There is this tendency to get wrapped up in tech. If only we had that cool new dashboard or visual. Then we could really take advantage of our data.
Of course the actual tech part is not everything. Not anywhere close. Sure, the tech stuff can be neat, but the human side is the most critical piece.
From Beth Kanter in her blog post Between the Dashboard and the Chair: The Human Side of Data for Good
The Human Side of Nonprofit Data Practice is the Yin, Technical the Yang
Good data practice is not just about the technical skills. There is a human side to nonprofit measurement and data . It is found between the dashboard and the chair. It includes organizational culture and its influence on decision-making – from consensus building on indicators, agility in responding to data with action, and sense-making. It is the human side that helps nonprofits use their data for learning and continuous improvement.
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