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Timeliness
Detail
Reduced cost of
information
Increased
communication
A clearer model of
organizational and community activity
A tool For Community
Development
Discussion
The impact of telecommunications on the work of nonprofit organizations may be substantial. The impact will clearly grow as synergy develops within a community information system and as staff, decision makers, clients and constituency gain access.
But assessment of the value of first steps should begin with an understanding of the specific advantages of telecommunications to an organization's program. Some of the key factors to include in an assessment are discussed below.
Online information can be more timely than other options. Changes in schedules, program options, draft statements and others can be posted quickly and read in their latest form.
Timeliness requires that users of information also check sources on a timely basis. For some time it may be necessary to send alerts of information changes by other means - especially fax and E-mail. But the detail and presentation of the new material may still be best presented in World Wide Web format.
The hypertext format for online information permits organizing quantities of information in a way that does not overwhelm the reader. Details can be available as needed in linked pages. Different readers will have different needs for detail.
Preparing material is generally simpler because multiple audiences can be addressed in the same product. Material does not need to be as thoroughly edited to reduce volume and costs.
Publication, duplication, mailing and other distribution costs can be major for an organization. Often materials are prepared less frequently, are shorter and are distributed to fewer people than may be appropriate.
With online systems one version of materials are prepared. A much larger audience can read material selectively as the material is relevant to them. Material can be accessed without printing as it is needed. But users can save and print specific elements they require.
Online materials can easily incorporate color, graphics and photographs. Even voice and video can be included. Such features are often too expensive to incorporate in published material.
Online systems may be used to increase two-way communication. Dialog, feedback and convenient transactions may strengthen the relationship between an organization and its constituency.
Effective two-way communication may be substantially enhanced when organizations choose to incorporate strong two-way elements within their home pages. This is not a natural result of the World Wide Web design. Unless an organization make an effort to incorporate communication elements into web pages, the process is only one way.
The format of home page structures allow placing material, programs and organizations in perspective. The overall CWEIS design can help to make the community service structure clearer to readers. Menu structures and indexes can serve as information and referral systems. Coalitions and collaboratives can clarify the issues and programs they address. Agency programs can be defined and displayed within the framework an agency chooses to explain its work. Community resources and activities become much more visible than they are through traditional media sources.
The benefits of the Telecommunications Revolution will have much less impact upon communities if local communities do not organize to exploit the potential of the new tools. The value of Internet as a community development tool will not be realized if community information is largely in the hands of commercial vendors. The next few years will require that nonprofit organizations work together to build a community online that reflects the local community and effectively represents its strengths and vision.