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News for December 2001

29 December 2001

Customer Centered Products
	I have been learning a lot about the various methods of setting requirements for products and services and trying to figure out how to balance and integrate up front planning with the process of learning by doing. I'm reading Customer Centered Products and exploring the resources at John Rhodes' Requirements Engineering Portal. Posted: 12/29/01; 1:19:43 PM #

Economic Downturn May Boost Donor Involvement
	While I agree that the economic downturn may boost donor involvement, I think that building donor relationships is much richer than focusing on outcomes measurement. Posted: 12/29/01; 1:19:24 PM #

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations
	Looks like Grantmakers for Effective Organizations is picking up steam, having hired their first executive director and with a big conference coming in the Spring. Posted: 12/29/01; 1:19:05 PM #

Media Day 2002
	CompassPoint does great one day conferences. If you're in Northern California, check out Media Day 2002. Posted: 12/29/01; 1:18:38 PM #

Reviews of Lessig's Future of Ideas
	Michael Fraase offers one of the most thoughtful reviews of Lessig's Future of Ideas. Posted: 12/29/01; 1:18:23 PM #

26 December 2001

The Unbearable Lightness of Grouping
	In The Unbearable Lightness of Grouping, Tone Bratteteig of the University of Oslo looks at the problems of introducing computer support for cooperative work. Working together isn't easy, no matter what the tools. Posted: 12/26/01; 9:51:46 AM #

Staying "In the Moment" in Online Communication
	Nancy White offers some great advice on staying "in the moment" in online communication. Excellent ideas to encourage presence and thoughtfulness. Posted: 12/26/01; 9:51:35 AM #

22 December 2001

Hesselbein Community Innovations Fellows Program
	Nominations are now open for the Hesselbein Community Innovations Fellows Program. Posted: 12/22/01; 2:24:58 PM #

21 December 2001

The Gift of Arrogance
	In The Gift of Arrogance, Geoffrey Colvin describes the encounter of know-it-all dotcom culture with the real work of social change. Venture philanthropy is sobering up. Posted: 12/21/01; 11:11:53 AM #

20 December 2001

Information as an Organizational Asset
	Diane G. Remin and Marc Osten have penned a short piece on Information as an Organizational Asset. They make a strong case that what's actually valuable in a nonprofit isn't all that tangible. Posted: 12/20/01; 12:59:57 PM #

19 December 2001

Wired, Willing and Ready
	I'm particularly pleased with the many email focused questions of Wired, Willing and Ready, survey of human service organization use of information technology. I think the self reporting on efficiencies is probably not the best methodology, however. Posted: 12/19/01; 4:36:21 PM #

Starting Your Email Newsletter
	Nick Allen's advice on starting your email newsletter is simple and right on. In my own biased opinion though, Social Ecology's system far outstrips MessageMedia's for nonprofit organizations. Posted: 12/19/01; 4:36:08 PM #

Internet as a Form of Assistive Technology
	United Cerebral Palsy was one of the first large nonprofits to realize that the Internet was about communication first, not publication (if you'll allow that distinction). Now they are truly positioning the Internet as a form of assistive technology. Posted: 12/19/01; 4:35:51 PM #

Survey on Security in Nonprofit Computing Systems
	NetAction is conducting a survey on security in nonprofit computing systems. I think they are asking a lot of the right questions. Since the survey is anonymous, your honest answers to it would be valuable! Posted: 12/19/01; 4:35:35 PM #

18 December 2001

Values Based Organization Development
	I enjoyed John Vogelsang's Values Based Organization Development. I like the distinction between values and mission centered planning that the author develops, and support the challenge that he makes to nonprofits to seek congruence between their values and their practices. Posted: 12/18/01; 10:23:10 PM #

Web Site Evaluation Project
	The Web Site Evaluation Project proposes a framework for assessing your web site. I'm not sure if evaluation of web sites isolated from other online communication is the most powerful approach, but I largely agree with their criteria. Posted: 12/18/01; 10:22:45 PM #

