How to fight the credit crunch or do more with less

For those supporting or looking after technology ofsupport organisations

Miles Maier

Lasa

London ICT Champion

March 20th 2009

• A champion for ICT in your region• To see local infrastructure support organisations

Operate more efficiently in its day to day work

Be more effective in its reach and influence• Voice, representation, advocacy• Signposting sources of help• Strategic support

Regional ICT Champions

Take-Aways

1. Is your ICT at risk - risk assessments

2. Fight the big byte - plan and budget

3. Save time and money - top tips on free and low cost

ICT solutions

4. Know where to go for help and support

Help, I’m an Accidental Techie!

Are you constantly dealing with IT problems?

Do you have an ICT plan for when it all goes wrong?

How are you going to fight the big squeeze?

Where can you go for help and support?

The Accidental Techie 1(does this sound like you?)

Oversee network and server (if appropriate) Ensuring data is backed up on a regular basis Overseeing computer security and anti-virus updates

etc. Carrying out computer "housekeeping" tasks Providing IT support to computer users First port of call and initial troubleshooting Liaising with external support company

The Accidental Techie 2(does this sound like you?)

Inducting new staff on IT systems Keeping website updated Maintenance and inventory records Ensuring all software is properly licensed Input into IT strategy and annual IT budget One-off projects – databases, web sites Keep abreast of IT technology Advising on training needs and courses Help! I’ve become an accidental techie

Accidental Techie 101

What questions do you have about ICT?

What questions do you get asked?

ONE question per post-it, put them up on board/wall and group them in to themes under each topic

DIY ICT Health Checks

What is a health check? Benefits

EXERCISE: DIY Health Check Use the ICT Health Check worksheet to answer

questions about your own organisation Highlight one issue and discuss it with the group

Assessing Your ICT

Using the Managing ICT checklistshttp://www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk/healthchecklists

Inventorying – Belarc Adviser, Spiceworks (on the USB stick) – or pen and paper!

Coming soon ICT Handbook ICT FAQ cards

ICT Handbook

Being developed by Hillingdon AVS Organisational information (mission, strategy, budget) Compliance (H&S, WEEE, Data Protection, insurance) Inventory Configuration (passwords, server, network, Internet) Contracts (support, broadband, hosting, online services) Policies (disaster recovery, acceptable use etc) Procedures (user induction, backup) Appendices (ICT health check, help, advice)

Supporting your ICT and users

How are you currently supporting your ICT?

When things go wrong – what happens?

Troubleshooting

Supporting your users

Communicate Be patient Avoid allocating blame Explain what you are doing Use plain language Run mini-training sessions Crib sheets Analyse for prevention Research training needs

The troubleshooting process

Stop and think! Don’t turn the machine off Write down error message Ask the user what they were doing Check the fault logs Don’t ignore the blindingly obvious Has anything been changed? Check for viruses, adware or spyware Check event log, run diagnostic utility Find documentation and software Swap hardware if possible Google the error Call support company helpline

Avoiding Trouble 1

Back up data regularly Acceptable Use Policy Keep a troubleshooting log Only use licensed software Register software and hardware Keep discs and manuals in central, safe place Boot and recovery disks Back up copies of install discs List license keys Inventory of PCs and equipment (Belarc, Spiceworks)

Avoiding Trouble 2

Keep invoices & warranties Regular housekeeping Update anti-virus daily Security precautions Apply patches and service packs Replace equipment before it breaks down Plan for or procure a technical support contract Keep spare parts, cannibalise old PCs Reserve PC (keep an old one) IT Strategy

Supporting your users - Accessibility

Setting screen colours to suit them Increasing menu sizes Make text more readable Tuning the keyboard Taming the mouse Using the keyboard as a mouse Or using the mouse as a keyboard Install a free text reader Use free magnification and screen reader software Install free word prediction software

Risk Assessment 1

Why do this? Risk assessment - 15 mins Feedback - 10 mins

Risk Assessment 2

What are the risks?http://www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk/riskassessment

