Promoting effective digital technology use by family support services and community organisations:...

8/6/2019 Promoting effective digital technology use by family support services and community organisations: state of the play

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Promoting effective digital technlogyuse by family support services and

community organisations: state of theplay

Prepared for Family and Community Services (FACS)

by Stephen Blyth

Draft v 2.1, 19 May 2011

PAGE

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Table of Contents

Executive summary 1

1.0 Introduction 3

2.0 Whats in ICT for organisations? 7

3.0 What does an organisation effectively using ICT look like? 9

3.1 Microsofts Nonprofit IT Pyramid 9

3.2 Infoxchanges Digitally proficient organisations 10

3.3 The five stages of managing technology 11

3.4 What does this all mean? 13

4.0 How are organisations faring with ICT? 15

4.1 The latest high level research on ICT issues 15

4.2 Infrastructure and systems 16

4.3 ICT uses 18

4.4 Access to support 20

4.5 Planning and budgeting 21

4.6 Attitudes to ICT 23

4.7 Barriers to effective use of ICT 24

4.8 Insights from overseas 25

4.8 What does this all mean? 30

5.0 What environment and support will help organisations to increase their ICTcapability? A long list 32

5.1 Setting capability building in context 32

5.2 Elements of an ICT capability building ecosystem 33

5.3 Strengthening ICT capability policy making from overseas 35

6.0 How does the Aotearoa New Zealand tangata whenua, community andvoluntary sector access support to increase their ICT capability? A short list

39

7.0 Next steps 43

Resources list 44

Appendix 1: Research report methodologies 46

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Disclaimer: This discussion document does not represent the opinions or policy of the Ministry

of Social Development or the Government. The document has been prepared by an externalcontractor and is intended to foster discussion of the ICT capability issues raised. All analysis and

opinions are those of the author.


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Executive summary

This scene setting document has been prepared as part of a Family and Community Services

(FACS)1 initiative to facilitate a conversation about effective ICT use by family support services and

community organisations. The conversation aims to:

Support recently established Community Response Forums to identify opportunities for

investment in ICT capacity and make good decisions on projects that arise

Assist FACS to understand strategic priorities for ICT capability initiatives

And potentially, prepare a collaborative road map for strengthening ICT capability.

An underlying assumption for any discussion is that organisations have more to gain from

adopting practices for using ICT effectively than they have to lose. There are benefits at almostevery level of the organisation, including service delivery, administration and communications.

As a starting point for this conversation, three complementary ways of framing effective ICT use

are described. The models are:

Microsofts Nonprofit IT Pyramid

Digitally proficient organisations, from Infoxchange

Five stages of managing technology, from Steve Heye.

The question that arises from considering these models is whether they offer any useful insights.

How tangata whenua, community and voluntary organisations are faring in terms of their ICT use

is explored. This assessment is primarily based on recent general research, and surveys specifically

about ICT use. The areas covered are:

Infrastructure and systems

ICT uses

Access to support

Planning and budgeting

Attitudes to ICT

Barriers to effective use.

After looking at the situation in New Zealand, a brief (even cursory) appraisal of how things stand

for organisations in three other countries is provided.

Notwithstanding limitations from the available evidence, analysis shows that organisations are

increasingly adopting practices which mean they are becoming more digitally proficient. Even if

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1 Family and Community Services is a service of the Ministry of Social Development that supports familiesand communities to be strong, well informed and to connect with each other. www.familyservices.govt.nz
http://www.familyservices.govt.nz/http://www.familyservices.govt.nz/


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things are moving slowly, they are moving in a positive direction.

There is no single area of ICT use that stands out as requiring more attention than others. Even in

the area which is strongest amongst the largest number of organisations, ie having a functioning IT

system with core software, more could be done to both monitor and ensure quality.

As could be expected, larger organisations show more indicators of effective use, including such

things as technology planning, advanced uses of software and ways of measuring if IT is delivering.

And even in the absence of evidence about the markers of alignment of ICT use with missions,

there are organisations that are totally on top of things and employing ICT in strategic ways. These

high flyers tend to be hidden within the averages.

The appraisal of organisations overseas shows that the situation of organisations in New Zealand is

not dissimilar to elsewhere. Despite the presence of significant levels of support, which have been

around for a longer period, and the generally higher levels of resourcing available, a high

proportion organisations are not using practices that demonstrate effective ICT use.

Turning to how organisations could be supported to strengthen their own ICT capability, a long list

of elements sets out many of the things that would ideallybe available. Its not intended as a wish-

list nor is it comprehensive. The areas covered are: technical support; advisory services; services

and products; training and learning; leadership opportunities; and an enabling environment.

There are many ICT capability initiatives underway in Aotearoa New Zealand. A preliminary effort

is made to summarise how organisations access support. In the absence of a thorough stocktake,

formal research or some other means of collecting information, what is described is partial. While

there are many initiatives happening, these are not reaching all organisations who need them nor

are the most important areas being covered. In the absence of a joint strategy, roadmap ornetworking organisation to take the lead, any initiatives are occurring in an uncoordinated way.

After setting out in a abbreviated way the state of the play, the questions that arise are:

What are we trying to achieve in terms of strengthening the capability of organisations to

use ICT capability? Is digital proficiency an appropriate goal?

Where are organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand really at in terms of using ICT?

What opportunities and gaps exist to strengthen both organisations, networks and

capability building providers?

Who needs to be involved in discussion? What can FACS do?

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1.0 Introduction

In the technology world things appear to change in a dizzying blur. New ways of communicating,

new tools, inventions galore are constantly emerging from garage-based start-ups and

corporations alike. There are always new opportunities, with more around the corner. It can feel

like a race to keep up.

It is a lot to ask tangata whenua, community and voluntary organisations2 to grapple with

technology use within their organisation and to connect with others, as well as considering how

new technologies could be used to transform their organisation, the way services are delivered and,

while youre at it, change the world.

So, any manager or board involved in decision making about digital technology must have their

feet very firmly planted.

When thinking about how digital technologies could support the Community Response Model

(CRM) which seeks to transform the way government funds social services and gives

communities a say in the services and support they need its important to start where

organisations are at. Some organisations have a strong foundation, with stable and secure IT

systems, effective planning and management processes, and well trained staff. Organisations at

this stage, something that could be tentatively called digitally proficient, are likely to be ready to

innovate using information and communications technology (ICT)3.

However, many others are still getting the basics in place: uninterrupted email, regular back-ups,

reliable computer operation, etc. Organisations in this situation tend to be reactive and lack the

building blocks for undertaking more sophisticated projects or effectively working with others.

There is a danger some organisations will not get the opportunity to benefit from potential

improvements ICT can bring to service delivery, engagement with supporters and stakeholders,

and internal performance. Some organisations may prematurely embark on projects that fall over

as theyre overly ambitious or poorly focused. It could also lead to organisations adopting tools or

practices they dont fully understand, and dont fully buy-in to.

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2 For the purposes of this document, the term organisationswill be used as a proxy for the broad crosssection of organisations within the tangata whenua, community and voluntary sector organisations (or not-

for-profits or NGOs as they are variously known). Social service, including family, community and personalservices providers are included within this broader term.

3 A full definition of ICT can be found on page 2.


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Of course organisations are not alone, but operate within local communities and a broader sector.

Efforts to strengthen capacity will have a far greater prospects of success when people pool

resources, coordinate ICT needs, and make mistakes learn together.

Where does this document fit in?

