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The Community Connection: Extending Mission and Resources through Online Networks
2010-05-10
In January 2009, a small education nonprofit in Hillsborough, North Carolina fielded a request from the U.S. Department of Education seeking input from a cross‐section of the nation's most accomplished teachers around a number of major policy debates. They needed a report in five working days. How could nine full‐time staff in small‐town NC, already weighed down with multiple responsibilities, fulfill this request?
Online Self-Service Solutions Focused on the Customer
2010-02-10
Today’s associations, member organizations and other customer-focused companies are working hard to extend their reach and effectiveness, while looking to take advantage of the knowledge in their networks in service to their missions. Even with limited resources, they are actively competing for the attentions of their current and prospective “customers” – be they members, donors, and sponsors, or board members, committee chairs, and chapter officers.
Why Put Your Organization on Rails?
2007-09-26
The software development industry is often driven by fads and hype. People are always talking about the new programming language, software engineering methodology, framework, or tool that will increase efficiency, lower costs, speed up development, and improve quality. The most recent fad in Web development is Ruby on Rails, a framework for building Web applications that has been the subject of many wild claims by enthusiasts. As a manager, you have to assess whether Ruby on Rails, like any other new technology, lives up to the hype.
Progressive Development: Stop Postponing Joy!
2006-08-22
Progressive Development – sounds like a building strategy to breathe life into a stagnant community, doesn't it? Only the neighborhood – the Web – differs from what you might have first imagined. Progressive Development is the deliberate and ongoing process of breathing new life into web sites to better serve the changing needs of site visitors. Buildings actually provide a good metaphor for understanding the concept of Progressive Development. 
A Winning Argument for Linux Over Windows
2006-03-21
It all started with the chicken and the egg, and when that could not be easily resolved, we moved onto is it butter or is it margarine?  And of course, let’s not forget the classic case of trying to decipher who put what into the chocolate and/or peanut butter? Let’s face it – we thrive on a good argument. And today, it’s about Linux and Windows.
Is Your Not-For-Profit Web Focused?
2006-01-26
Once upon a time, just having a Web site put a not-for-profit (NFP) at the forefront of technology. Back then pages were static, functionality was limited, and the user was an afterthought. But to quote Bob Dylan – "The times, they are a-changin'." Users have matured; technology has evolved; and functionality is required. Instead of being satisfied with just finding out a little bit about who you are and where you are located, users now expect the Web site of a NFP to be a "one-stop-shop" – they want to be able to update their contact information, buy a book, sign up for an event, make a donation, and participate in an online community.
Real Life Project Management -- A Mix of Art and Science
2005-11-29
Just ten short years ago, project management was thought of by many as an “accidental profession” – a role within organizations created through happenstance and ad hoc training. Project managers were truly a neglected species – often novice managers given a project to complete with the directive to operate within a set of narrowly defined (and often unrealistic) constraints. No crystal ball was needed to predict the outcome – failed projects; managers battling entrenched bureaucracy and powerful factions; and money, market opportunities, and other resources forever lost. 
The Lowdown on Log Analysis
2005-11-25
So you’ve invested in a corporate web site, now what? Well, many companies treat their web sites like the OSHA posters that they are required to display…everyone has one so there’s ours. But that is a bad move. Web sites at the corporate level can be significant investments and should be treated as such. To get in the right mindset, organizations should think of their web sites in the same manner as physical expansions – web sites are essentially virtual expansions. And therefore, their performance should be evaluated to determine effectiveness, impact, and return on investment. “How?”…You ask. “Server Log Analysis.”…I reply.
Thinking It Through -- Technology Planning for the Not-for-Profit
2005-09-02
With the economy not as strong as it has been, the not-for-profit (NFP) sector is facing an ever changing business landscape that includes: a volatile economy, changing demographics, shifts in governmental and private funding priorities, swings in the political climate, and influential world events. As a result, NFPs are being called upon more and more to adapt to change. Although other sectors have been relatively quick to incorporate tools that enable them to adapt to the shifting landscapes, the NFP sector’s response has not been quite as successful. Clearly, one of the most important tools in this adaptation has been technology.
Location - Location - Location: The Basics of Search Engine Optimization
2005-09-02
Your corporate Web site…to you - an investment – and being such, you didn’t let the CEO’s nephew design it. You issued an RFP; you went through a formal vendor selection process; and then you hired a professional firm to ensure that your corporate site (often the first impression of your business) was both useful and usable, separating form and function from presentation and style. A real A+ job. And now that you’ve built it, they will come. Right? Wrong.