22 Jan 2010
On 20 January 2010, IRIS
NFP Solutions hosted its annual ‘Technology Trends Lunch’. Twenty
five thought leaders attended the think-tank style event including
independent IT consultants, clients, media representatives and
managers from IRIS. Mobile, social media, integration, security and
cloud computing were predicted to be the top five themes for
not-for-profit (NFP) organisations this year.
After reviewing the
trends that were predicted at last year’s event, thirty five
ideas were brought to the table in sealed envelopes. This was
followed by interactive debate to group the suggestions into key
themes and discuss the particular relevance they have for
membership associations and charities. Voting then took place on
what the room thought would be most significant for the
not-for-profit arena in 2010.
Top Five predictions:
| 1. |
Mobile – the requirement for mobile working
will continue to rise seeing the use of more mobile devices, and
the greater utilisation of applications such as geo-location and
mobile phone campaign tools such as payment/donation facilities and
QR codes. Organisations will have to get more used to staff
bringing in their own (often higher spec) laptops, PDAs and phones
to work on their system.
|
| 2. |
Social media – this medium will remain high on
the agenda, resulting in ‘all-in’ adoption. Supporters, volunteers,
members, beneficiaries and potential donors/members are using these
more and more, which is why NFPs need to avidly embrace them.
People will expect a Real-Time web experience and will
increasingly own the relationship they have with organisations.
Social CRM will emerge as a term, where online activity will become
part of Customer Relationship Management. The entire spectrum
of staff at NFP organisations will need to get onboard, underpinned
by a clear social media strategy.
|
| 3. |
Integration – the need for centralised access
to information remains a high priority for NFP organsiations, which
will result in better integration between different systems,
platforms and the web.
|
| 4. |
Security – more home and mobile working will
bring heightened security challenges for NFP organisations relating
to data, information, networks and identity.
|
| 5. |
Cloud computing – the internet will become a
progressively effective way for charities and membership
organisations to manage their networks…with the risks and
opportunities this brings.
|
Guests included the well known names of Howard
Lake from UK Fundraising, Steve Bridger, Sue Fidler, Michael Webb
from NFP Techno and Ivan Wainwright from IT for Charities, as well
as other leading independent consultants from Blue Spark,
Friendlier Projects, Indigo Blue, International Fundraising
Consultancy, Purple Vision and Sayer Vincent. Other guests included
senior managers from Marie Curie Cancer Care, Royal Society of
Medicine, Stonewall and The Chartered Institute of Taxation, and
expert representatives from Third sector, Charity Times, Civil
Society IT and Association Management Quarterly.
With over 1000 not-for-profit clients, IRIS is
able to facilitate a unique forum that brings together its many
contacts. A key reason that IRIS NFP Solutions hosted this unique
event was to ensure that its products and services continue to stay
in-tune with the sector. IRIS is known as ‘The Sector Specialists’
and this thought-leadership event is planned to happen again in
January 2011.