How To Support Your Computer and Internet Systems

 
How does a small mission-based organization (nonprofit, non-governmental organization/NGO, public sector organization, civil society organization, etc.), with very limited resources and, often, a staff doing a LOT more than their job description defines, support its computer and Internet systems? Who solves problems? Who evaluates the system and suggests when or when not to upgrade? Who identifies training needs of the staff?

• Someone paid, on staff, full time or part time?
  
• Volunteers, either contributing time regularly or on an on-call basis?
  
• A service agreement with an outside vendor?
  

Who should be in this role? Ask the staff for their input -- often, there is someone on your staff doing this unofficially already. It could be the Development Director, it could be the Receptionist ,it could be a Teacher -- the person should already have an interest in this area and already at least dabbling in technology, either at home or at the organization.

Should you look for a paid part-time person, or could a volunteer fill the role of computer and Internet support person? Either route will get you the expertise you need -- but both routes probably won't get you the TIME you need. Volunteers are WONDERFUL, and I highly recommend them as great resources of help for your comptuer and Internet support needs. But do note that volunteers have many other priorities -- their paid work, for one. In an emergency, you may have to wait for the volunteers' other priorities to be taken care of before he or she can get to you.

The Virtual Volunteering Project has an excellent resource on how to recruit volunteers for computer technical assitance roles.

Here are tips on Finding a Computer/Network Consultant.

Tim Mills-Groninger, chair of the Technology Resource Consortium (TRC), Associate Executive Director Information Technology Resource Center (ITRC) npo.net in Chicago, and one of the wisest posters on the soc.org.nonprofit newsgroup says:

We recomend that agencies develop a cadre of Computer Responsible Person (CRPs, pronounced creep) at the ratio of one to every team or 10 staff. The CRP's first job responsibility is to know what they don't know and where to go for help. Over time they will develop trouble shooting skills, provide opportunistic training ("I see that you've hit the tab key five times, let me show you how to set tabs"), and escalate more serious problems to outside support or internally.

CRPs should be their own team within the agency, and have time to meet, learn, and do their support functions. When things are messy at CRP can work 1/2 time on support functions, when things are under control it more like two hours per week.

Next up the support ladder is the Computer Coordinator, often 1/2 time if there are around 20 computers in the office, full-time if there are more than fifty. This person takes the support problems the CRPs can't answer, does hardware configurations, troubleshoots the network (you_should_ have a network by now), manages vendor relationships, files all the lisencing paperwork, and basically does the infrastructure plumbing.

Next is outsourced technical support. No Computer Coodinator will have seen every problem - there just won't be the diversity of trouble in your shop until you pass a hunred or more PCs. Technical support providers see these problems all of the time and can offer solutions much faster than having your own staff futz around looking for the chance fix.

If there are extensive database applications you may want to think about have a DataBase Administrator or DBA. DBAs have the tricky job of coordinating the business uses of the database and all the "behind the scenes configuration and tuning"

Many of the TRC members can help you organize staffing and find qualified vendor in your community.

Also see these tips on Finding a Computer/Network Consultant.

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