Managing technology use and learning in nonprofit community organizations: methodological challenges and opportunities

  • Authors:

  • Cecelia Merkel;Umer Farooq;Lu Xiao;Craig Ganoe;Mary Beth Rosson;John M. Carroll

  • Affiliations:

  • The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA;The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA;The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA;The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA;The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA;The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 2007 symposium on Computer human interaction for the management of information technology
  • Year:
  • 2007

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Abstract

We are investigating how to empower nonprofit community organizations to develop the information technology management practices required to carry out their civic goals. We highlight our methodology of working with nonprofit organizations through three case examples from the field. These examples illustrate that nonprofit organizations are able to and can indeed sustain their IT management practices through various methodological techniques. These techniques---such as scenario development, technology inventory assessment, and volunteer management practices---emphasize the importance of long-term critical planning and design skills. Based on our fieldwork, we enumerate lessons that may be valuable for community stakeholders, designers, researchers, and practitioners.