What trends and best practices should your nonprofit embrace in 2017? On Jan 25th, we took a look at 5 tech and web design trends predicted to play a large role in 2017, such as automating dashboards and data visualization, creating a consistent User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX), and more!

1. Be ahead of the
tech curve, not
behind!
Nonprofit tech and web design trends for 2017

2. Hi,We’re from TechSoup Canada.
Our mission is to help
nonprofits use tech effectively.

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7. Today’s agenda
• 5 tech and web design trends
• Pulse check!
• What is it?
• Why is it important?
• Steps and resources to move forward
• Bonus: Quick important tech updates
• Next CASL deadline (July 1st, 2017)
• New SEO penalty
• Q&A
• Slides and recording will be available after the webinar
• Next webinar: How to manage remote teams, Feb 22nd

8. About us
Presenter: Joyce Hsu
Communications Manager, TechSoup Canada
Host: Donna Won
Tech Systems Specialist, TechSoup Canada

9. This is not about the latest,
greatest, cutting edge tech
trends in 2017

10. This is about trends
that will impact day-to-day
nonprofits in 2017

11. Data visualization
and automation
Tech Trend #1

12. How does your
nonprofit use
data?
Pulse check!

13. What is it?
Dashboards (summary of data) that automatically updates and visualizes
your data in meaningful ways. The emerging trend is to automate
dashboards for internal and external use.

14. Why is it important?
Smarter decisions
Make smarter, more timely
decisions informed by data
Digestible Data
We consume less data
than we can create
(IDC*)
*https://www.emc.com/leadership/digital-universe/2014iview/executive-summary.htm
Save time
Automation saves time
(and reduces human
error)
impact
Accountability
Demonstrate your
impact to donors,
funders, board and
supporters

15. Highly data-driven organizations are three times
more likely to report significant improvement in
decision-making … yet, 62% of executives still rely
more on experience and advice than data to make
decisions
From Insight to Action: How Data-Driven Marketing Is Supporting Big Decisions
thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/data-driven-marketing-decision-making.html
60%

16. What next?
Nurture a data
informed culture
“If data isn’t part of your
nonprofit culture, make that a
big goal this year”*
Plan before you
pull data
“Data without application
is useless.”*
Continuing the
data journey
Share, learn, tweak &
repeat
*http://npengage.com/nonprofit-marketing/online-benchmark-reveals-key-insights-for-nonprofits-in-2017

17. Example: TechSoup Canada
We have recurring, weekly
meetings to review data
(30 mins. max)

18. Resources
Static
spreadsheet
Good starting point,
or when you’re
trying something
completely new
Built-in
dashboard
Configure the dashboard
tool that comes with your
platform: CRM, CMS,
Email platform
Reporting/B.I./
dashboard tool
Connect your data
source to an external
reporting tool
Zapier.com
Connects web apps
together so you can
automate workflows

19. Resources for Spreadsheet Dashboards
chandoo.org/wp/excel-dashboards

20. Resources for Spreadsheet Dashboards
zapier.com/learn/google-sheets/google-sheets-dashboard-tutorial

21. Resources for Built-in Dashboards
analytics.google.com (free)

22. Resources for Built-in Dashboards
kb.mailchimp.com/accounts/billing/about-mailchimp-discounts (15% off)

23. Resources for Built-in Dashboards
salesforce.org/nonprofit (10 free licenses)

24. tableau.com (eligible orgs can also get it at techsoupcanada.ca/directory/423)
Resources for Reporting/ B.I. Tools

25. Resources for Reporting/ B.I. Tools
zoho.com/reports (free & paid plans)

26. Resources for Reporting/ B.I. Tools
powerbi.microsoft.com (free & paid plans)

27. Clear & clean
User Interfaces (UI)
Tech Trend #2

28. Pulse check!
How do you feel
about your nonprofit’s
website?

29. What is it?
User Interface (UI) describes the medium that people use to interact
with computer applications (e.g., websites, programs etc.). The
emerging trend is to favour clean, clear and accessible UI.
UI Elements

