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Connecting the Dots: Nine Recommendations for Practitioners
By Eli Malinsky, February 14th, 2008
This report is based on research that explored the use and impact of communication technologies within three provincial hub-and-spoke networks of nonprofit organizations. Using a case study methodology, the principal researcher conducted in-depth interviews with representatives of three hub agencies, telephone surveys with their network members, and comprehensive document and website analysis. This report shares a series of recommendations for practitioners based on the experiences of the participating networks. More details about this report can be found in the inaugural edition of The Journal of Networks and Civil Society.
Recommendation #1: Technology Must be Grounded in Needs
Much of this research appears to rest on the premise that technology is a good way to increase the value that hub agencies provide to their network members. But this is not necessarily the case. It is just as damaging to assume that all technology is good or to pursue an ill-developed plan as it is to ignore technology altogether.
An investment in technology must be grounded in the needs of your organization and the network members. What purpose or need will the proposed technology address? Technology should be used to achieve strategic goals that have been identified by the network and not deployed for its own sake.
Recommendation #2: Develop an Internal Vision and Secure Staff Buy-in
It is generally a core team of communication or technology staff that are pursuing technological innovation within the hub agency. However, in order for new technology to be successful all staff must have a clear understanding of its purpose. Hub agencies must ensure that all internal staff understand the role that technology plays in the network. This starts with a clear identification of technology strategy and a common vision of how technology can benefit the hub agency and network members. In this way, all staff can give consistent messaging to network members in their day-to-day communication.
All relevant staff must also be familiar with the uses of any new technologies. Training on technology begins within the hub agency and staff must be shown to be using new features appropriately. The success of technology implementation within the network begins with appropriate modeling by the hub agency.
Recommendation #3: Involve your Members
As member-based structures, network organizations require the ongoing involvement of members to successfully implement new communication technologies. Otherwise, they will encounter resistance or indifference. Specifically, this means involving members at three key stages:
- Technology Strategy and Needs Assessment: Determining the needs of members, including their technological capacity and facility, as well as their interest in adopting new technologies. A technology is only as useful as it is grounded in the needs and abilities of its users.
- Technology Design and Testing: Involving members in the process of developing the features, structure and design of technologies. Members -- the actual users of technology -- must be involved in this process if technology implementation is to succeed.
- Technology Promotion and Training: Building a technology platform does not necessitate its use and efforts must be made to promote the adoption of technology among the network members. Make sure that adequate resources are reserved for this stage of the process or investments in testing and design will be wasted.
This is an ongoing and iterative loop. Technologies must be revised -- and new technologies introduced -- to meet the ongoing needs of members. This means periodically assessing the experiences of members, finding ways to modify technology to meet changing needs, and subsequently promoting the revisions so members can continue to make active use of technology.
Recommendation #4: Avoid Uniform Solutions and Expectations
This research points to one primary conclusion: technology use will differ among different segments of the network. Hub agencies must acknowledge and embrace this fact. Given the differences among members and their autonomy in the network, it is only natural that different users will use technologies differently.
It is worthwhile exploring how technologies can be tailored to the needs of different audiences. Think about the network as an aggregation of segments, or constellations, sharing particular characteristics. Some members may be based in rural areas, others may deliver a particular government program, and still others may be part of larger multi-service agencies. How can technology serve these different segments? In the best case scenario, different staff at different member organizations should each be able to access and experience technology in a way that is appropriate to their specific circumstances.
More generally, hub agencies should avoid the temptation of developing and promoting technologies intended to serve all members equally. While there are certainly some features that will be embraced by all members, there are also technologies and website features that will have greater relevance for certain groups than for others. Consider the specific needs and capacities of these different segments when developing technological solutions.
Hub agencies should also prepare for irregular or ephemeral use of technology. Some members may embrace a particular feature, others may ignore it altogether, and still others may use it intermittently. This is to be expected and acknowledging this fact will prevent wasted energy or undue disappointment.
