like before spending
all that money and investing all that time in purchasing and learning
how to use new hardware and software? What was the point? Oh,
yes the advantages: increased productivity, managing information,
improving communications, creating opportunities, and maximizing
processing efficiency.
Technology is a major investment for not-for-profits. If you
are like most investors, you want to reduce risk, keep an eye
on your investment and get a good return on your investment. How
do you do this? How do you prevent over-buying, engaging in non-productive
activities or failure to engage in productive activities? How
do you ensure your association is using technology to its full
advantage? Consider a technology audit and/or a benchmarking project
for best practices to make the most of your technology investment
and get the best return on your scarce resources.
Some of the attributes addressed in a technology audit
are:
- Policy, security and documentation
- Training, user support and ease of use
- Hardware and software (design, maintainability and operability,
system reliability)
- User needs and decision support (data accuracy and completeness,
results delivery, output content and quality, data currency,
special reports)
Benchmarking for best practices using literature, seminars and
workshops, and special projects with high performance associations
will help identify areas for improvements and possible solutions.
The best time to undertake a technology audit and/or benchmarking
project is when your business plan is being developed to support
new strategies. Do you have the necessary technology capacity
to support the plan? If you need to improve capacity build the
requirements into the business plan.
When considering the desired level of capacity, every association
needs to make a decision about its strategic intent regarding
technology. Will it require the association to be an innovative
leader in technology? Or will the association be a follower of
best practices used by others?
Associations and the Technology Agenda
Students in the Association Management Education Program report
that many capacity building activities are und way to take full
advantage of technology. Students do a critical analysis of databases
used by their associations and identify what needs to be improved.
They also discuss emerging trends and issues in technology. Some
of the key findings are:
Databases
- Associations seem to be about to upgrade their database,
an upgrade is in progress, or has recently been completed. Database
projects are a challenge as not all staff are able to contribute
to their development or implementation, nor are they able to
participate in related training.
- Database improvements take a long time to complete and to
be considered successful.
- Databases are not being used effectively for problem solving
and decision-making as non-systems staff have trouble extracting
relevant data. Staff are looking for more user-friendly report
generation tools.
Trends and Issues
- Technology's role in association operations is becoming more
significant, especially in communication, information storage
and retrieval areas.
- Associations are starting to move beyond traditional two-way
communication tools to three-way communications, using the Internet
to increase member to member activity.
- There are challenges in the area of copyright laws and privacy
issues.
- Access and training are issues for volunteers. Older volunteers
may feel they are no longer of use, since they do not use a
computer.
- There is renewed interest in videoconferencing.
- Web broadcasting is peaking the interest of association managers.
- Costs for increased processor speed, memory and data storage
continue to decrease.
- Equipment software is becoming more compact, portable and
user friendly.
- Access and work occurs from many sites other than the traditional
office.
- Cycle time reductions in information exchange are increasing
performance expectations.
- There is a growing concern about the lack of in-house expertise
and meeting training targets.
- The technology investment continues to increase and there
is a tendency to underestimate associated resource requirements.
- Some technology-based services have yet to add value and
be used successfully.
- People do not have the time to go to your Web site, you have
to go to them, based on their needs.
Based on the preceding trends and issues, the association manager
will become even more involved in technology. The association
manager's role will be to secure technological tools and the required
training to best support the association in the attainment of
its goals and ensure the association is using technology to their
full advantage.
Technology astute association managers will:
- Understand the importance of the association manager's role
in making technology work for the association
- Understand the issues and trends related to successful technology
applications
- Understand how technology can help the association reach
its goals
- Use current technology to complete work and make informed
decisions
- Know the importance of keeping current
- Know the common "dos" and "don'ts", and
- Evaluate the use of technology and, through benchmarking,
identify opportunities for improvement
Information on technology and associations can be found in a
CSAE commissioned research report, "Technology in Not-for-Profit
Organizations." The Voluntary Sector Initiative – Information
Management/Information Technology Joint Table, has completed a
Voluntary Sector – Environmental Scan. Another great source
for current information is through participation in related CSAE
learning activities.
This column features innovation and practical solutions applied
to challenges, trends, issue and opportunities for the association
community. Column editor Jim Pealow, MBA, CMA, CAE is a consultant
and the Association Management Education Program Lead Instructor/Coach
for CSAE. He can be reached at jim@amces.com.
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