This scene setting document is a precursor to a discussion about supporting family and community

service providers to use ICT effectively. Family and Community Services is facilitating a

conversation about ICT use with the aims of:

Supporting Community Response Forums to identify opportunities for investment in ICT

capacity and make good decisions on projects that arise

Assisting FACS to understand strategic priorities for ICT capability initiatives

And potentially, preparing a collaborative road map for strengthening ICT capability.

ICT spans a very wide range of uses, practices and devices. A definition of ICT includes hardware

(not only computers and printers but also things like cameras, mobile phones, video conferencing

equipment, wiring), software, practices and policies. In short, ICT is about more than boxes.

With this in mind its important not to be overly specific about minimum requirements or standard

operating procedures. This is doubly so as technologies and there uses change over time. This is

why leadership, advocacy and context setting need to be acknowledged as an integral part of ICT

capability. Its important to consider the great diversity of organisations: there is enormous

variation in terms of size, mission, geographic location and modus operandi.

There are many characteristics within organisations that influence the effectiveness of ICT use.

While the level of budget is important, it is not necessarily the case that organisations with large

budgets are effective at using ICT. Another commonly cited factor is age. It is suggested that whenthe current generation of managers retire, they will be replaced with an IT savvy generation. Again,

this assumption needs to be carefully unpicked.

There is no intention to be prescriptive in the face of such heterogeneity. After all, nobody likes

being told how they should operate, and in particular, what they should strive for in terms of

technology.

A wee bit of history

Before considering community organisation ICT capacity building in depth, its important to record

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a brief acknowledgement of work on this topic that precedes this paper.

As long ago as 1997, the Department of Internal Affairs set in motion a Communities Online

strategy. The aim was to undertake selected activities to fill a gap in community organisation use

of IT and the Internet in particular. In the absence of any other agency or group pushing this along,

organisations were seen as missing out on the benefits ICT offers. One strand of this was setting up

the pioneering CommunityNet Aotearoa (www.community.net.nz), launched in 1998 and still

going strong today.

There have been various conferences with hundreds of people from across the sector coming

together to learn and discuss issues related to ICT use by organisations. Events include Flaxroots

Technology conferences in 2000 and 2002, Connecting Communities in 2003 and Engage your

community in several centres from 2008 to 2011.

The Digital Strategy released in 2005, and an earlier Connecting Communities strategy, paved the

way for recognition by government of the importance of effective ICT use by community and

voluntary organisations. One way that community initiatives were supported was through the now

defunct Community Partnership Fund. This Fund distributed over $17 million over three years to a

large number of projects. A significant proportion of the funds was directed at projects which

boosted the ICT capacity of organisations. The impact is somewhat difficult to discern as the way

funding was administered never really led to sharing of lessons and the making of connections

between complementary projects. This represented something of a missed opportunity to generate

momentum and to build on what people learned along the way.

The now defunct Digital Development Council with an allied Digital Development Forum was

created by the Labour government in 2008 as a way of getting everybody interested in ICT in every

sector talking together. Community and voluntary sector representatives jumped on board thiscollaborative initiative with ambitions to advance capacity building within the tangata whenua,

community and voluntary sector. With the withdrawal of government funding from the Council in

2009, the incorporated society underpinning this initiative choose not to continue.

Alongside the sharing, discussion and policy making, many pioneering and innovative projects

have been run by and for the community and voluntary sector. Some of the initiatives have been

within organisations, and others across whole networks or sectors. There are far too many list, but

many are referenced in below.

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http://www.community.net.nz/http://www.community.net.nz/http://www.community.net.nz/


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In amidst concerns about strengthening organisational capacity and sector networks, community

organisations bring a strong interest in ensuring any barriers to citizens using and benefitting from

new technologies are addressed. Digital inclusion is driving motive for those working for justice

and equity within social services.

Knowing this all sits behind discussions on an ICT framework, there is no need to start at the very

beginning. Instead, by tapping into existing ideas and experience it will be possible to narrow in on

key areas for attention.

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2.0 Whats in ICT for organisations?

The starting assumption behind any effort by organisations to enhance their ICT capability is that

this will benefit them. Effectively using ICT is a good thing. There is no single reason why

organisations adopt ICT. In most cases there are many drivers.

According to Ted Zorn, a researcher from the Waikato Management School, and colleagues the

benefits of effect ICT use flows from:

efficiency: delivering the most services and running an organisation with the lowest level

of resources possible, particularly important as organisations seek to stretch their dollars

effectiveness: delivering services that are well targeted and achieve real impact

responsiveness to stakeholders: being accountable in the eyes of funders, etc, byintroducing systems for measuring impact, and being transparent to the public4.

ICT can touch on almost every aspect of an organisation. In the ICT Hubs "Managing ICT" guide5,

examples are outlined of how ICT contributes to improvements in:

service delivery

access to information for managers

financial management

client records

information for communities

staff development

fundraising

external communications

internal communications

administration.

What this looks like in practice can vary a lot. Taking examples from just one area of ICT shows

how upgrades or improved IT management can make life easier for organisations. These quotes

are taken from case studies on the TechSoup NZ website6. Each of the organisations bel0w

comment on the impact or expectations of newly installed software:

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4 Institutional and Noninstitutional Influences on Information and Communication Technology Adoption andUse Among Nonprofit Organizations (2010) Ted Zorn, Andrew Flanagin and Mirit Shoham, HumanCommunication Research 37 (2011)

5 National Council for Voluntary Organisations (2007), UK www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/advice-support/ict

6www.techsoup.net.nz
http://www.techsoup.net.nz/http://www.techsoup.net.nz/http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/advice-support/icthttp://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/advice-support/ict


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The timely upgrade has allowed our staff more efficient access whilst in the office, and also

for our staff on the road and in remote offices to be able to access the information directly

rather than via a call to the office and have it relayed over the phone. Cystic Fibrosis

Association of New Zealand

We anticipate having amazing information which will help New Zealand learn better ways

to protect vulnerable families, as a result of this project and the only way we could manage

this, is through our wonderful new database. Shine

Maximising client contact time and working collaboratively is a critical aspect of the work

for the team and the new software has helped make a significant difference. Technology

instead of being an outcome or problem has become a tool to create better results for

children and the families we work with. Less time spent on learning how to use the beast

and more time with the clients, less time copying and sorting documents, reports and data

and more time out and about. Mangere East Family Service Centre (MEFSC)

While there can be a tendency to overstate the benefits, and under report any troubles, the starting

point has to be that effective use of ICT is more a help than a hindrance. The overriding goal of any

conversation is to support every organisation to effectively use ICT, in a way that suits their unique

purpose and needs.

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3.0 What does an organisation effectively using ICT look like?

Describing the attributes of an organisation that is effectively using ICT is extends beyond

providing a list of things that must be in place or technologies they have. Nor is it necessarily about

budgets, as even organisations with big budgets can struggle to make effective use of ICT.

Its necessary to pay as much attention to practices, culture and attitudes, as it is to hardware. The

title of a Canadian capacity building initiative captures this concisely when they talk about beyond

the box 7. Effective use is not about a one-off overhaul, but about long-term planning and decision-

making/ deliberation processes. Nor is it only about appointing or contracting someone to keep the

IT system running. Its about vision and where technology fits with the needs of the organisation

and clients.

As a springboard for a conversation about effective ICT use, three complementary ways of framing

this are described. The models are:

3.1 Microsofts Nonprofit IT Pyramid

3.2 Digitally proficient organisations

3.3 Five stages of managing technology.

3.1 Microsofts Nonprofit IT Pyramid

To support organisations understand their

current use of ICT, and suggest how to move to a

strategic approach to ICT investment in the

future, Microsoft have developed a three-level IT

pyramid8. Ultimately Microsoft want to support

organisations to "manage their operations and

deliver services more effectively and achieve

greater impact for the communities they serve."

