3 posts tagged “idealware”
I've learned much of what I've learned about ephilanthropy and using online tools for attracting and engaging constituents by participating in webinars from several organizations which are usually provided at minimal or no cost. Some of my favorites are:
Nten - always has a full schedule of pertinent topics, such as this week's session on how to get executive buy-in for technology projects. The most cost effective way to participate is to purchase a block of three sessions or purchase an unlimited pass through 2009.
Idealware is the place to go to learn about software for nonprofits and also offers online seminars. Try out a free session on Online Communications on a Shoestring next week.
Fundraising123, a service of Network for Good, always has interesting teleconferences available, usually for free, If you can't attend at the time they're given, you can download slides and MP3 recordings and listen to them on your MP3 player, as I've recently started to do.
My suggestion: take advantage of the learning opportunities available and make sure that you participate in the discussion, either through online chat or phone chat. Most presenters encourage interaction, and this is how you will get the most value from the information provided.
At today's Managing Nonprofit Technology Projects conference, I facilitated a session on Collaboration and Management in Cross-Departmental Web Projects. We focused on techniques to implement successful projects which involve staff from multiple areas within an organization, most who don't directly report to the project manager.
Some major points:
- Although many projects involve web sites or other technology implementations, project management is more about 'soft' skills in winning cooperation from team members who are often assigned to a project while having to manage their already overburdened task list
- Nonprofit organizations rarely embrace project management principles as set forth by the Project Management Institute, nor do they develop internal structures such as a project management office.
- Assigning a team or task force across department lines can be utilized as a way to give team members an identity separate from their usual work responsibilities.
- The basic definition of project management should include an informal toolkit of 'soft' tools such as finding evangelists to help drive project progress, ways to win stakeholder cooperation and addressing organizational culture challenges.
Peter Campbell, IT Director of Earthjustice and author of Tech Cafeteria has published a wonderful primer on data integration, Understanding the Alphabet Soup of Data Integration. Thanks to Idealware, which sponsored this article.
Exchanging data between applications can be done in a variety of ways, but many can be difficult to grasp. Peter offers a clear explanation of how data can be stored, types of data formats and methods to transfer data, as well as how APIs are used. What I found especially useful was his section on how to identify "data exchange friendly software," in ways such as "Can I do data exports" and "Is there an API available?"
Tate Hausman who issued his Integration Proclamation also recently described to me how he is attempting to manage an integration project between SalesForce and Democracy in Action, two applications often used by nonprofits.
It's clear that being able to share data is finally getting some attention, as evidenced by the recent announcements of Kintera' Connect and Convio Open. Wouldn't it be nice if eventually we could select the applications that are best for each of our needs, and easily move data between them.
My take: data integration must be discussed before products are chosen; if they don't connect, look for an alternative that does. Vendors must also do more to make this area understandable by non-programmers. Why is this important for online fundraising? Because everyone in a nonprofit needs to have access to the same information about constituents (not just development), and it shouldn't be different depending on which internal system you use.
