SV: [Sigia-l] Standardized site design for non profit orgs

[Gunnar Langemark]

Since there has been some people asking: Why could standardization be "not
good" I will offer my take on this.
I work on integrated content management/community/ERP solutions for
organizations and unions. These organizations often depend on volunteer
work, and on very enthusiastic individuals - whom You would have to "bully"
in order to make them accept a centralized solution. That's dangerous.
In such organizations "bottom line" thinking and central command structure
is not the way to go.
As a developer/consultant/IA You may believe that both economically,
technically, aesthetically, and communicationally - a centralized design and
a central server with a central website will be THE solution. Nevertheless
the social and cultural reality is not always responsive to such arguments.
NOT even if You promise to provide the individual local office with a
complete community subsite.
So in order to move the organization You will have to undertake a very
ressource-draining endeavour - which the organization (I bet) does not have
the money to pay for, nor the motivation to embark on.
Bottom line: It's due the nature of the organization - that centralization
may be bad. And that can prove to be sufficient to kill a project if You
insist on the solution that your professional pride dictates.


Just my opinion.
Gunnar