1. How to Choose the Right Database(s) for Your Organization
Laura
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2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference

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Collaborative Notes
Laura
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2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference

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Speakers
Michelle Chaplin Senior Manager, Online Fundraising PBS Laura Quinn Executive Director Idealware
Laura
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2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference

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Agenda
Define Your Needs
Research
Evaluate
Choose
Q&A
Laura
Ask: What are your key questions?
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2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference

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Michelle
1. Define your needs
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2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference

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Michelle
Discussion: Examples of who your audience is, beyond the obvious?
Who uses your current system every day and knows it well? – Power Users – they can be your evangelists for a new system if you pay attention to their needs and pain points.
Who uses it occasionally to add/get information? – Users – pay attention to their technical expertise, they need to be able to get what they need easily.
Who rarely/never uses it, but still needs it? – Executives – i.e. your CEO may never access your accounting system, but she will still need financial reports on a regular basis – pay attention to the information they need, and make sure it’s easy to get out of the system. Executive buy-in is also key to make the rollout of any new system successful.
Who may use your system in the future?
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7. Where Are You Planning To Go?
Laura
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2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference

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Make a List
Needs to Have
Nice to Have
Critical elements that your users need to work
1. Basic Functionality
2. Support Needs
3 …
If you can’t get them, will your implementation be successful?
1 …
2 …
3 …
Michelle
Make a list of all the things your various users want out of the system. This is the basis of what will be your requirements spreadsheet.
Which of these things are critical to making the system work in your organization? Include things that are necessary to make implementation of a new system successful.
Which of these things would be nice to have, but you can get along without?
Discussion: what are the critical needs?
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2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference

9. Look At Your Current System
What does your current system do?
What do you need it to do?
Can it be changed, upgraded, customized, etc.?
Michelle
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2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference

10. Benefit vs. Cost of Switching
Laura
Discussion: Horror stories about switching
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Laura
2. research
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Research A Short List
Laura
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2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference

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Schedule Live Demos
Laura
Send vendors a copy of your requirements document or a list of questions you want answered.
Skip the powerpoint presentation. Tell them you want to do a screenshare so you can see the database in action, in real time. Have the vendors go through the same processes that your users will take while interacting with the system.
Take notes! Track how
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Take Notes!
Document how the system meets your needs
Use your requirements document
Ignore the bells and whistles
Laura
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Michelle
3. Evaluate
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16. Does It Have What You Need?
Michelle
As you evaluate, keep your requirements document on hand and check off the “need to have items” – is anything missing?
Remember, these are the “deal-breaker” requirements, so stop evaluating once you determine that it doesn’t have a feature you need.
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17. Does It Have What You Want?
Use your “nice to have” list to narrow down your options
Michelle
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2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference

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Support and Training
Laura
What kind of support will you need for implementation? For training your staff?
Are you planning to do the implementation internally? If not, will the vendor set the system up for you, or do you need to hire a third party?
Many venders offer different levels of support
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Cost
Laura
Consider all the costs, including the time commitment required for your staff to learn and maintain the system
Discussion: what are key things when you’re evaluating? What’s most important?
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Michelle
4. Choose
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Rate Your Options
Michelle
Rating the different options will make it easy for you (and the decision-makers) to see which system is the best fit
Make sure the criteria follows the needs/wants specified in your requirements document
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Stick To Your Budget
Laura
- Remember to take ALL the potential costs into account
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Make a Plan
Michelle
Discussion: Stories and tips about planning
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Q&A
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2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference