When building a table, a hammer is a great tool to use when you’re looking to attach two pieces of wood with a nail. But if you’re looking to cut your wood before you attach the pieces together, a hammer won’t do the trick. You could slam and bash away with the hammer until the integrity of the wood eventually succumbs to your brute force but that will lead to less than desirable results. 

The same is true when dealing with your technology in your organization. Tools work well when they are used the way that they are meant to be used. Making a good tool do a job that it isn’t designed or intended to do may “be possible” but before you start, make sure you are aware of the side-effects and any extra work that will be involved; it may not be worth the time and effort needed to deploy. 

Match Your Requirements With Your Technology 

Review and ensure your internal requirements, specifications and resources merge with the technology’s functionality and overall capabilities. If not, you may need to update internally as opposed to reconfiguring a hardwired system. 

Examining these issues before you begin the purchasing process will allow you to choose a technology that works best for you and gives you a “must have” list that you can present to any vendor. Having this list of must-have items will allow you to ask your potential vendors for examples of work so you’re sure that you are purchasing the proper tool for the job. 

Carry out a Tech Audit 

Before making any big changes take an internal audit of your existing technology, its limits and its benefits while simultaneously (and more importantly) reviewing your people infrastructure. Identify any gaps and work those remedies into your solution. A complete overhaul of any system can be stressful on both technological and human resources so polishing the table before deciding to build a brand new one may be the solution that works best for your organization right now.  

Don’t just carry out an audit once. Conduct a tech audit after some time to reassess your inventory is still efficient later down the line. An earnest and strong internal examination will lead to choosing the technology that works best not only for now but far into the future. 

A hammer works great as a hammer, but if you need a saw, use a saw. 

About the Author

Matt is a seasoned professional with more than a decade of experience in the non-profit sector. He is passionate about how the sector will advance through knowledge sharing, continued learning and never settling for the status quo. Since joining hjc in early 2015, Matt has worked on a variety of complex, multi-tiered projects that push organizations to reach higher.  

 Through implementing a variety of technologies with a diverse group of clients, Matt has learned that a positive attitude and an innate curiosity are key components to a project’s success. As a Digital Services Consultant Matt combines theoretical practice with the hands-on heavy lifting of getting a project completed on time and on budget.