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The Duffer’s Guide to Tech for Good

February 14, 2019 By Joe Roberson Leave a Comment

You wake up one morning and you’ve forgotten all you knew about Tech for Good.

Or maybe you just woke up already knowing nothing and decided it was time to learn.

Either way, you’re thinking about how your charity might use tech to deliver better services. You know the revolution is here and that you need to get on the train out of analogue babylon.

So here, in one place is your duffer’s guide, your crash course in TfG. It’s a list of resources to read and use. There’s ten, but [Read more…] about The Duffer’s Guide to Tech for Good

What are User Stories?

November 5, 2018 By Joe Roberson

Back in July our funded projects had a rough idea of what their users needed. Since then they’ve been developing more specific ‘user stories’. Learn how to use user stories to make sure you’re creating what your users need, not what you think they want.

In all my days of working with agile service and product designers there’s one trick they use that never fails to impress me.

It’s user stories. Or more specifically, the power of [Read more…] about What are User Stories?

What is User Research?

June 25, 2018 By Joe Roberson Leave a Comment

It’s not the sexiest of activities. And it can feel like putting the brakes on your great idea. But if you want to build a tech for good service that meets your users’ needs, its a must-do.

You’ve worked with your beneficiaries for years. You think you know what they need. You believe you know what your project needs to build.

Ace.

But hold up. Even if [Read more…] about What is User Research?

What is a Tech for Good Project?

June 18, 2018 By Joe Roberson Leave a Comment

Understand what makes a Tech for Good ‘project’ and your idea will be clearer, stronger and more fundable. Or if you’re a funder you’ll know which funding applications to assess as ‘Tech for Good’.

Over the last 2 months I’ve asked six funders how often they receive a Tech for Good project application. In response they all asked what I considered to be a ‘Tech for Good project’.

It’s a stonking question. Because while we often talk about [Read more…] about What is a Tech for Good Project?

What is Financial Value?

June 11, 2018 By Joe Roberson Leave a Comment

We’ve defined user value. And we’ve tried to nail social value. But that’s not enough. For your project to survive beyond it’s grant you must generate financial value. However, financial value isn’t easy for us charities to think about because we’re not used to behaving like businesses.

“Sooner or later someone’s gotta pay” says James Dean to Rock Hudson in 1956’s ‘Giant’.

Someone’s got to pay because [Read more…] about What is Financial Value?