Doing a Tech Analysis at Your Nonprofit

With the start of a new year, there is no better time to audit your technology systems and figure out what is working for your organization and where there is room for improvement.

Your technology is your central hub and it is important that it is as efficient and effective as possible so that your team can spend more time focusing on the people your organization serves instead of managing digital systems that aren’t quite working for you.

I’ve put together some considerations, as well as three steps to take when undergoing a tech analysis. Start your new year off right!

Things to consider:

Your Goals

What are your organizational goals and how does your technology support them?

Take a look at the big picture. Is your goal to serve more meals, research medical breakthroughs, or see your town become a no-kill city?

Now how can you achieve those goals?

Most likely you need donors and volunteers. How is your CRM helping you grow your donor and volunteer database?

You need ways to communicate with those you serve. Is your email management platform integrating with your other digital systems?

You need to put on special events to gain community involvement. Do you have a streamlined process for collecting ticket sales?

There are so many technology applications available these days that it can be overwhelming to understand what seems helpful vs. what is actually helpful to your specific organization. It’s always good to look at the big picture of what will help your organization make the biggest impact.

Your Users

A technology system is only helpful if the people using it actually use it.

Sure, on paper that CRM has all the bells and whistles you could ever imagine, but if it is too versatile and too large, the average user might get so overwhelmed that they avoid using it altogether.

What do your users think? Are there common pain points? Steep learning curves? Or even general disinterest in using your technology because, maybe, they don’t see the point?

All of these questions are worth considering before moving forward with your technology plans.

Your System Processes

Think about your processes. Do you go to one system to enter something, then another to do something else, then a third to record the first thing you entered?

For example, do you have any reports that need to be compiled in Excel from multiple data sources/systems? If so, that's a major red flag for data accuracy and wasted time.

Are your systems talking to each other? Nowadays most technology apps can be integrated together to make the steps you need to take to, say, record a donation much simpler.

What are the benefits and risks of your current systems? Where is there room for improvement?

There is a good chance that some of the systems you use have overlapping functionality. If so, it might be time to trim out a few of these systems in order to help your processes run smoother.

Taking time to think through these processes might really highlight some areas for improvement.

Steps:

1. Document your systems and what business need they fill (or fail to meet).

Make a list of all your digital systems - CRM, peer-to-peer system, grant management, volunteer database, events system, email marketing platform, etc. Then write out what you use each system for.

Are these systems doing what they are supposed to be doing, or are they falling short?

Take a look at your already in-use systems and see if they might offer additional tools you aren’t utilizing. Does your CRM offer a peer-to-peer fundraising integration? Or does your email marketing platform integrate with your events system? See where you could reduce or connect your systems to simplify your processes and make your technology management more streamlined.

If you are noticing a lot of needs going unmet, it might be time to consider a new technology system for your organization.

2. Identify the level of user adoption in your organization.

Interview or survey users and stakeholders to learn all about how they use your technology and how they wish they could use it.

Some questions to ask are:

• What do you use the system for?
• What is the most time-consuming part?
• What do you wish the system did better?
• How does it help you on a daily basis?
• Overall, are you satisfied with this system?

Notice trends in responses. You might be surprised at what you find. What is working for one user, might be a headache for another department. Consider some different options to make it easier for the people who use your digital systems.

3. Engage vendors to assist with system improvement/new system selection and implementation.

Now that you have identified needs and challenges you are facing with your current technology systems, finding some assistance to help you make the most of your digital systems is highly recommended.

If it’s figuring out how to better utilize a current system you have, reaching out to the developer is a great first step. Most CRMs have people standing by or training programs to help you implement their product tools. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Consultants can also be a helpful advocate for you. They generally know the right questions to ask to get at the root of an issue or pain point you might be having. Many times they also have knowledge of many different systems and can recommend solid solutions that are tailored to your organization’s needs and goals.

When you reach out to a consultant, identify specific topics or technology areas you would like to explore in more depth. At Tackle, we typically draft a findings report, often with a spreadsheet of business actions/requirements/needs/paint points. Then we figure out where trends lie and where the most improvement can be made with the least amount of work.

In summary, technology should work for you, you shouldn’t have to work for it. Take some time these next few weeks to think through these considerations and steps. You will be glad you did when your organization’s “busy season” strikes again.