30. Why is it important?
A user interface is like a joke.
If you have to explain it,
it’s not that good.
Martin LeBlanc, Founder & CEO of Icon Finder

31. Guess the links!
art.yale.edu

32. Guess the links!
art.yale.edu

33. Why is it important?
Increase conversion
rates
Users’ attention span
are getting shorter
(8 secs in 2015*)
*statisticbrain.com/attention-span-statistics
Help create a positive
& confident UX

34. Use consistent terms,
signifiers and labels
Design for your users
(hint: you are not your user)
What next?
No signifiers. (Clickable?)
Weak signifiers. (Clickable?)
Strong signifiers. (Clickable?)
Strong signifiers. (Clickable?)

35. “Flat Design: Its Origins, Its
Problems, and Why Flat 2.0 Is
Better for Users”
nngroup.com/articles/flat-design/
Google’s introduction to
Material Design
google.com/design/spec/material-design
Resources

36. Playing nice: System
integration
Tech Trend #3

37. Pulse check!
How many of your
systems/databases
are integrated?

38. What is it?
As more software solutions are being developed and released, it seems like there is a tool for
nearly every task. The trend is to explore and adopt carefully – with integration in mind.

39. Why is it important?
A step towards a (realistic)
centralized system
Build rich supporter
profiles/data
Easier workflow and
data automation

40. Plan early
New tech solutions should
integrate with at least one other
existing solution you’re using
What next?
Start with 1-way integration
1-way integrations are easier to implement
and more likely to succeed. These
integrations are often enough

41. Resources
Zapier.com
Connect web apps together for
workflow automations
Cloud Suites
No time to plan? Look into cloud suites
that can fulfill most of your functions
Nonprofit

42. Big and bold
typography
Tech Trend #4

43. Pulse check!
How do you decide
which fonts to use at
your nonprofit?

44. What is it?
With the growing focus on content marketing, more websites will feature
typography and fonts that are just as big and bold as the mission itself.
FONTFACE: BEBAS NEUE REGULARTYPOGRAPHY

45. What is it?
i.e. Trading neo-grotesque fonts (Helvetica, Roboto, Lato or Open Sans) for
bolder geometric fonts, serif typefaces and monospaced (“typewriter”)
2010s 2017+

46. Why is it important?
Stand out from
the crowd.
Stand out from
the crowd.
Reinforce your brandLet your content shine
femmeinternational.org plancanada.ca

47. Think large print Create strong contrast
What next?
resilientwebdesign.com
Determine your font
pairings
Sans-Serif/Serif
/Sans-Serif
Serif/Serif

48. Resources
FontSquirrel.com Fonts.google.comFontPair.co

49. Tech Trend #5
Embracing hybrid
cloud models

50. Pulse check!
How do you feel about
cloud computing?

51. What is it?
Storing sensitive information on private cloud (dedicated server
or on Canadian data centre) and non-sensitive information on
the public cloud.

52. Why is it important?
Take advantage of
cloud computing
benefits
Keep sensitive data
in-house and in Canada
More services and
products are moving
to the cloud

53. Resources
OwnCloud.org
“What is the hybrid cloud and how can
it help my organization?”
techsoupcanada.ca/community/blog/
what-is-a-hybrid-cloud-and-how-can-it-help-my-
nonprofit-organization

54. Important tech
updates
Bonus

55. Important tech updates
Next CASL date is July 1st, 2017
Transition period ends and private rights of action
are in force. Not sure if you’re prepared? Stay tuned
for March 22nd for a refresher on CASL!
techsoupcanada.ca/webinar
Penalizing intrusive pop-ups
Google has started to penalize intrusive pop-ups
(since Jan 10, 2017).
https://webmasters.googleblog.com/2016/08/help
ing-users-easily-access-content-on.html

56. Questions? joyce@techsoupcanada.ca