We see it all too often. Associations jump into a major technology upgrade believing the right system will magically solve their challenges. But technology alone isn’t the answer – success depends on how well you lay the strategic, thoughtful groundwork before the first demonstration takes place.
A sleek new platform can’t overcome misaligned goals, inefficient workflows or unclear objectives. So before you commit to a new tech investment, do the necessary preparations to ensure it will move your organization forward.
We suggest you start by examining three key areas:
- Available resources for a large project
- Business processes
- Expertise gaps in your staff
When an association begins by examining these three key areas, we have found that they develop a realistic perspective of their ability to manage a successful implementation. And, because they have planned for predictable challenges, teams are better equipped to manage the unforeseen difficulties that always arise. Overall, they are much better prepared to evaluate systems and spend their budgets wisely.
As you review your ability to manage the project, remember that there is nothing inherently wrong with what you’ll find. You don’t necessarily have to change anything about your organization. On the other hand, however, if you find that tweaking how you do business will ensure an easier implementation, make ongoing work smoother and will benefit your members and mission, you might consider making changes.
#1 – Understand Your Resources and Capacity for a Large Project
The resources available to an association will influence the timeline, total cost and complexity of a project. For example, if you have a staff of three with no technical training, launching a new AMS without outside help may not be realistic. If, however, you have a generous budget, you may be able to afford software, expertise and training that will help make the process successful. The first goal is to evaluate the resources you have on hand.
Budget
As you evaluate your resources, funding will be one of the most important issues. You probably have some idea of what you can comfortably spend but you may not have considered all the “add-ons” that come with a new system. Now is the time to evaluate your funding sources and create your wish list for features.
You’ll want to decide how granular your budget will be. Will you track only direct costs, such as the cost of new computers, or will you also include indirect costs, such as the cost of accounting time spent on the project. Neither approach is wrong, but it’s helpful to understand from the beginning how much detail you intend to track.
Be sure to include project-specific line items, such as:
- Assistance from outside experts, such as attorneys, data analysts and vendor support
- Upgrades and maintenance costs
- Training costs
- Equipment upgrades, such as updated computers, secure internet connections and test environments
As you evaluate potential systems during discovery, give yourself the flexibility to change budgetary line items. You may need to spend more unexpectedly in a given area and less in another.
Staff Time Commitment
Your staff is charged with running the association daily, and their work is vital to staying in business during an implementation. Assess how well your staff is positioned to successfully undertake an extra major assignment using the following guidelines:
- Staff Availability: Assess how much time each staff member can realistically dedicate to the project without disrupting daily operations. Will you need temporary help? Can you reassign duties to form an implementation team for the duration of the project? Will everyone on staff spend some portion of their time each week on implementation?
- Implementation Timeline: Ensure your staff understands the project phases (e.g., discovery, configuration, testing, training, go-live) and their timeframes. Plan your timeline with some flexibility. One association we know had to revise their timeline to accommodate a two-year delay. They were able to pause the project and start again when it became realistic.
- Parallel Responsibilities: Identify staff already involved in other time-sensitive projects and plan for workload balancing. Be careful about taking on too many large projects simultaneously. Burn out is a real threat, even when implementations go well. Make sure you’re planning with your staff’s workload in mind.
#2 – Streamlining Business Processes
When you launch a new technology, it is an ideal time to review your business processes. In fact, we would encourage such a review before you make any technology selection. Ultimately, a review at this stage will benefit your selection process and will make implementation easier.
You should consider:
- Current Processes: Ensure your staff understands existing workflows and can articulate how they need to change or improve with the new system.
- Knowledge Gap Analysis: Identify any knowledge gaps in current processes that may hinder a smooth implementation.
- Documentation: Encourage staff to document current workflows for comparison with the new system.
As you review, note any pain points your staff experiences. Features of the new technology may help make the workflows better. Then after you’ve identified any problems, outline ways to overcome them.
#3 – Identify Expertise Gaps
Every staff has experienced, knowledgeable staff members for day-to-day operations. What you may not have is a team that has mastered the skills necessary to help a tech implementation run smoothly. Assess your staff’s training and experience to determine how much outside help you might need. Here are three areas where many associations need extra help:
- Technical Expertise: Determine whether existing staff have the technical knowledge to handle tasks like data migration, integrations or system testing.
- Project Management Skills: Identify a project manager with experience (or capacity to learn) to coordinate activities and keep the project on track.
- Change Management Leadership: Assign someone to oversee staff engagement and adoption efforts.
- Communications: Assemble a team to create a plan to share information with the staff and other stakeholders during the project, as well as a plan to introduce the new technology to users.
Review
It is always a good idea to include staff members in the discovery process. Participation helps them understand the project goals better and fosters their buy-in. They may also have unique insights into possible improvements.
No matter what you find during the review, you can use it to make your selection and implementation the best it can possibly be. Focusing your work as you start the project will pay dividends throughout the process.
Dennison & Associates Can Help
If you’re considering a large tech project and want some assistance evaluating it, we can help.
We’d love to discuss your situation and lend a hand with advice or an assessment. Feel free to contact us to request a conversation or consultation.