At the base is stable and secure IT. This

relates to the following:

hardware

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7 Beyond the Box - Thinking strategically about technology grantmaking in Canadas voluntarysector (2004), A background paper for the Voluntary Sector Initiative Changing Technology FundingPractices project, by Catherine Ludgate, IMPACS and Mark Surman, The Commons Group, http://www.vsi-

isbc.org/eng/imit/beyond_the_box.cfm

8 Microsoft, Corporate Citizenship Tools http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/en-us/community-tools/non-profits/get-started/

Illustration 1: Microsoft's Nonprofit IT Pyramid
http://www.vsi-isbc.org/eng/imit/beyond_the_box.cfmhttp://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/en-us/community-tools/non-profits/get-started/http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/en-us/community-tools/non-profits/get-started/http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/en-us/community-tools/non-profits/get-started/http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/en-us/community-tools/non-profits/get-started/http://www.vsi-isbc.org/eng/imit/beyond_the_box.cfmhttp://www.vsi-isbc.org/eng/imit/beyond_the_box.cfmhttp://www.vsi-isbc.org/eng/imit/beyond_the_box.cfmhttp://www.vsi-isbc.org/eng/imit/beyond_the_box.cfm


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networking

regular maintenance

access to basic productivity tools, including email, word processing, spreadsheets

policies and procedures to promote proper use

sensitive systems and data are safe and secure.

Typically a foundation needs to be in place before organisations are able to ascend higher up the

pyramid. In the absence of a platform to build on, computer failures, security breaches, spam

infiltrations and other problems makes challenges of more advanced computing much more

difficult.

The next level relates to optimizing service delivery. At this point an organisation begins using

technology to actually begin delivering services, improving service quality, expanding reach and

increasing community impact.

Organisations operating at this level are likely to use databases and relationship software,

networking tools, and other emerging online applications. The tools could be used to support

relationships with individual clients, monitor trends, access services and work between

organisations.

At the highest level of the pyramid is transform, something which not every organisation will

aspire to. This is described as "creating IT solutions or developing IT business models to help

deliver a service or program in a new or different way not possible without that technology".

Innovations at this level could include use of handheld devices for data capture, data visualisation,

mobile applications for clients, or new web or software designed for specific purposes. The

significant IT expertise and up-front investment required, and risks associated with this sort ofinnovation means it is relatively rare amongst nonprofits.

3.2 Infoxchanges Digitally proficient organisations

An action research project run in 2009 by Melbourne-based Infoxchange generated a wealth of

data about IT usage in small to medium-sized organisations in Victoria, Australia, and a nascent

framework to assist organisations becoming digitally proficient. The research comprised audits of

the capacity level and use of information and communications technology in 120, and a subsequent

survey completed by 281 organisations9.

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9 Digital proficiency in small to medium Community Service Organisations Consumer Report, Infoxchangehttp://www.ixa.net.au/sites/www.ixa.net.au/files/MeasureITsummaryReport.pdf


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At the core of a digitally proficient organisation is the strategic value of ICT being recognised, and

technology use being aligned with a business plan and activities. When this is done technology use

leads to improvements in efficiency of operations, reduced bureaucracy, enhanced knowledge

management, increased networking, and better support for staff, clients and communities. As well

as having benefits within an organisation, ICT proficiency will benefit clients either directly or

indirectly.

A digitally proficient organisation demonstrates the following attributes:

1. Comprehensive plan and governance processes supporting ICT development

2. Alignment with board and organisational objectives

3. Tightly integrated business systems supporting efficient processes

4. Effective relationship management and service coordination systems

5. Open and engaged knowledge management and information sharing

6. Training and development of staff and volunteers leveraging ICT

7. Optimal ICT procurement ensuring best value

8. Flexible workplace supporting multiple devices and locations

Infoxchange have devised a fairly complex matrix to determine how far long the path to digital

proficiency an organisation has reached. Based on the eight attributes listed above, organisations

can be on one of four levels: basic, intermediate, advanced or proficient.

3.3 The five stages of managing technology

IT practitioner Steve Heye introduces a five stage framework for promoting IT alignment with an

organisation's mission 10. He describes IT alignment as the "coordination of an IT strategy with the

goals, strategies, and processes used to meet an organisation's mission". As well as avoiding

common legal and financial troubles, Heye argues that alignment allows for streamlined operations

to create efficiencies and improving effectiveness.

Heye lists what he considers essential indicators of IT alignment. This includes looking at:

linkages between technology usage and strategy, leadership involvement and support for

technology deployment

planning, budgeting and resource allocation

technology asset management and monitoring

integration of technology into business processes

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10 This model is presented in the opening chapter of Managing Technology to Meet Your Mission: A StrategicGuide for Nonprofit Leaders (2009) produced by the Nonprofit Technology Network (USA)


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extent and focus of training

data collection standards and processes

level of technology support.

Reviewing how an organisation measures up against these indicators can be used to determine

which the following levels it is at:

1. Chaotic

2. Reactive

3. Proactive

4. Service

5. Value.

At the weakest, Chaotic stage, organisations

struggle to keep up with outdated, failing IT system,

which means much time spent fixing equipment.

There is seldom a technology plan, budget or defined

process for ICT decision-making. The board or

committee have no involvement in ICT.

Documentation of existing hardware and monitoring of

performance is nonexistent. Training is typically passed

down or observed, and technology support is ad hoc or absent. Data collection is not priority and is

poorly done.

With organisations at the Reactive stagebasic systems are in place to keep an ad hoc collection of

workstations running and printers printing. Immediate needs are budgeted for, but long-term

growth or big ideas arent. Some documentation exists and hardware treated as something that

needs little attention. While some data is collected, it is not a priority. Typically rather thananticipating problems and working to prevent them, the culture is one of responding when need

arises, typically a crisis.

At the Proactive stage organizations have stable IT system, solid operations software, and

adequate policies and practices are being developed. Replacement and upgrades are budgeted for,

but there is no formal plan. Systems are monitored, with reports used to plan for future needs. The

focus is mainly on building efficiencies, with limited attention to considering how ICT can be used

to achieve the organisations mission. Support is readily available, training is sourced from outside

providers. Some of an organisations data needs are defined and processes are in place to utilise

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Illustration 2: Steve Heyes five stages ofmanaging technology


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this, particularly for financial management.

In an organisation at the Service stage ICT is elevated to something given strategic consideration.

IT systems are seen an enabler both inside the organization and through public-facing

technologies. Polices are in place and are being implemented. Hardware and software is up-to-date

and of a high standard, with infrastructure monitoring approach realtime. Dedicated support

extends beyond repairs to offering some expertise across the organisation. Training is regular and

structured, with super-users supported. Data needs are defined and highly valued. It is used to

support internal processes, and beginning to be applied to advocacy.

For those organizations in theValue stage, IT is seen as an investment in mission. Not only is

technology up-to-date and actively monitored, it is reguarly assess for fit with the mission and

revenue impact, and new technologies are experimented with and evaluated for future use. A

Dedicated budget is attached to IT. Comprehensive policies are widely used. Dedicated IT support

is available across whole organisation. Efforts are made to prioritise data collection, which is used

not only extensively for internal processes and advocacy, but also shared with others.

