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Introduction to Technology Planning
Why and how to start a technology plan

Source: Techsoup.org

September 8, 2005

A technology plan can sound like another piece of bureaucracy, but don't be fooled. There is no substitute for thinking through what you need and how you will meet those needs. Technology planning is the process that will help you save money on technology, buy what you need, and use technology as a tool to accomplish your organization's mission.

Technology planning is the magic ingredient that will help you to:

Obtain funding. Funders will be much more likely to give money for technology if you can show them a technology plan.
Use technology effectively to further your mission. The technology planning process can expand your horizons and help you see new ways in which technology can further your mission.
Buy the right equipment. Purchasing hardware, software and networking equipment can be overwhelming. If you don't plan, it's easy to end up with something that is way too complicated or doesn't do what you need it to. There's no substitute for thinking through your goals and researching possible solutions.
Save money. You probably do not need the fanciest system on the market. Planning allows you to figure out how to spend less and still meet your needs.
Avoid crises. Bad technology decisions can leave you suffering for years. A faulty system can send your stress level through the roof and make you lose crucial data and capabilities.
Use staff time more effectively. How many hours of staff time have you lost to those niggling technical problems? A technology plan will help you streamline staff use of technology, and put systems in place that will make technology a useful tool for staff, not a stumbling block.
Protect yourself from staff turnover. If the person who knows your technology leaves, what will you do? A technology plan can save you by providing documentation of existing systems as well as future plans.

Ready to get started?

Technology planning is a process. TechSoup has broken it down into seven phases.

Establish leadership and support. Setting up a technology team and ensuring management and staff buy-in will allow you to get started with the whole organization behind you. See the article "Establish Leadership and Support" in either the Management or Staff version for more information.
Assess your resources. The first step in planning is to assess your existing technology. What do you have in place? How well is it working? See the article "Assess Resources" for more information.
Define your needs. Why do you need technology? What will new technology help you do that you can't do already? Defining your needs will enable you to choose the most efficient solutions. See the article "Define Your Needs" for more information.
Explore solutions. The next step is to research existing technology options and decide on ones that meet your needs at a minimum cost. See the article "Explore Solutions" for more information.
Write the plan. Your written plan should document your resources, needs and solutions, as well as your budget. See Write the Plan for more information.
Get funding. You can now use your technology plan as key element in seeking technology funding. See the "the Funding section" for more information.
Implement the plan. Setting a timeline, assigning responsibilities and evaluating your progress will make your plan a reality. See the article "Implementing Your Technology Plan" for more information.

If this seems like a lot to handle, remember that most nonprofits will want to seek help with one or more aspects of the technology planning process. See the article "Do I Need Help?" to think through whether you have the expertise to do the plan on your own. See the article "Getting Help with Your Technology Plan" for information on how to find a technical assistance provider, consultant or volunteer to help you.

Don't despair! Help is available. Technology planning is no simple matter, but it is a rich, powerful process. In the long term, it can reduce your headaches tenfold, and lead you to use technology to further your mission in ways you never dreamed of.