IT Volunteers Do’s & Don’ts

Do

Do aim for solutions that are simple and cheap.
Do focus on the circumstances under which people will use the solution. There’s a big difference between what people say they do or need, and what they actually do or need. Listen and learn, then watch and learn.
Do figure out how to transfer knowledge. If you’re not good at talking about technology to non-techies, find someone who is to help you.
Do leave documentation behind. Every time you change anything, write it down so the staff has a record of what happened.

Don’t confuse an IT problem with a business process problem. Sometimes the real issue is the people, not the technology.
Don’t get carried away. The solution you’re considering will probably be twice as hard to implement as you think. Pare it down before you begin and chunk the work into manageable pieces.
Don’t just disappear when you realize you’ve given all you can. Help the organization transition to other support systems.

Do you have questions? Comments? We’d love to hear from you.
email: ccts@ubalt.edu
phone: (410) 837-6741