Heye says that it is rare for an organisation to precisely match all indicators in a particular stage of

maturity. Instead organisations will be more advanced in some areas, less advanced in others. Its

suggested that an organisation should bring focus on bringing the areas at the lowest stage up to

the same level as the majority. The model, though varying in scale, applies to organisations of all

sizes and budgets. Heye firmly believes organisations it is not good enough only to have IT

hardware, software and support in place, but they should monitor the quality of this and work to

continually improve.

3.4 What does this all mean?

Some common themes begin to emerge from the models that can help understand effective use of

ICT.

When thinking about effectiveness, its not enough to think about this as a one-off or tick the box

exercise. Rather it is better to see effective ICT use as being a process. Infoxchanges founding

director Andrew Mahar describes this as a series of improvements not a task that can be achieved

and then you move on. For Steve Heye "successfully aligning your technology with your mission is

not the result of a single event or decision. It is an ongoing process that will take years to mature.

Just as there will always be new opportunities, new technologies, new demands from stakeholders,

so is there a continual flow of viruses, scams and other disruptors. Organisations dont just stay in

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once place. If effort is not put into maintaining the quality of ICT, then it is possible to slip

backwards.

To truly reap the benefits of investment in ICT means seeing this as a strategic investment. It is

more than an infrastructure or operating cost. Taking this approach means decisions on ICT

investment are measured up for fit with the overall direction of an organisation. They are typically

relate to long-term goals. To achieve this ICT needs to be considered as part of regular strategic

planning, with board members and leaders involved. To keep the strategic direction in focus,

technology plans need to be in place, with a matching technology budget.

A variety of methods can be used to ensure technology is actually delivering for an organisation. At

a more basic level, this could be about periodic technology plan reviews, or at more advanced levels

rely on implementation of a monitoring regime. Such a regime could measure both availability and

quality of everything related to IT, including systems, training and support.

Effective use of ICT is something that organisations of any size can practice. But there are

constraints on what smaller organisations can achieve. It is not realistic to promote a single, one-

size fits all approach.

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4.0 How are organisations faring with ICT?

There is no single answer to the question of how organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand are faring

with their ICT use. As youd expect some organisations are on top of things, whereas others are

constantly plagued with problems in most areas of their IT. In this section a baseline description of

where organisations are at in terms of there ICT usage is presented.

The primary sources for this chapter on how organisations are doing is based on several research

reports, and my experience (primarily with the Wellington e-rider IT service working with small

and medium size organisations). As the most comprehensive research report is from a survey

conducted in November 2008, the picture can be expected to look somewhat different now.

The situation in Aotearoa New Zealand shares many parallels with similar types of organisations in

comparable sectors overseas. After looking at what where things are at for organisations in this

country, relevant, recent research from Victoria, Australia, UK and USA is shared.

4.1 The latest high level research on ICT issues

The results of the Grant Thornton Not for Profit survey 2011/12 11 provide a very high level

indicator of the relative state of IT across all not-for-profit organisations. The overall emphasis of

the survey is on identifying significant issues challenging organisations.

Asked to choose the three most significant issues currently challenging you and your organisation,

the impact of ever-changing complexity of IT environment was fifth in a list of 15 pre-defined

issues. 14% of respondents chose this as one of their organisations three most significant issues.

Compared with responses received in the prior surveys in 2007 and 2009 there is virtually no

change in how much of a challenge IT is. In both these years 16% of respondents rated the IT

environment as a significant issue. Expenditure controls, fundraising, staff retention and

governance issues rated more highly.

The small sample size and way questions are framed means that the results cannot be readily

generalised. However, a question does arise: why to results so such little change over four years?

Possible explanations include organisations have not increased their confidence around ICT nor

are they not able to access appropriate support.

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11 Survival: the ongoing challenge of having to deliver more for less (2011). The respondents includesporting, grant-making and business professional organisations, as well as social services, health andeducation organisations, and was completed by 243 organisations during December 2010 and January2011.


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Access to help with using IT was a recurring issue at a series of 17 forums run by the Charities

Commission between April and June 2010 12. In seven of the forums, seeking help with IT in the

next 12-24 months was ranked second or third priority from a list of ten areas. In another three

forums, people ranked IT help as fourth or fifth. So, at 2/3rds of the forums IT was ranked in the

top five area where support is needed.

At nearly every forum people raised in general discussion the need for IT help of some sort. It was

definitely not the most frequently raised area, as funding, fundraising and associated promotional

or public awareness activities were the areas of highest need. When asked what training

organisations will require in the next year, the references to IT were fairly non-specific. References

were made to:

Access to IT services, including using computer software or providing resources such as

laptops

Developing or modifying existing IT systems

Using social networking sites or web technology as a way of creating public awareness

IT for managers

Use of IT technologies

Creating or designing a website.

What is noticeably absence from the forum summaries is any reference to support for ICT planning

or budgeting, use of ICT for service delivery, a governance bodys strategic leadership role vis a vis

ICT or integrating ICT to achieve an organisations mission.

4.2 Infrastructure and systems

The starting point for any ICT use, effective or otherwise, is having basic systems in place. This

includes computers, printers, networking devices and, in most cases, internet connectivity.

Summarised below is some of the data collected about the types of infrastructure organisations

have in place. However, there are some obvious gaps in the data available, including types of

networks used, levels of satisfaction with systems and other quality measures.

According to the 2008 Waikato Business School nationwide survey13 just 3.5% of respondent

PAGE 16

12This is based on analysis of feedback provided in response to a written survey completed by over 650charity representatives who attended forums. Demographic information about the participating organisationsis not supplied. Feedback summaries from forums were published on Charities Commission website(www.charities.govt.nz).

13 Survey of Community and Voluntary Organisations' Use of Information & CommunicationTechnologies (ICT) (2010), Ted Zorn and Margaret Richardson. See Appendix 1 for a summary of thesurvey methodology.
http://www.charities.govt.nz/http://www.charities.govt.nz/http://www.charities.govt.nz/


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organisations didn't have any computers. Compared with responses three years earlier there was a

drop in the number of organisations without computers, down from 8.7%. Of organisations with

offices (ie 70.4% of organisations surveyed):

65.2% had computers purchased new less than three years earlier

20.2% had computers purchased new, over three years earlier

9.4% had second hand computers.

In the same 2008 survey, respondents indicated broadband is the most common type of internet

connection, with 59.4% of organisations overall using this. While the vast majority of organisations

with large budgets14 (89.2%) have broadband connections, half of organisations with medium

budgets (49.7%) have this type of connection and fewer than a third of those with small budgets

(29.7%). Of those not on broadband (40.6% overall), 10.4% were not connected or don't have an

office (21.1% overall). Just 8.5% of organisations used dial-up over phone lines to access the

Internet. This is an 82.5% decrease over 2005 figures, when 40.3% overall used dial-up.

Results from a Community Waikato survey in 2007 15 showed that the number of computers per

organisation roughly corresponded with the size of the organisation in terms of both paid staff and

volunteers. All 80 respondent organisations had at least one computer. The majority (82.3%)

reported having broadband access.

As basic systems are put in place, organisations begin placing more demands on there

infrastructure. One marker of this is provided in the Waikato Business School nationwide surveys

which asked if staff could remotely access from home or the field internal online resources (other

than email). In 2008, 28.5% of organisations overall provided this, an increase of 40% in three

years. For those in organisations with larger budgets, 36.1% said staff had this sort of access.