Recommendation #5: Work with Pre-existing Characteristics
Given the differences among different segments of the membership base, hub agencies should find ways to map technologies onto the pre-existing characteristics or structural elements of the network. This begins with an honest appraisal of the operating culture of different segments of the network. Do all regions operate in the same way? Do staff serving different functions at member agencies have identical needs? The most likely answer is that they do not. Therefore, work to determine these variable characteristics and deploy technologies in ways that are appropriate to these distinct conditions. Some segments will be far more receptive than others.
The notion that technology reflects organizational characteristics occurs not only at the micro-level of member organizations, but also at the macro or network-wide level. Hub agencies must therefore carefully consider the characteristics of their network before deciding on their technology investment. For example, technology can facilitate member involvement and a culture of collaboration -- however, it cannot force either. If these characteristics do not already exist in the network you should not expect technology to introduce them. Instead, a frank assessment of organizational characteristics should inform expectations and identify areas in which technology can be of most assistance. Technology cannot solve problems that are rooted in offline conditions.
Remember: Technology is much more likely to reflect and reinforce existing organizational characteristics than it is to radically change them. Thus, hub agencies must find ways to use technology to augment existing characteristics; technologies will have the most success in situations where they are appropriately matched to the circumstances to which they are introduced. This happens on both the micro (i.e., different segments within the overall network) and macro (i.e., network-wide) levels.
Recommendation #6: Pilot Test and Use Leaders and Champions
Rather than investing in technology with the expectation of network-wide adoption, consider first testing the technology with a smaller group, wherever feasible and economical. Which segment has the greatest need and interest in technology-based solutions? Work with this segment to develop a format and features that can then be exported to the broader group, using these individuals and organizations to test assumptions and possibilities.
Hub agencies must also acknowledge the special role of leaders and technology champions within their membership. These individuals can go a long way in encouraging the adoption and effective use of communication technologies. Solicit the perspectives and involvement of these individuals in the planning and implementation stages. Members rely as much on their colleagues as they do on representatives of the hub agencies, so make sure that leaders within the network are clear on the goals of the technology and can be relied upon to demonstrate its use. Over time, use of technology will diffuse throughout the network as members come to see and hear about its benefits.
Recommendation #7: Deploy Flexible Technologies and Approaches
Hub agencies should introduce technologies that are flexible enough to accommodate the varying capacities and interests of network members. Rather than purchase and deploy technologies that can be used only in a prescribed way, hub agencies should empower their network with technologies that can be modified to suit the unique circumstances of member organizations and member groupings. Different subsets of the network will adopt or require different features, perhaps at different times. Inasmuch as possible, flexible technologies that permit some modification for different members and uses will see the greatest success within the network.
Similarly, hub agencies must avoid overly rigid prescriptions or expectations for technology use. It may be that members modify or appropriate technologies in ways that are unanticipated by the internal team. This should be accepted and encouraged, as it is the ultimate purpose of technology to serve members' interests.
Recommendation #8: Brand and Define your Products/Services
It is vital that you brand and explain the electronic services and features that you offer to members. Again, this begins by forming a clear internal sense of the purpose of technology products or services. This purpose must then be directly communicated to members.
And remember: these features are services that you offer to members. Use your logos or other identifiers to clearly communicate that it is your agency providing this service. A surprising number of member respondents in this study were not clear on who was providing certain technology services. Remind your members that you are looking out for their best interest!
Recommendation #9: Leave Room for Face-to-Face Interaction
Face-to-face interaction is critical to relationship building. Relationships can be sustained electronically but they are usually created through in-person meetings. This finding has been evident in all three cases. Member respondents unanimously cite the value of face-to-face interaction and generally lament a reduction in personal contact over the past several years. Hub agencies must make every effort possible to support personal physical interaction among segments of the membership as well as the entire group. It is these opportunities that allow members to make personal connections and build trust and positive interpersonal dynamics.
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