The field of nonprofit technology consulting has grown and evolved enormously in the last few years. One of the essential tensions in the field is the sense that technology consultants, in order to do their job responsibly, have to become communication and management consultants as well. As nonprofits get more sophisticated and the technology develops to address mission critical needs, this tension is only getting worse. These seminars will address that tension head on, by identifying appropriate roles in the consulting process and by helping technology consultants ground their work in the communication needs of the organizations they serve.
The seeds of success and failure of a nonprofit technology project are planted during the planning process. Although more and more wise consultants are insisting on planning, most of the time this planning, however well intentioned, is deeply flawed. But the flaws may never fully come to light, so it's easy to just keep repeating the same mistakes, because they come so naturally. This seminar will cover:
- specific tools for understanding the communication needs of the organization
- models for requirements documents that empower both you and your client
- addressing how clients encourage bad behaviors in consultants
- consulting skills that help clients be more proactive and responsible in their role
- defining your own role clearly.
This seminar is right for you if you are expected to manage technology projects for nonprofits and especially if you have a role in technology planning.
One of the biggest frustrations facing technology consultants is resistance. Sometimes resistance emerges early on and sometimes it only emerges late in the process of implementation. Sometimes the resistance comes from the top and sometimes from the front lines. Sometimes it is active and clear and sometimes it is altogether passive aggressive. Regardless of the pattern, it's frustrating for advocates, planners, and implementors. This seminar will cover:
- key steps for dissolving resistance during the planning process
- techniques for helping clients articulate objections and concerns
- creating agreements about technology that last
- how not to be a naive technology evangelist
- the myth of technophobia
Nonprofit technologists face a lot of failure, at least if we measure by some of their more ambitious hopes and promises. Some of these failures are inevitable, because we are still in an experimental phase of the development of our field. But some are clearly due to flaws in the projects themselves, and these can be prevented or mitigated. This seminar will cover:
- the five major problem areas
- the most common and preventable flaws
- how to responsibly address project flaws after the fact
- lack of essential change management components and how to restore them
- improper staffing and mismanaged commitments