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Technologist Manifesto or Things Everyone in IT Should Know

In a challenge to technology advocates everywhere, a self styled IT Hit Man offers a Technologist Manifesto. His rules include: (1) Bad Technology is Your Fault. (2) Users aren't Born Stupid, You Train Them to be That Way. (3) You want to make your system easier to use than to not use. (4) If the Solution Seems Too Simple, Use It. (5) Eliminate Jobs - Everywhere. (6) Make People Better. (7) Understand the Good of "Good Enough". Read this. Posted: 2/20/06; 11:53:25 PM #

Three Keys to Being an Effective Community Leader

I've enjoyed watching Wilder Publishing reinvent themselves as the Fieldstone Alliance, a publishing and consulting firm. They have done an elegant job of it. You can see for yourself by checking out some of the resources they make available for free, including a piece on the Three Keys to Being an Effective Community Leader. Those three keys are: Frame ideas. Build social capital. Mobilize resources. Posted: 2/20/06; 11:48:10 PM #

eNonprofit Benchmarks Study

I was pleased to see the release this last week of a benchmarks study sponsored by a number of major commercial technology providers to the sector, supported by two foundations, and administered by a couple of very respectable organizations. I'm giving this one a careful review, but at first glance I would say it is an important milestone. Some of its conclusions are a little obvious, such as if you spend more money on technology you tend to produce more results. Others are speculative, such as when the authors try to guess what is causing declining open rates. But if you want to know many of the key numbers for some of the largest nonprofit online efforts, you have to read this study. Posted: 2/20/06; 11:43:48 PM #