While there is limited information collected on quality of systems, including the degree of stabilityand security, some clues are available about this. When asked about problems they faced with their

IT systems, organisations talked to as part of preparation for the Wellington e-rider IT service16

stated:

A lot of the problems with ICT that local organisations recently experienced revolve around

PAGE 17

14 Zorn et al describe large budgets as those over $100,000 pa, medium from $10,000 to $99,000 and smallunder $10,000.

15 Waikato Survey of CVOs Use of ICT, reported in Rotorua E-Rider Service - Evaluation Summary andOptions for Ongoing Sustainability (2008), Rotorua Community ICT Trust

16 Wellington e-rider IT service business plan (2007), Wellington ICT Trust


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connectivity both internal (mostly for larger organisations) and external (servers, routers,

ISPs). In some cases the problems werent at their end but required them to communicate

with service providers. Another common theme was issues with viruses, firewalls, security

and back-ups. Spam is a headache for many and they find it difficult to keep current with

what they need to protect themselves. The next most common type of problem was hardware

not working or being inadequate to the task. Problems upgrading software occupied many of

them, from sourcing the latest versions, to ensuring it is running smoothly.

4.3 ICT uses

There is evidence that organisations are accessing the basic software they need to operate their

organisations. However, there is little evidence that organisations are utilising software specifically

designed to meet the needs of social service organisations.

When asked what kind of role does ICT play in the management of the organisation by Craig and

Williamson in their 2004 survey17, respondents noted the following:

increasing capacity and streamlining internal processes

file sharing, information sharing and archived resources

accessing information to help improve service delivery

improving the perception, presence and marketing

improving connections and linkages.

As many of the organisations participating in this survey provided public computer access, ICT was

also used to improve outcomes for clients.

Respondents to the 2008 Waikato Business School nationwide survey indicated the most frequent

uses of ICTs were for internal and external communications, record keeping and internal

information sharing. The next most significant set of uses related to promoting the organisation,

information sharing and research. Of the 21 possible purposes for using ICT, compliance and

accountability reporting, accessing online databases and delivering services were ranked 13th, 14th

and 15th respectively.

The 2008 survey showed the predominant use of the internet is email. This is used extensively or

very extensively by 73.8% of organisations (and by to 88.4% of organisations with bigger budgets),

and used very little or not at all by only 9%. The next most highly used internet application is

websites, with 39.4% overall using this. With the exception of VOIP18 , use of new online

PAGE 18

17 Survey of New Zealand Community ICT Organisations and Projects: Discussion and Analysis OfResearch Findings (2005) Andy Williamson and Barbara Craig

18 Voice over internet protocol (VOIP) includes things like Skype and GoogleTalk.


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applications such as blogs, wikis, social networking, online collaboration and RSS is negligible.

Fewer than 5% of organisations overall said they were using these types of applications. VOIP is

used extensively or very extensively by 5.6% of respondents overall.

An increase in the number of organisations using new online applications could be expected, as

41.8% of respondents to the 2008 Waikato Business School nationwide survey indicated they were

somewhat likely or very likely to use more Internet based tools in the next year (see figure 1).

However, a third of organisations were unlikely to use more tools, and a quarter were undecided.

Organisations utilise a suite of core office productivity software. For most this means using

Microsoft Office. Every respondent to 2007 Community Waikato survey stated they were using

Microsoft Office (eg Word, Excel). Almost all clients of the Wellington e-rider IT service were using

Microsoft software products. The increase in availability of this proprietary software through the

TechSoup software donation programme means Microsoft is entrenched as the dominant source of

productivity software.

The Community Waikato survey showed that other types of software used included were desktop

publishing, security (commercial and free), accounting software, databases, creative design and

photoshop, and a range of sector specific software and databases.

What is noticeable in these surveys, is limited importance given to information management.

Demand for access to databases or applications which suit the specific needs of social service

PAGE 19

17%

16%

25%

27%

15%

How likely is it you will use more Internet-based tools next year?

Figur

e1:2008WaikatoBusinessSchool

natio

nwidesurvey

Very likelySomewhat likelyUndecidedSomewhat unlikelyVery unlikely


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organisations, as noted in the FACS/OCVS Building Organisational capacity report (2005) 19, does

not seem to have cropped in a meaningful way.

4.4 Access to support

A fair amount is known about access to technical support and advice as a result of community-

based initiatives to supply organisations with practical assistance. Set out below is a summary of

the type of support organisations are seeking, and the levels of satisfaction with this.

Information collected for the FACS/OCVS Building Organisational capacity report (2005) showed

IT support needs could be broken down into two main areas. These are:

1. resolution of day-to-day problems, eg through technical support or a helpline

2. advice on IT strategy and implementation, including: developing an IT solution suitable to the needs of the organisation

reviewing and upgrading websites

selecting IT applications, particularly client management databases

dealing with consultants, suppliers and contractors

choosing software and hardware

using IT for knowledge management

accessing specialist advice relating to choice of appropriate telecommunication

infrastructure.

Respondents to the Community Waikato survey (2007) indicated the most common support

requirements were general problem solving and trouble shooting support to deal with hardware,

software, network and application issues. This is comparable to the practical experience of the

Wellington e-rider IT service where clients were typically responding to crashing computers, virus

intrusion, improving networking or connectivity and software upgrades. The demand for help with

information management projects or planning was a small proportion of the support provided.

In terms of the frequency with which IT advice and support is required, the largest proportion of

respondents to the Community Waikato survey said they need it either several times per year

(50.0% ) or at least once a month (25.6%). A small proportion of respondents (6.4%) said they

required IT advice and support at least once a week. Organisations requiring more frequent IT

support tended to be those with ten or more computers.

When it comes to access to support 2008 Waikato Business School nationwide the highest

PAGE 20

19 Building Organisational Capacity in the Community and Voluntary Sector: A Summary Report on Needsand Opportunities (2005), FACS and OCVS


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proportion of respondents (37.3%) indicated that their organisations had a high or very high

amount of support available, followed by moderate (33.2%), and low or very low amount (29.6%).

More than half the organisations with larger budgets indicated that their access to technical

support was high or very high, compared with approximately a quarter of organisations with

medium budgets, and around a fifth of organisations with smaller budgets. Compared with 2005,

organisations indicating high or very high levels of support dropped 4.5 percentage points overall,

whereas those with moderate budgets experienced an increase by 50%, up to 28.4%. Analysis has

yet to be conducted showing whether geography is a factor in access to IT support and advice as

well as the level of available budget.

The relatively large group of organisations with unmet demands for IT help led to establishment of

practical support initiatives in Rotorua, Waikato, Taranaki and Wellington. Although set up in

different ways, the initiatives offered mobile e-rider or IT advisor services and were run by local

nonprofit organisations. Hallmarks of each of the services is independence and trustworthiness in

the eyes of community organisations. It is noteworthy, that of these initiatives, only the Waikato/

Taranaki one has proved viable and delivers services through Reliance IT. The other two projects

were unable to establish a sustainable funding model.

As few organisations have the choice of going to a community-based IT support provider, expertise

is obtained from a combination of other sources. These include in-house expertise (relatively rare),

contracted commercial suppliers, solo techies, and volunteers. Commercial providers are

increasingly recognising the potential of the not-for-profit sector as a market, so large and medium

sized organisations have an expanding array of choice. These providers are increasingly able to

meet the sector needs.

As well considering how organisations access support face-to-face in a personalised way, it would

also be useful to consider the role of general information resources delivered online or in print, aswell as peer networks and learning opportunities.

4.5 Planning and budgeting

When it comes to taking a step back from the day-to-day demands of managing and using ICT, the

situation with New Zealand community organisations available data shows this is increasingly on

the radar for organisations. However, at the present time most planning and budgeting is informal.