Assessing the riskschecklist

How can you reduce the risks?exercise results

Being prepared for disasterBusiness Link’s continuity planning

Keeping safewww.ictknowledgebase.org.uk/keepcomputerssafeandsound

Good housekeepingwww.ictknowledgebase.org.uk/maintenancetips

Social Media / Web 2.0

• What is it

• Why should you care

• How it’s being used - for non-profit

• Impacts

• How to get there

Photo: flickr.com/photos/tonypeters/

“Social Media is game changingwww.Radian6.com/cms/social_media

“Online applications, platforms and media which aim to facilitate interaction, collaboration and the sharing of content”

www.universalmccann.com

Photo: flickr.com/photos/briansolis/

Why social media?

• Advocacy

• Awareness

• Fundraising

• Inspiring action

• Influencing change

How to Get There

Objectives - what

Audience - who

Strategy - pick a path that fits

Implement - match the tool

Sustain - measure, adjust

Planning and Budgeting

Where do you want to go – dreaming big

What is an ICT strategy?

What’s a realistic budget?

Budgeting for ICT

What should you budget for?

What are realistic prices?

Now do a rough budget for your organisation’s ICT – 5 mins

Budget Calculator

Strategy - 1

An ICT strategy is not about: detailed technical description unrealistic aspirations how you’re going to do it one bit of your organisation forcing another to do

something it doesn’t want to, by going over their heads to the Board of Trustees

Strategy - 2

An ICT strategy (sometimes known just as a plan) is about: having goals, even small ones, for:

doing things better doing better things

thinking things through setting out a framework and standards SMART objectives (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic &

timely) ensuring that your trustees are committed allocating responsibilities setting a realistic budget (of money and time) justifying your expenditure (of money and time)

Strategy - 3

Possible headings for an ICT strategy: Responsibilities Goals in the business plan for the next 5 years Contribution that ICT is expected to make: Major investments, including time-scale New developments and experiments, including time-scale Hardware purchase and replacement Software policy Security Support arrangements Training Budgeting Related policies Review period

Finding Your Way

Photo: flickr.com/photos/worldwidewandering

Finding Your Way 1(as a support tool)

When looking for information and advice which web sites do YOU use?

How do you find out about useful sites?

What questions do they answer?

What sites do you find unhelpful?

Finding Your Way 2

NAVCA www.navca.org.uk RuralnetUK www.net-gain.org.uk ICT Champions www.ictchampions.org.uk

(new website coming soon) Capacitybuilders www.improvingsupport.org.uk

(new Improving Support website coming soon) Knowledgebase www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk Suppliers Directory www.suppliersdirectory.org.uk UKRiders www.ukriders.info AbilityNet www.abilitynet.org.uk IT4Communities www.it4communities.org.uk CTX www.ctxchange.org.uk NCVO ICT www.icthub.org.uk

Top Tips 1(on doing more with less)

Software donation and discount schemes – save money

www.ctx.org and www.pugh.co.uk

Recycled and repurposed hardware

www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk/recyclingict

Green IT – saving energy and money

www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk/greencomputing

Open Office (on the USB stick) an alternative to Microsoft Office

www.openoffice.org

Top Tips 2(on doing more with less)

Online back-up services – secure, save moneywww.ictknowledgebase.org.uk/onlinebackup

0300, VoIP and saving money on phonecallswww.ictknowledgebase.org.uk/telephonesavingswww.ictknowledgebase.org.uk/voip

Sharing back office serviceswww.capacitybuilders.org.ukwww.improvingsupport.org.uk

Top Tips 3(on doing more with less)

DIY - www.ukriders.info

iTQ training - http://itq.e-skills.com/

Save money managing free events www.eventbrite.com

Free video conferencing www.oovoo.com

Collaborate Google Docs and Calendar

Aggregate the news – RSS

Arranging meetings – www.doodle.com

Online presentations – http://www.slideshare.net/– (these presentations will be available here)

Workshop prepared by

Miles MaierLondon Region ICT Champion

www.lasa.org.uk/ictchampion

mmaier@lasa.org.uk

020 7426 4496