Technology Planning –
Sharing challenges and successes
March 12, 2009
Hosts: Kathleen Brockel & Rachel Medina

Today’s Discussion  Immediate tech
 Tech Planning planning needs facing
Challenges programs?
 Causes of the  Planning process
Difficulties problems?
 NTAP’s Google site  Tech & staff needs
to share resources assessment
problems?
 Report drafting
problems?

Participant role in their program
Attorney or Supervising Attorney
IT Manager, Director of
Technology, Sys Admin
Executive Director or Deputy
Director
Paralegal or Other Support Staff
Other

0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Doc.
44
Production
Tech personnel
63
plans
SW Website
20
Dev.
Intake & Phone
27
Sys.
Knowledge
70
Mgmt
Most Challenging parts of Tech Planning

Challenges for Tech Planning
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10 Series1
0

 Knowledge management
 Developing adequate tech personnel
planning
 Tech training
 Systems for PAI support
 Document production & document
assembly

Causes of Tech Planning Challenges
Don’t know what changes
can be enacted on a tight
budget,
Don’t know much about
the topic
Tech planning for
particular topic seems
too time intensive
Don’t expect to have
money to implement
changes/improvements
Don’t see how tech
planning area will benefit
organization,

• Overall Program Capacity
• Management of Client and Case Data
• Production and Supervision of Legal Work
• Records Management
• Knowledge Management
• Intake and Telephonic Advice
• Direct Assistance to Low Income Persons
• Support for Use of Private Attorney
• Security
• Training
• Communication
• Administration

• Overall Program Capacity
– Planning - tech planning should be fully integrated
into overall program planning
– Budgeting - adequate funds should be budgeted
for:
• ongoing maintenance and upgrades of hardware &
software
• necessary personnel to support and maintain system
• training in using it
– Personnel - sufficient capacity to:
• maintain equipment, networks, databases and software

 At a minimum the plan should include:
◦ Description of program's technology planning
process
◦ Identification of specific baseline technology
capacities the program lacks
◦ Description of strategies program will employ
to acquire each missing baseline capacity
◦ Discussion of how technology planning is
integrated into the program's overall service
delivery planning

 Immediate tech planning needs facing
programs?
◦ Process problems?
◦ Problems with specific technologies?
 What are programs doing now?
 What suggestions/plans do you have to
share?

 Assembly your technology planning team
 Review mission & vision
 Assess program & staff needs (ideally as
part of overall program planning)
 Assess technology that meets the mission
& vision
 Identify gaps
 Strategize improvements

 Dates:
◦ Thursday June 11
◦ Thursday September 10
◦ Thursday November 12
 Proposed discussion topics:

 kathleen@lsntap.org
 rachel@lsntap.org