‘Data, data, data’ is the new ‘location, location, location’ for the digital age. It’s no longer about where your business or nonprofit is located, it’s about what you do with the data you’ve collected. Are you creating personalized customer experiences? Are you thinking ahead to how you can offer more targeted services using that info?
Or is your business falling prey to some of the common pain points human services organizations tend to face when it comes to data management, like:
- Incompatible, duplicate, or missing data
- Siloed projects that use the data, yet duplicate efforts and cost of that data
- Wasting vast amount of time gathering data that is never utilized
If this sounds like your organization, you may need to consider reformulating your data management strategy. With that in mind, Formstack recently teamed up with Exponent Partners—a technology consulting firm that exclusively serves nonprofits—for a webinar exploring collecting, managing, storing, and using data effectively. Discover some of the best tips below.
Define Your Data Strategy
Marthe Rena, Marketing Manager at Exponent Partners, recommends using a data management strategy as a “roadmap for using data to achieve your goals.” So you need to know both where you’re going and how you’re going to get there.
It’s best to think strategically about your route forward, as ad hoc and reactive strategies can end up costing your organization more in the long run. Figure out what data you have, how it’s stored, and how it’s being used. Only then can you determine if you have data you aren’t using, data you’re missing, or duplicate data that could be causing issues in your systems.
Exponent Partners recommends following the suggested steps below to help manage the process of defining your strategy.
5 Steps for Data Management
- Identify Objectives
- Create Strong Data Processes
- Find the right fit technology
- Establish data governance
- Train and execute
Focusing on these steps can help you spot and improve challenges in your data management strategy.
Examine Your Tech Stack
Exponent Partners also highlights the need for the right technology for your needs. Once you determine what data you have and how it’s being utilized, explore whether or not the systems storing and analyzing this data are doing their jobs effectively. Are they working together or creating costly data silos? Are there spaces where other tools could capture more meaningful data faster or easier?
Making sure you have the right systems in place can make all the difference when it comes to data management—just ask the City of Boulder. Watch the full webinar to see how they used Formstack Forms and Documents to capture client data and Exponent Case Management to analyze, report on outcomes, and better impact the communities they serve.
In the webinar, they also showcase various ways you can manage your data and utilize it to implement better customer experiences that keep customers coming back time and time again.
If you want to learn more about how Formstack or any of its partners can revolutionize the way you do business, check out our Partners Page.
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