Vantage Point | October 2006

"Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes."

IN THIS ISSUE:

Toward Success with IT by Nick Dobbing

The Business of Boards: Building the Framework for IT Decision Making by Dr. Catherine Aczel Boivie

What is Social Media & Web 2.0? by Julie Szabo and Darren Barefoot

Editorial: Can We Really Learn from our Mistakes? by Colleen Kelly

Resources by Laura Bucci

Welcome to Vantage Point Online

At Volunteer Vancouver, our mission is to inspire & build leadership in the voluntary sector.

One of the ways we do this is through Vantage Point — our issue-based newsletter. Thanks to the contributions of our volunteer writers, editors and researchers — we are able to address the issues, ideas and information shaping the voluntary sector. And now, with our new online format, you can easily share Vantage Point with fellow board members, employees, volunteers and colleagues, as well as search previous editions for information and commentary that is most relevant to you and your organization.

Toward Success with IT

By Nick Dobbing

Flashback: the way we were

Twenty years ago, 1986: my office has just acquired a new piece of equipment — a kind of technology that most of us have never seen before.

It’s our first IBM Personal Computer. Nicely tricked out for its day, it features 640 kilobytes of RAM, a 20 megabyte hard drive, and a 640 x 400 pixel, 256 colour, 14 inch display.

It sits on view in a common area of the office, clicking and blinking quietly to itself. Every now and again, someone stops by, and pokes their head around the divider: “Is that it? What’s it doing? What can it do?”

Read the full article here »

Building the Framework for IT Decision Making

By Dr. Catherine Aczel Boivie

Previous issues of Vantage Point highlighted how not-for-profit organizations could act more “business-like” when performing certain functions… does the same hold true when it comes to investing in information technology (IT)?

Read the full article here »

What is Social Media and Web 2.0?

By Julie Szabo and Darren Barefoot

Over the past half decade, the internet has changed fundamentally. In the twentieth century, the web was largely an informational medium. Web users sought information, and, if they were lucky, the web provided. It was relatively difficult to publish a website, and required serious resources and technical acumen to publish audio and video.

At the same time, investors earned and lost billions of dollars on dot-com companies. E-commerce sites for every product and service imaginable emerged and failed. The bubble grew and grew and, in 2000, burst.

A new web is emerging from the soapy remains of that bubble…

Read the full article here »

Can We Really Learn from our Mistakes?

By Colleen Kelly

“Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.”
— Oscar Wilde, Anglo-Irish wit and author (1854-1900)

The incredible reach of the Internet highlights and exacerbates the territorial foolishness of the voluntary sector. It is clear that Jim Collins’ opening sentence “good is the enemy of great”, often has immediate proof in voluntary sector organizations that aim to duplicate what is available on the Internet. Does it make any sense for us to be so concerned with being “good” (enough) that we forego all chances of being “great” in really reaching the people we serve?

Read the full article here »

Resources

Is on-line communication fully integrated into your organization’s daily work practices? How do you communicate with the public, your membership, and the media?

Get all our resources and links here »

Contributors:

Darren Barefoot, Dr. Catherine Aczel Boivie, Laura Bucci, Nick Dobbing, Colleen Kelly and Julie Szabo

About Vantage Point:

Vantage Point is an issue-based publication of Volunteer Vancouver that provides information to the voluntary sector three times a year.

Vantage Point is written for board, staff and leaders in the voluntary sector. Volunteer Vancouver synthesizes the most relevant issues for its readers. We welcome contributions of articles on best practices and themes relating to the voluntary sector. Please contact Shirley Weir by e-mail at sweir@volunteervancouver.ca for more details.

Volunteer Vancouver
301 - 3102 Main Street • Vancouver, BC • V5T 3G7
Canada • t 604.875.9144 • f 604.875.0710
www.volunteervancouver.ca

A United Way Member Organization and funded in part by the City of Vancouver.

As the mission of Volunteer Vancouver is to inspire & build leadership in the voluntary sector, this publication is intended to be a medium of communication and information for the many organizations active in the volunteer and not-for-profit sector. The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect official policy of the Board of Directors of Volunteer Vancouver. E-Subscriptions are free. To subscribe or unsubscribe, click here.

