Technology is no longer a luxury – Mark Shaw in 2008
The Accidental Techie is a well-known phenomenon in nonprofit organizations. Any executive director who has been involved with a startup is very familiar with the term, and was perhaps one herself, based on need, not necessarily desire. When you work from your personal PC at home, you almost have no choice. You are the one who changes the printer cartridge, reboots the computer, and Google’s technical symptoms that perhaps defy description.
As an organization matures, a staff member, or perhaps a volunteer assumes the responsibilities of keeping things running, speaking with tech support, and generally getting little credit from the organization, for work well done. At some point in time, a need for first a plan to identify technical needs, and then the training to meet those needs becomes necessary.
Awhile back TechSoup published an article by Mark Shaw called “The Purposeful Techie: Nonprofit IT with Intention”. (click here to read more)
In challenging economic times, many nonprofits’ reliance on the internal, “accidental techie” will remain a necessary strategy. As such, it may be time for the nonprofit community to turn the “accidental techie” concept on its ear and take renewed control of this resource. Flipping the idea that this role is a burden to one that the role is quite purposeful and absolutely vital opens doors to improved focus and effectiveness in meeting the nonprofit’s occasional need for internal, immediate and efficient IT support. The time is right to recognize and encourage The Purposeful Techie.
The point is that IT should no longer be an afterthought, but instead a part of your business plan. This includes defining what your organizational IT competencies are.
When you would like to discuss, just give us a call at NPTech Projects 239-206-3374 or send me a note:
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