The Power of Guiding Principles for Nonprofit Tech Success
In my last post on developing effective nonprofit technology strategies and roadmaps, I shared with you the different types of systems nonprofits need to consider beyond what CRM can bring to the table. Today, I want to discuss the importance of developing guiding principles early in the strategy process.
Having a clear vision and a set of guiding principles is crucial for nonprofits when making informed decisions about their technology strategy and investments. By following a set of guiding principles, nonprofits can ensure their technology initiatives deliver real benefits to the organization and its constituents while also ensuring the security and privacy of their data. Effectively, these principles serve the same purpose as gutter bumpers serve at a children’s bowling party, they keep you on track, and without them, your projects could end up in the gutter!
Each nonprofit organization has its own unique culture, vision, and mission, and as such, its guiding principles should be tailored to reflect these elements. That said, here are some examples of guiding principles that other nonprofits have successfully used:
All technology investments will align with our overall strategy.
Technology investment decisions will be made as part of an effective governance process.
Constituents will come first in technology decisions.
We will focus on proven package solutions unless a unique solution is essential to achieving our mission.
Privacy, information security, and ethics will be top concerns in all technology decisions.
In most cases, we will adapt our processes to match our systems.
Our investment in technology will be appropriate and relative to organizations we admire.
We will collaborate with peer organizations to identify information sharing and joint investment opportunities.
We will embrace technologies that integrate easily and can be adapted as our needs change.
We will listen to and respond to user feedback.
This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it should give you a good starting point for developing your own guiding principles. I would love to hear your thoughts and additions in the comments!