Volunteer Vancouver | we inspire & build leadership in the voluntary sector





IN THIS ISSUE: Toward Success with IT by Nick Dobbing The Business of Boards: Building the Framework for IT Decision Making by Dr. Catherine Aczel Boivie What is Social Media & Web 2.0? by Julie Szabo and Darren Barefoot Editorial: Can We Really Learn from our Mistakes? by Colleen Kelly Resources by Laura Bucci	Welcome to Vantage Point Online At Volunteer Vancouver, our mission is to inspire & build leadership in the voluntary sector. One of the ways we do this is through Vantage Point — our issue-based newsletter. Thanks to the contributions of our volunteer writers, editors and researchers — we are able to address the issues, ideas and information shaping the voluntary sector. And now, with our new online format, you can easily share Vantage Point with fellow board members, employees, volunteers and colleagues, as well as search previous editions for information and commentary that is most relevant to you and your organization. Toward Success with IT By Nick Dobbing Flashback: the way we were Twenty years ago, 1986: my office has just acquired a new piece of equipment — a kind of technology that most of us have never seen before. It’s our first IBM Personal Computer. Nicely tricked out for its day, it features 640 kilobytes of RAM, a 20 megabyte hard drive, and a 640 x 400 pixel, 256 colour, 14 inch display. It sits on view in a common area of the office, clicking and blinking quietly to itself. Every now and again, someone stops by, and pokes their head around the divider: “Is that it? What’s it doing? What can it do?” Read the full article here » Building the Framework for IT Decision Making By Dr. Catherine Aczel Boivie Previous issues of Vantage Point highlighted how not-for-profit organizations could act more “business-like” when performing certain functions… does the same hold true when it comes to investing in information technology (IT)? Read the full article here » What is Social Media and Web 2.0? By Julie Szabo and Darren Barefoot Over the past half decade, the internet has changed fundamentally. In the twentieth century, the web was largely an informational medium. Web users sought information, and, if they were lucky, the web provided. It was relatively difficult to publish a website, and required serious resources and technical acumen to publish audio and video. At the same time, investors earned and lost billions of dollars on dot-com companies. E-commerce sites for every product and service imaginable emerged and failed. The bubble grew and grew and, in 2000, burst. A new web is emerging from the soapy remains of that bubble… Read the full article here » Can We Really Learn from our Mistakes? By Colleen Kelly “Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.” — Oscar Wilde, Anglo-Irish wit and author (1854-1900) The incredible reach of the Internet highlights and exacerbates the territorial foolishness of the voluntary sector. It is clear that Jim Collins’ opening sentence “good is the enemy of great”, often has immediate proof in voluntary sector organizations that aim to duplicate what is available on the Internet. Does it make any sense for us to be so concerned with being “good” (enough) that we forego all chances of being “great” in really reaching the people we serve? Read the full article here » Resources Is on-line communication fully integrated into your organization’s daily work practices? How do you communicate with the public, your membership, and the media? Get all our resources and links here » Contributors: Darren Barefoot, Dr. Catherine Aczel Boivie, Laura Bucci, Nick Dobbing, Colleen Kelly and Julie Szabo About Vantage Point: Vantage Point is an issue-based publication of Volunteer Vancouver that provides information to the voluntary sector three times a year. Vantage Point is written for board, staff and leaders in the voluntary sector. Volunteer Vancouver synthesizes the most relevant issues for its readers. We welcome contributions of articles on best practices and themes relating to the voluntary sector. Please contact Shirley Weir by e-mail at sweir@volunteervancouver.ca for more details. Volunteer Vancouver 301 - 3102 Main Street • Vancouver, BC • V5T 3G7 Canada • t 604.875.9144 • f 604.875.0710 www.volunteervancouver.ca A United Way Member Organization and funded in part by the City of Vancouver. As the mission of Volunteer Vancouver is to inspire & build leadership in the voluntary sector, this publication is intended to be a medium of communication and information for the many organizations active in the volunteer and not-for-profit sector. The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect official policy of the Board of Directors of Volunteer Vancouver. E-Subscriptions are free. To subscribe or unsubscribe, click here.