The “Technology Blind Spot”
There is a concept called the “technology blind spot”. The adoption of digital technology is often ancillary to an organization’s primary mission.
As a result, there can be a lack of internal focus on technology advancements that could shape the way that entity communicates and operates.
There are a number of companies globally dedicated to making emerging technology more accessible to those entities with needs. However, there is often a disconnect between companies with the desire and drive to support these efforts and the entities themselves.
The idea of one of such entities was based on the premise that charitable organizations should have the ability to acquire the information they need to make educated decisions about implementing and using technology, explains Gregg Hawn, a founder of TechnologyGives.
The Adoption of Emerging Technology by Charitable Organizations
The charitable and non-profit world is changing rapidly with the advancement of technology. This includes the ways charities use social media and fundraise. The ongoing evolution of technology necessitates a continued need to assess and reassess the nature and type of technologies beneficial to non-profits and their missions, says Gregg Hawn.
A number of non-profit organizations have benefited greatly from use of the cloud. The cloud has the potential, if used correctly, to allow non-profits to leverage reduced costs, the ability for founders and employees to work from multiple devices (including mobile platforms), streamlined flow of information, and the ability to manage technological resources more efficiently.
There are a number of technology centric organizations, both domestically and globally that assist non-profits with emerging technology and related technological considerations. This includes organizations like TechSoup Global, an organization that, among other things, assists nonprofits and schools in obtaining computers, Code for Progress, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing women and minorities into the coding workforce through investment in technical training, and Code.org, an organization dedicated to expanding participation in computer science and making it available in more schools around the United States.
According to a recent report by technology association CompTIA, emerging technologies offering the greatest opportunities in 2020 and beyond include the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G, Serverless Computing, Blockchain, and Virtual or Augmented Reality.
The key takeaway is to recognize a potential “technology blind spot” and to determine if and how your operations and communications can be benefited through the use of emerging technologies.