The objective is to plan and execute a technological project towards success.
Posted on Thursday, October 17, 2024
We're confident that this move is the right one for us. But many nonprofit teams don't feel that same confidence when choosing technology. Even in the best cases, doubt can creep in during the transition. And in the worst case, the choice may turn out to be a mistake, costing you time, money, and—most importantly—trust. Suddenly, you're back to square one, searching for the solution you thought you'd found.
Planning Strategy
- Define your goals: Hold at least one quick meeting to make sure your team is on the same page about what you want to accomplish.
Communicate your expectations and detail how you measure success. In addition to planning what will be included in the project, it's important to outline what's out of scope to avoid surprises later. - Determine your needs: Create a document or spreadsheet that compiles all of the project's requirements. If you're unsure of what you need, do your research: talk to colleagues at other nonprofits, ask affected staff members, or research the technology you plan to implement. Then, review what you've gathered and categorize the needs into must-haves and must-haves.
- Consider streamlining processes: If your project will alter the way your staff works, take the opportunity to improve or modify those processes, rather than continuing to do things the traditional way. Wherever possible, look to standardize processes based on best practices and reduce inefficiencies.
- Research your options and make decisions: Remember that you're not the first nonprofit to go through this process—talk to other organizations that have completed similar projects to understand what they did and the problems they faced. If your project involves selecting software, come up with a list of three to five systems that seem like a good fit and schedule demos with the vendors. Send them a list of specific features you need ahead of time, rather than letting them decide what to show you.
Implementation Strategy
- Implement and Configure: The first step is usually to get everything up and running and make sure it works properly in its final location. In software projects, it is common for the system to need to be configured or customized to better fit your organization's requirements. Do you need to define custom options or modify fields? Depending on the level of configuration and the technology involved, you may need to do this yourself or require the help of an expert or consultant with greater knowledge of the system.
- Data Migration: If the project involves data, you will need to consider how to move it from the old system to the new one. Data migration is a major task that requires knowing how to extract the information, process it, and then load it into the new system. This process may not be straightforward, and you will likely need a consultant to transform and cleanse the data before it is loaded into the new system.
- Define Use and Support: Make sure you clearly define how the new system is to be used and who will be responsible for maintaining it. What is allowed to do and what is not? If data is involved, what standards will be followed to ensure consistency in its input? It's also important to establish who will be responsible for resolving user questions or issues.
- Train Users: Don't expect your team to know how to use the new system without proper training. This is an essential step. It doesn't matter how far along the project is if staff don't know how to use it. Training can be short or can take several days, depending on the complexity of the system, and include hands-on sessions and documentation.
- Measure and Evaluate Success: At the beginning of the process, you identified what would mark success. At the end of the project, review it to see if you've achieved those results. Define a set of metrics and an ongoing monitoring process to measure system performance. Review periodically to make sure everything is working as expected, and plan for future adjustments if the solution is no longer adequate.
Conclusion for planning and executing a successful technology project
At Telecom4Good, we are dedicated to empowering nonprofits like yours through technology. We understand the unique challenges you face, and our mission is to help you overcome those obstacles by providing the expertise, resources, and support necessary to make your tech initiatives a success. By following the strategic steps outlined in this guide, your nonprofit can not only implement new tools effectively but also enhance your team’s efficiency, streamline operations, and maximize your impact.
Remember, technology is not just a tool—it’s a powerful enabler for driving your mission forward. With thoughtful planning, collaboration, and support from partners like Telecom4Good, you can harness technology to amplify your efforts and achieve long-lasting results for your community. We're here to help you at every stage, ensuring your nonprofit is equipped with the technology it needs to thrive, now and in the future.
Let’s move forward together—building the technology foundations that will help you do more good in the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
The first step is implementation and configuration. This involves setting up the technology in its final location and customizing it to fit your organization's needs, such as setting custom options or fields.
Data migration is essential when transitioning from an old system to a new one. It involves extracting, cleaning, and transforming data to ensure it fits properly into the new system. This step can be complex and may require the expertise of a consultant.
Defining usage guidelines and support processes is crucial. Clearly outline what staff members are allowed to do with the system and what’s off-limits. Establish data entry standards to maintain consistency and assign someone to handle user questions and issues.
Even with a well-implemented system, staff won't automatically know how to use it effectively. Training ensures that everyone understands how to navigate and leverage the new technology, minimizing errors and maximizing productivity.
At the start of the project, you should define what success looks like. Once the project is complete, measure the outcomes against those predefined goals and set up an ongoing process to track performance. Regularly reviewing and adjusting ensures the system continues to meet your organization's needs.
