Last week, a highly reputable Dutch politician and UN Envoy to Sudan, Jan Pronk posted on his personal blog about the loss of the Sudanese Army against militias in the troubled area of Darfur. Arguably outside his job description, this action resulted in removal of Mr. Pronk from his position in Sudan, thus throwing another blow at the UN's efforts to restore peace in the region.
For the techies out there, this "blog" was nothing fancy - a series of simple html pages. It was the usage of the technology and not its superiority that really mattered. Within 48 hours of the content going live, a significant diplomat lost his job, insulted the Sudanese Ministry of Defense, and apparently fractured a diplomatic effort. Unlike the typical corporate world, this situation reminds us the importance of tech-developers (companies and/or organizations) in the non-profit sector to engage directly with and adopt the agendas of our clients, mostly non-profits and political clients. It becomes increasingly important to deliver technology that meets their specific needs, not simply as existential tools but as reliable paths to accomplishing one's agenda.
Image Source: US Department of State
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