Plan, manage and get the right support

Case Study: Plan, manage and get the right support

DDD are a small organisation providing support and services to individuals with disabilities. Led by a passionate, committed manager with a focus on support, information and problem solving, they decided to take the plunge and created a real digital dilemma.

With no IT skills or knowledge in-house, they were dependent on others to help. Thinking ICT was simple, they didn’t worry about a plan but set about a shopping list of wants (rather than needs) and went to work.

What's the point of planning?

Despite some grumblings from one trustee, they didn’t feel they had the time and resources to complete a detailed ICT plan. They knew they needed computers, a website and a database and knew what they wanted to do. So why plan?

Dazzled by a smart salesman at one of the UK’s leading computer retailers, they bought half a dozen PCs and took advantage of the opportunity to get a wireless network (this despite the fact only one of the PCs was a laptop). With ruthless efficiency, they negotiated a good deal on top of the range hardware (ideal for computer gaming but rather over the top for general office activity).

Now online, they threw themselves into the world of websites. With a quick flick of Yellow Pages (online of course through Yell.com) they found a designer who sounded perfect and looked the part. In no time at all, he created a visually impressive website.

The nephew of the office manager was part way through an Information Systems degree and jumped at the chance to develop a database which could also count towards his project assessment. To save time, the organisation left the student to work out what would be best – after all, the ICT people must know the right answers?

Problems start to develop

Two weeks in and the first PC developed a problem – no one knew what to do with it so they stopped using it. When the second computer failed, they called the expensive technical support helpline for advice. It transpired that one of the staff had been downloading music via file sharing websites (as well as photos not suitable for public display) and had (accidentally) downloaded spyware onto the system. No one had said he couldn’t and there was no policy in place.

Four weeks later and the system was at a crawl and files were missing. Further investigation from a technician at the local computer shop showed that the anti-virus and firewall hadn’t been switched on. The hard drives were infected with a dozen viruses, 264 different sources of spyware and someone was routinely using their main PC to send out spam. They had wondered why they weren’t getting replies to the emails they sent to clients but had far too many offers of pills and potions. Important files and confidential data were going missing.

Accessibility

They took a phone call from a partially-sighted service user anxious for information and advice. He had tried the website but couldn’t use his screen reader. The developer hadn’t made it accessible.

The database had been loaded with data but no one actually knew how to use it. The student had disappeared backpacking and couldn’t be contacted.

All in all, a lot of time and money had been spent and they were worse off than before… Even worse, they had overspent and had no money to support running costs or fix things. Well, who needed a budget when it all looked so simple?

A better approach

However tempting it is to simply ‘get on with it’, if you don’t know what you’re doing then get help and get it from a trusted and independent source, not a retailer or supplier whose primary goal is to get you to spend money.

Plan your ICT carefully, with external help if you need it. There are ICT volunteers, circuit riders, trusted local advisors with your local infrastructure organisation and others who can help. Check references carefully and only work with people you trust.

Planning for the long term

You must budget ICT for the medium and long term, not the next few weeks. Whatever you buy, the long term costs will be at least as much again as the money you pay out to purchase it. Websites and databases are major organisational investments, whether simple or complicated, built by volunteers or not, and must be set up for organisational needs not their suppliers.

ICT management takes time and effort and you need someone to cope with basic troubleshooting and a source of help and advice to fix bigger problems. You need the source of help before you start, not when you have a problem.

Security is key

Data security is fundamental. Too many organisations leave computer systems wide open without firewalls, anti-virus or anti-spyware. It means data can be lost and is equivalent to leaving your office door and confidential files wide open late at night with a message to ‘come in and help yourself’.

It’s foolish to assume everyone will pick up skills as they go along. If you don’t have ICT skills, you need to get them if you want to use ICT effectively. It doesn’t mean a long course but a few hours here and there and someone to hold your hand will make all the difference. You can learn a lot from newspapers, magazines and books.

Very few people enjoy devising policies and procedures and they can be frustrating. They generally exist for a purpose, to help protect the organisation and ensure everything runs smoothly. In this case, data protection, accessibility, back up/security and acceptable use were all breached causing major hassles, simply because no one bothered to set the policy and see it was implemented.

DDD survived their ICT crisis but lost thousands of pounds resolving the problems, alienated half their clients (who took exception to being excluded from online services), lost confidential data and narrowly escaped prosecution for reckless management.

ICT doesn’t have to be complicated but it does need to be managed. Don’t be a DDD.