Nonprofits on E
	Pieter Boeder has published his research project on nonprofit use of the Internet, Nonprofits on E: How Non-Profit Organisations are Using the Internet for Communication, Fundraising, and Community Building. Posted: 12/18/01; 10:22:30 PM #

13 December 2001

Online Journalism has the Same Free Speech Protection as Print
	Good news. In the United States, online journalism has the same free speech protection as print when it comes to libel. Posted: 12/13/01; 2:49:38 PM #

100 "Best" Charities
	Worth Magazine profiles their 100 "Best" Charities. It's all framed as return on investment. Posted: 12/13/01; 2:49:21 PM #

Profile of TeenCentral.Net
	The Drucker Innovation of the Week profiles TeenCentral.Net, an online counselling program of a 120 year old social service agency. Posted: 12/13/01; 2:48:56 PM #

Tips on Facilitating a Social Change Email List
	The Organizers' Collaborative has published Tips on Facilitating a Social Change Email List . It's well founded, solid advice. Posted: 12/13/01; 2:48:37 PM #

9 December 2001

Patterns of Progress
	In Patterns of Progress, Mohanbir Sawhney, with his eye firmly on the history of other networks, offers us some empowering advice about the simple, but most powerful aspects of the Internet. Posted: 12/9/01; 7:06:54 PM #

The Fading Altruism of Open Source Development
	In First Monday, David Lancashire looks at The Fading Altruism of Open Source Development. Posted: 12/9/01; 7:06:39 PM #

7 December 2001

Cultivating Donors
	I haven't pointed to content at About.com in some time, because I have serious problems with the way they frame other people's content and slap their own ads on top of it. But Stan Hutton's piece on Cultivating Donors is really worth reading if you're at all new to fundraising. Posted: 12/7/01; 12:56:12 PM #

California Charities are in Bad Shape after 9-11
	California charities are in bad shape after 9-11. Posted: 12/7/01; 12:55:57 PM #

Most Recent UCLA Internet Project Survey
	The most recent UCLA Internet Project survey (PDF file) indicates a declining confidence in the power of Internet activism to influence policy. Posted: 12/7/01; 12:55:36 PM #

Deep Fun mailing list
	Remember my interview with Bernie Dekoven? He has launched a Deep Fun mailing list. Posted: 12/7/01; 12:55:22 PM #

Marketplace of Ideas or Tag Sale
	In Marketplace of Ideas or Tag Sale, Steve Johnson reviews Lessig's book on the threats to the openness of the Internet on which nonprofits so deeply depend. Posted: 12/7/01; 12:55:07 PM #

Working Together
	Working Together is a great excerpt from the book "From WorkPlace to WorkSpace" and is focused on collaboration via email. The chapter explores the art and craft of online facilitation. Posted: 12/7/01; 12:54:51 PM #

DemocracyGroups.org
	The Organizer's Collaborative is previewing DemocracyGroups.org, a national directory of social change email lists and forums. Posted: 12/7/01; 12:54:35 PM #

5 December 2001

Innovation of the Week
	The Drucker Foundation's Innovation of the Week looks like an enlightening flow of news and ideas. Posted: 12/5/01; 3:25:07 PM #

Citizen Activist Award
	The Gleitsman Foundation has a generous program for their Citizen Activist Award and they are currently accepting nominations. Posted: 12/5/01; 3:24:54 PM #

4 December 2001

Hype and Reality of Online Communities
	CIO Magazine has a hard hitting look at the hype and reality of online communities, with some nice words about how some nonprofit projects have done well. Posted: 12/4/01; 5:52:33 PM #

Wilmer Shields Rich Awards
	The Wilmer Shields Rich Awards is accepting nominations for excellence in communication in philanthropy. Posted: 12/4/01; 5:51:47 PM #