The Craig and Williamson survey (2005) showed only a small proportion of organisations had a

separate ICT plan (6 of 34 respondents), with just three actively measuring progress against the

plan. The largest proportion of organisations measure effectiveness of ICT informally (13), or didnt

PAGE 21


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measure at all (8). The remainder measured the effectiveness of ICT against their overall strategy

and/ or objectives (7). Organisations attributed the lack of planning to lack of time, resources and

opportunity to plan properly. Skill gaps and absence of appropriate processes were also noted.

Asked in the 2008 Waikato Business School nationwide survey whether they have conducted a

formal assessment of technology needs and status, just 18% of organisations overall had done so in

2008. Though a 10% increase on 2005, the rate of growth was slow. The proportion of

organisations with smaller and bigger budgets conducting assessments fell (see figure 2).

The Waikato Business School surveys showed a very small increase in the proportion of

organisations how have a long-term technology plan between 2005 and 2008, up to 16.2% overall.

The percentage of organisations with smaller and mid-range budgets showed a minor increase,

while the percentage of organisations with bigger budgets actually decreased to 26.1%, down 18.8%

(see figure 3).

PAGE 22

0%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

< $10,000 > $100,000

Conducted formal assessment

2005 2008Figure2:2008WaikatoBusinessSchool

n

ationwidesurvey

0%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

< $10,000 > $100,000

Has long-term technology plan

2005 2008Figure3:200

8WaikatoBusinessSchool

nationwides

urvey


25/48

The absence of requests for formal planning process Wellington e-rider IT service indicated that

organisations signing up were primarily seeking support to get immediate fixes to problems or

support with installation or upgrades. There was no uptake of support with technology planning

amongst the 50 organisations that used the service. The concept of a health-check or initial

assessment was also rejected by many organisations as they wanted to get on with things.

Information on ICT budgeting and decision-making is not a feature of the research conducted.

4.6 Attitudes to ICT

There is not a lot of evidence readily available about attitudes to use of ICTs within organisations.

The results of a series self-rating questions the 2008 Waikato Business School nationwide survey

give some idea of organisations perceptions of their ICT use.

The researchers report that overall respondents tended to tended to take a largely neutral position

in relation to the degree to which their organisation uses ICT in an advanced or sophisticated

matter (p5). There is some variation in self-rated level of ICT use depending on the size of the

organisation. Respondents from organisations with larger budgets were more inclined to see their

use of ICT as extensive and sophisticated.

The 2008 survey shows 57.8% of organisations overall agree or strongly agree they are using ICTs

extensively, whereas just 31.4% see their use as sophisticated. There are marked differences in

levels of use between those with smaller or medium budgets and large ones:

80.8% of organisations with large budgets say their use of ICT as extensive or very

extensive, compared with 50% of those with medium budgets and 33% of those with

smaller budgets

just 15.6% of organisations with smaller budgets and a quarter of those with medium

budgets say their use is sophisticated, compared with 46.8% organisations with larger

budgets.

A similar pattern emerges with the responses to questions about use of information systems and

their sophistication. Two thirds of organisations with larger budgets say their use of information

systems is extensive or very extensive, twice the number of those with medium budgets and over

four times the number of those with smaller budgets (see figure 4). Overall a quarter agree or

strongly agree that their use of information systems is sophisticated. A higher proportion of those

with large budgets agree with this (36.9%) compared with 21.2% of those with medium budgets

and just 9.7% of those with small budgets (see figure 4).

PAGE 23


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4.7 Barriers to effective use of ICT

Notwithstanding the achievements organisations have made, as you would expect the barriers to

increasingly effective use of ICT are numerous. Lack of money, time, skill and access to appropriate

IT support are all relevant. These and other factors are described very fully in two case studies by

Waikato Business School researchers20.

A survey and two in-depth case studies of organisations that attended the Engage your community

computing conference in Hamilton in April 2007, showed that organisations had low levels of

awareness of social media. While there should be no assumption that social media must necessarily

be adopted, familiarity and use of these types of online tools can support organisations in a variety

of ways. After attending the conference, the organisations in the case study had identified some

new online tools whose introduction would support them internally and to deliver services.

However, progress introducing tangible results was slow or non-existent.

Two factors that help explain why uptake of new tools was impaired are a lack of resources and

perceived lack of usefulness. Even after attending the conference and receiving follow-up training,

both of the case study organisations were open to usefulness but not convinced. The participants

reported:

leaving the conference feeling excited about the possibilities of using social media, [but] they

were not confident that they could use the various applications. Furthermore, their enthusiasm

waned over the next six months as they encountered competing priorities, staff and volunteer

turnover, and lack of will and support to turn their initial plans for social media use into

reality.

PAGE 24

20 Developing the Social Media Competencies of Community & Voluntary Organizations in NewZealand (2010) Ted Zorn, Suzanne Grant and Alison Henderson, unpublished journal article

0%

18%

35%

53%

70%

Use is extensive Use is sophisticated

37%

65%

21%

33%

10%15%

Extent & sophistication of info systems use: agree/ strongly agree

< $10,000 $10,001 - $99,000 > $100,000Figure4:2008WaikatoBusinessSchool

nationwidesurvey


27/48

Changes in personnel, which is a common occurrence in an organisation targeting children aged

under 5 years, hampered continuity. In the absence of a steady group of people working together,

the need for a champion was identified.

The authors say that although free and widely available, even social media require substantial

resources, such as time, staff stability, reorganizing capability, and technical support to

implement.

The picture painted here is one that is often repeated. Regardless of the type of change or

technology, adopting new ways of doing things is seldom straightforward. Determining whether a

particular tool or software programme is fit for purpose takes a fair amount of research, some

experimentation and a willingness to accept failure. A supportive environment where change is

embraced is vitally important to allowing this to happen. Leadership is essential to surmount any

set backs that occur. Making arguments for free applications may be difficult, but when money

enters the equation it is doubly difficult. Any initiative or software requiring any amount of

investment requires a corresponding effort to justify it.

4.8 Insights from overseas

There is no shortage of research on how community and voluntary organisations in other countries

are faring with their use of ICT. The results and findings are not strictly comparable to New

Zealand because of the different situations in which organisations operate (typically with higher

levels of resourcing, and more support options), but they do highlight key issues and trends.

In this section the six areas above will looked at with reference to the following studies:

MeasureIT action research project, conducted by Infoxchange Australia in 2009.

Comprised audits of the technology IT systems and practices of 120 organisations

(community service organisations) in urban and rural Victoria and a survey with 281

responses.21

DoingITBetter action research project, conducted jointly by Monash University and

Victorian Council of Social Services from 2007 to 2009. Sought to understand and building

up the information and communications technology (ICT) capacity in the community

services sector. Research comprised case studies undertaken by the project with different

types of organisations, feedback and appraisals from workshops, seminars, and conferences

PAGE 25

21 Digital proficiency in small to medium Community Service Organisations Consumer Report, Infoxchangehttp://www.ixa.net.au/sites/www.ixa.net.au/files/MeasureITsummaryReport.pdf
http://www.ixa.net.au/sites/www.ixa.net.au/files/MeasureITsummaryReport.pdfhttp://www.ixa.net.au/sites/www.ixa.net.au/files/MeasureITsummaryReport.pdf


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and input from the Doing IT Better Reference Group.22

ICT Hub (UK) 2007 extension to baseline research, conducted by Paul Ticher and Andrea

Eaves . Longitudinal study of 250 community and voluntary sector organisations

addressing topics such as decision-making and planning, facilities, admin, support and

training.23

USA Nonprofit Social Network Benchmark Report April 2010, conducted. Self selected

sample with 1173 responses were received about use of social networking tools. 24

Infrastructure and systems

According to the results of the MeasureIT study, Victorian organisations are reasonably well set-up

in terms of hardware and internet connectivity. Security practices, particularly amongst small to

medium sized organisations, raised warning bells. For instance, in just 10% of organisations users

regularly changed passwords.

