1. Community Technology Assessments

2. Why Do Assessments?
“The long term development of a community rests on its ability to uncover and build on the strengths and assets of its people, institutions, and informational organizations.” (Beaulieu 2002)
Look for strengths, identify all the positive qualities of your community
Identify gaps
Help communities realize there may be multiple ways to achieve goals

3. Connecting Community Assessments
Quick start assessments
Community readiness
Capability
Individual
Organizational
Infrastructure
Many uses in addition to identifying existing
Leadership
Partners
Capabilities
Infrastructure
Learn about the community
Learn about:
Impact of IT on community
Bring together stakeholder groups to address IT issues

4. Community Readiness Assessment
Level of cooperation and collaboration
Potential leadership team members
Potential partner organizations
Existing digital development projects

5. Leadership Team Member Worksheet
Leaders (formal and non-formal)
Technology experts

6. Digital Development Assessments
Organization capability to use digital tools
Individual capability to use digital tools
Digital infrastructure
Internet
Organizational

7. Types of Assessments
What’s there??? First step is to agree what “connected community” means
Where are the gaps?
Needs assessment
Community assets (mapping)
Focus
Technology
Formal organizations
Individuals
The commonly accepted definition of a need is that it represents a gap or discrepancy between an existing state of affairs (what is) and a desired or preferred result (what should be).
Asset mapping begins with the philosophy that all residents play an effective role.

8. More choices Online Formal Informal Non-Profit Business Government
Secondary data
Primary data
Telephone or mail survey
Focus groups
Face-to-face interviews
Public forum
Online
Formal
Informal
Non-Profit
Business
Government
Access to technology
Capacity
How is it being used?
Health issues
Economic conditions
School success
Family issues
Early childhood development
Source: North Central Regional Educational Library,

9. More choices Business and Industry K-12 Healthcare Libraries
Higher Education
Community-Based Organizations
Government
Tourism, Recreation and Parks
Agriculture
Source: ConnectKentucky

10. Two purposes What’s available? Network, appliances
How it’s being used? In segments and across the community
Do we need to hire a consultant?
What do we know?
What do we still need to know?
How will we collect additional information?
Who and what will we ask?
Who will collect the data?
How will we compile & analyze the data?
How will we report our findings?
Source: Iowa State University – University Extension

11. Guiding Principles
Partnership’s vision statement should guide the assessment
Assessment should focus on specific topics
Assessment is an ongoing process
Views the community from multiple perspectives
Takes an in-depth look at diversity within a community
Coordinator can facilitate information gathering by many participants
Source: North Central Regional Educational Library,

12. Successful Community Assessment
Understand the current situation first
Define a vision of the future
Allow questions to drive the assessment process
Address issues that stakeholders believe are important
Communicate information back to stakeholders
Source: Iowa State University – University Extension

13. Now what? Completing the assessment is only the beginning
An assessment is the means to achieve your vision

14. Connecting Rural Communities www.ConnectingCommunities.info
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Southern Rural Development Center