The UK ICT Hub baseline research (2007) shows it was only the smallest organisations (with under

10,000) that do not use any computers. The vast majority consider IT vital to the functioning of

their organisation. Broadband is the primary method of connectivity, with 93% of survey

respondents connecting to the Internet in this way, a 60% increase in three years. In every area

where organisations could take precautions against computer problems, there was a substantial

increase in organisations taking precautions between 2004 and 2007. For instance, 25% more

organisations run a back-up weekly with those doing so rigorously up to 67%. In 2007 75% of

organisations users changed their passwords regularly, a 50% over three years earlier. The

differences are partially attributed to successful capacity building by the ICT Hub.

ICT use

According to the results of the MeasureIT study, Victorian organisations were using common

software packages effectively (with high levels of competency expressed in word processing,spreadsheets, internet and email). Similar to the New Zealand experience, people consider only a

small range of web-based applications as being useful. While email is nearly universallyconsidered

useful, more advanced communications tools are little used.

In the ICT Hub study, the only specific questions about software or applications related to email

PAGE 26

22 Doing IT Better project Final report (2010) by Larry Stillman, Dean Lombard, Stefanie Kethers andRebecca French, Victorian Council of Social Service/ Monash University

23 ICT Hub Report on 2007 extension to Baseline Research (2007) by Paul Ticher & Andrea Eaves

24 2010 Nonprofit Social Network Benchmark Report (2010) by NTEN, Common Knowledge and The Port


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and the Internet. These two tools were considered vital or fairly important by 96% of respondents.

While only 10% of organisations were using VOIP, half of respondents indicated they know of it.

Particular care needs to be taken with the results of the Social networking benchmarking

survey (2010) as participation was self-selecting, and a high proportion of organisations

responding have very large budgets by New Zealand standards (60% of survey respondents had

budgets over $1 million pa, including 28% over $6 million pa). Nevertheless, patterns of use

suggest where social networking uptake could head.

Results from the Social networking benchmarking survey show Facebook is used by more

nonprofits than any other commercial social network with 86% of nonprofits indicating that they

have a presence. This is a 16% increase from 2009, when 74% of respondents had a Facebook

presence. Twitter grew as a commercial social networking outlet with an increase 38% in usage,

moving from 43% in 2009 to 60% of nonprofit respondents in 2010. Twitter saw its average

community size (i.e. number of followers) grow an astounding 627%. 48.1% of respondents use

YouTube. About 22% of nonprofits report operating one or more in-house networks in 2010.

Access to IT support

The UK ICT Hubs study (2007) highlights the sources of support that organisations are most

satisfied with. The most common sources of technical support (paid-for consultancy, shops or

companies, and nonprofit providers) are unchanged between 2007-2004, but the approaches

which are considered least ideal (the shop, the accidental techie and staff fix their own

problems) have declined. These three types of support are also the ones which respondents are

least satisfied with. Respondents are most satisfied having access to an internal support person.

The Doing IT Better study highlighted the need for expert support beyond basic IT maintenance.

This support is described as encompassing the assessment and design of information systems thatcan provide real ease of use and reduce repetitive information seeking. Information systems (such

as databases) to support these activities in concert with awareness training, policy and procedure

development, and regular access to expertise is required.

This same study recognised the importance of good IT support and advice. A tendency was noted

for organisations to rely on volunteers or ad-hoc IT support focusing only emergency repairs rather

than ongoing maintenance. Organisations not only need access to regular proactive IT

maintenance and planning, but increased capability to engage with emerging trends in ICT (such

as the use of Web 2.0 technologies and social networking).

PAGE 27


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Planning and budgeting

The most up-to-date research on whether organisations plan their ICT use comes from the

MeasureIT study in 2009. There was a similarly low uptake of formal technology planning amongst

Victorian organisations when read alongside the Waikato Management School 2008 survey. While

over 71% metropolitan organisations audited and 39% of rural organisations had an IT budget, very

few had an ICT plan to set priorities and guide spending. 84% of organisations had no plan at all,

with just two working to an effective ICT plan. 10% of organisations audited had a plan for

upgrading hardware.

Information was collected during the MeasureIT project about the size of budgets, which ranged

from $600 to $60,000 pa ($6,392 average). However a particularly interesting finding was few

organisations had instituted procurement processes to obtain the best deals in terms of hardware.

74% of organisations audited purchased any new equipment from retail outlets, and 50% of those

surveyed had too. Given the potential cost savings to the sector through wholesale purchases,

organisations were seen as missing out on a way of reducing the cost of IT systems.

Although the ICT Hub study reports that an increasing proportion of organisations have an ICT

plan and board involvement in decision-making (see figure 5), the authors conclude there is

modest progress in the right direction but there is still a long way to go. The most common

documentation in 2007 were data protection or confidentiality policy (80%), staff policy on

acceptable use, email and internet (59%) and an ICT budget (58%). 37% of organisations had a ICT

plan of some sort, with 62% of large ones having something and 38% of medium sized ones.

2004 2007

ICT strategy, or ICT component of organisations business

plan

33% 37%

ICT budget 47% 58%

ICT security policy, and/ or written security procedures 33% 41%

Policy on acceptable use by staff of ICT, email and internetfacilities

50% 59%

Policy on data protection and/ or confidentiality Not asked 80%

Figure 5: ICT Hub question on written documentation

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Attitudes to ICT

One of the things the MeasureIT study showed was a real willingness by organisations to embrace a

variety of digital tools to apply to organisational needs. However, the range of tools was actually

quite narrow. This means while ...a high percentage of CSOs feel confident in the use of ICT ... that

confidence only extends to what they are aware of, have been taught to use and feel comfortable

with. This suggests staff confidence with office productivity software is high, whereas use of more

advanced applications, such as that available for tracking relationships with clients, are not widely

known or used.

The UK ICT Hubs study (2007) shows technology plays an indispensable role the running of their

organisations. For 86% of organisations, ICT is considered vital to their organisations work. Only

3% consider it not at all not very useful, 1% dont use and the remaining 11% consider it fairly

important. Survey respondents in 2007 were slightly less like than they were in 2004 to say there

were using ICT much more effectively now than two or three years ago (41% said this). However

half of organisations say they are using ICT a bit more effectively, and 9% about the same.

Barriers to ICT uptake

The same types barriers are faced by organisations in Victoria, just as they are by organisations in

New Zealand. Results from the MeasureIT study show lack of time, funding, training and

understanding what is available are the most common barriers. Community support workers

interviewed said they use software they are familiar with and rarely experiment or explore new

forms of software because it is too daunting and time to try to understand the new technology on

their own and there is too much technology to choose from. People concluded it was too much

effort to find the right application to meets their needs.

The MeasureIT study identified lack of training as an obstacle to proficient software use. Areas of

particular need are computer software use, Internet use and networking within the organisation,with others in the sector, clients and community. Evidence from the audits was that training needs

analysis was rarely conducted.

Approaches to training are also highlighted in the UK ICT Hubs study. While two thirds of

organisations are fairly satisfied with the ICT skills of their staff and volunteers. More

organisations were not satisfied (19%) than very satisfied (15%). Analysis shows that those whose

organisations carry out a regular training needs analysis are at least three times as likely to very

satisfied with the skills of their staff and volunteers as those who take another approach.

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It is argued in the Doing IT Better final report (2010) that funding of basic IT infrastructure (PCs,

servers, databases) will not automatically lead to efficiency savings and better management of data

and information. What is needed is better understanding and ability to manage the flows of

information and knowledge around organisations. As it stands, ...organisations typically have

difficulty in locating or even managing the information they have, whether on paper or a

computer. To remedy this situation small to medium sized organisations need to transfer records,

information and knowledge management tasks from volunteers or administration staff to people

with more expertise in this field.

Alongside internal capability issues, the complicated reporting and accountability requirements

were seen as an area that needs to be simplified. Efforts at harmonisation and exchangeability

between different information systems and frameworks would reduce the administrative burden

and help ensure organisations can themselves make good use of the information they collect.

4.8 What does this all mean?

It would be a mistake to be too gloomy about where organisations in New Zealand are at in terms

of their journey to effective use of ICT. The trends from the analysis show that organisations are

increasingly adopting practices which mean they are becoming more digitally proficient. Even if

things are moving slowly, they are moving in a positive direction.

There is no single area of ICT use that stands out as requiring more attention than others. Even in

the area which is strongest amongst the largest number of organisations, ie having a functioning IT

system with core software, more could be done to both monitor and ensure quality.

As could be expected, larger organisations show more indicators of effective use, including such

things as technology planning, advanced uses of software and ways of measuring if IT is delivering.

And even in the absence of evidence about the markers of alignment of ICT use with missions,

there are organisations that are totally on top of things and employing ICT in strategic ways. These

high flyers tend to be hidden within the averages.

The results from research in Victoria, Australia and the UK show that organisations in these

countries face similar challenges as those in New Zealand. Despite the presence of significant levels

of support, which have been around for a longer period, and the generally higher levels of

resourcing available, a substanial number of organisations are yet adopting practices consistent

with effective ICT use.

There is an obvious gap in research available around the role of networks and organisations

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working to strengthen capacity. This is an area where additional thinking and/ or research could

pay real dividends.

How to shift to more effective use of ICT is the underpinning theme of this discussion paper. Its

not the right place to reach premature conclusions, as the themes and trends presented need to be

discussed, refined and/or rejected. One glimpse of the way ahead is provided by Hackler and

Saxton who conclude, based on their analysis of the 2001 Technology Tracking Survey of the USA

Nonprofit sector, that:

...in order to boost the strategic utilisation and overall organisational impact of IT,

nonprofit organisations will first have to enhance their IT capacity, especially in regard to

long-term and short-term planning, budgeting, training and staffing, internet and website

capabilities and use, support and involvement from senior management and the board,

the measurement of effectiveness, and leaders understanding of ITs change-making

potential.25

PAGE 31

25 "The Strategic Use of Information Technology by Nonprofit Organizations: Increasing Capacity andUntapped Potential" (2007) by Darrene Hackler and Gregory D. Saxton, Public Administration Review 67(3):474- 487


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5.0 What environment and support will help organisations toincrease their ICT capability? A long list

This section seeks to describe the main types of support organisations that could benefit

organisations when it comes to strengthening their capacity. As is described below it is not

necessarily about providing increased levels of funding. In the absence of quality sources of

support, connections with peers and a supportive environment, all the money in the world will do

no good.

The long list of elements set out below helps show all the things that would ideallybe in place in an

ICT capability building ecosystem. Its not intended as a wish-list nor is it comprehensive. Instead,

its intended to promote discussion, particularly about opportunities and gaps. The final section

looks at policy responses to promote ICT capability building in Wales, United Kingdom and

Victoria, Australia.

5.1 Setting capability building in context

As with efforts to strengthen capability in any other area of organisational management (eg

staffing, service delivery, reporting, financial management), effective capability building starts with

recognition that:

Every organisation is able to build its own capability, and its not something that can be

imposed from the outside

All parts of an organisation are interrelated, so capability building activities will ultimately

reach everyone from frontline workers, administration support staff, managers and board

members

It takes time, and is not a one step process

Exactly what type of activities will support capacity building depend on factors related to

organisational resources (time, skills, expertise, budgets, facilities), how ready an

organisation is for development, where in a lifecycle an organisation (ranging from newly

formed to mature) and availability of information and capacity builders

In addition to activities that organisations will take to increase their capability internally,

there is a vital role for wider networks, advocates and leaders. Organisations do not have to

go it alone.

Capability building around use of technology differs in some important ways from capability on

other areas of organisational development. There is a level of technical complexity which means

that it is not realistic to expect managers and other staff to become experts in all aspects of ITmaintenance and development. IT is pervasive and touches on virtually every aspect of an

organisations operations, and organisations are dependent on its uninterrupted availability to

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function. And it can feel alien, as the way you think about technology differs markedly to relating to

people, which forms the larger part of the work of most social service organisations.

5.2 Elements of an ICT capability building ecosystem

Below is an attempt to paint a picture of the various elements that organisations could draw on to

strengthen their ICT capability26. This is intended to suggest a way of looking at every source of

support that could play a role. By no means do New Zealand organisations have access to all the

types of support identified (something that is addressed in section 6).

The types of support tend to be tangible services or initiatives. This is because they are relatively

easy to identify and quantify. What is not included are some of the less tangible sources of support,

such as personal contacts and people within networks, which organisations access as well. Theimportance of these and other types of unstructured support shouldnt be underestimated. On the

other hand, relying on your mates or contacts doesnt mean you get the same quality support as is

provided by professionals.

At various times organisations will seek to draw on or participate in some combination of the

following:

Technical support

This could include:

held desk, with different levels of service, eg software application support, remote servicing,

monitoring

mobile technicians making onsite installations, problem solving, implementing back-up

regimes, etc

recruitment of an in-house IT specialist, or support for an existing staff member to operate

an accidental techie.

Advisory services

Common areas covered include:

advice on all aspects of ICT use, including database development, Web 2.0, cloud

computing, email options, websites, telecommunications,

planning and policy formation, eg acceptable use policies, formal strategy, working

purchasing recommendations, eg equipment replacement,

supplier and product selection, eg shortlisting and rating potential suppliers of support and

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26 This is just one way of framing the various components of a ecosystem. For instance, Marc Ostendescribes the six interlocking elements of strategic technology support as: active learning, determinedleadership, strategic technology use, effective intermediaries, holistic infrastructure and dynamiccollaboration. See From obstacles to opportunities (2003).


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software

decision-making and governance support

project management for large or complex projects.

Services and products

Some services and products are relatively generic and could be used by any organisation of a

comparable size regardless of whether they are not-for-profit, eg office productivity, back-up,

graphic design). There are some software applications and other tools unique to social services.

These include custom databases and information management platforms, eg outcomes

management, client tracking and referral, along with sector specific tools for networking within

and between organisations and shared services, eg cloud computing.

Training and learning

People have very different needs when it comes to up-skilling on technology or managing IT

projects, including:

standard software programmes and practices, eg office productivity networking

governance and management for trustees and managers (without an IT background)

staying on top of trends and learning about best practices, eg breakfasts, meet-ups,

seminars, conferences

self-learning through access to guides, checklists, other resource materials.

Leadership opportunities

Opportunities for people to demonstrate their commitment to high standards and contribute to

information sharing, include:

CIO or leadership groups for exchange and joint initiatives

national initiatives, such as shared platforms or collaborative research/ planning/ advocacy

awards and other recognition.

An enabling environment

Promotion of

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