识别平台/供应商 (Identify the Platform / Vendor)
If you are in the position of rolling out a new performance measurement system, be prepared for some sleepless nights. What will bring you comfort is a great partner who understands your business needs and works with you to design, configure, and train your staff to utilize it well. Choosing the right platform is as important as choosing the right partner to bring your vision to life.
如果您准备推出新的性能评估系统，请为不眠之夜做好准备。 使您感到舒适的是一个出色的合作伙伴，他了解您的业务需求并与您一起设计，配置和培训您的员工以充分利用它。 选择合适的平台与选择合适的合作伙伴以实现您的愿景一样重要。
大辩论：封闭式与开放式API (The Great Debate: Closed vs. Open API)
In many cases, the company that sells you the technology is the same as the company who will configure it to meet your nonprofits’ needs. Performance measurement systems fall into two categories: Closed or Open. A data system with an Open Application Programming Interface (API) has been developed with the intent of it being accessible to outside developers. A major benefit of systems with an Open API is the ability to connect data systems to each other (no more double data entry) and to work with contractors outside of the company to configure or customize a data system to meet your needs.
在许多情况下，向您出售技术的公司与将其配置为满足您的非营利组织需求的公司相同。 绩效评估系统分为两类：封闭式或开放式。 已经开发了带有开放应用程序编程接口(API)的数据系统，以供外部开发人员访问。 具有开放API的系统的主要优点是能够将数据系统彼此连接(不再需要重复输入数据)，并能够与公司外部的承包商合作来配置或定制数据系统以满足您的需求。
“Closed” data systems often require that you utilize their staff to make updates or changes, as a way to profit from having captured you early on. Want to make a change? “Sure. That’s another $5,000.” Need a special report that is not “baseline”? “Well, we configured it for someone else, but since you’re asking for it and it’s not baseline, that will be another $10,000.” Want to hire someone else? “Sorry, no dice.” The only people with access to the backend architecture of a closed system is…the vendor. There is no. where. to. go. for. help.
“封闭式”数据系统通常需要您利用他们的员工进行更新或更改，以此作为早日捕获您的一种获利方法。 是否要进行更改？ “当然。 这又是5,000美元。” 是否需要非“基准”的特别报告？ “好吧，我们为其他人配置了它，但是由于您要的是它，而不是基线，因此又要花费10,000美元。” 想雇用别人吗？ “对不起，没有骰子。” 唯一有权访问封闭系统后端体系结构的人是……供应商。 没有 哪里。 至。 走。 对于。 救命。
While this might sound terrible, there are also good reasons to go with a data system that is a closed API. One reason is that your in-house capacity to get a system up and running is low. A second is that your data system needs are a match for the closed system out of the box. If these two hold true, a closed system may deliver exactly what you need (and be your only option).
尽管这听起来可能很糟糕，但也有充分的理由使用封闭API的数据系统。 原因之一是您内部无法启动和运行系统的能力。 第二个是您的数据系统需求是开箱即用的封闭系统的匹配项。 如果这两个条件成立，那么封闭的系统可能会完全满足您的需求(并且是唯一的选择)。
However, if how you capture, report, and use information is complicated or may be changing, but prepared for some serious frustration.
但是，如果您捕获，报告和使用信息的方式很复杂或可能正在发生变化，但是会给您带来严重的挫败感。
Why do I rail on closed data systems? Well, I inherited a data system disaster and I do not want you (or your successor) to suffer the same fate.
为什么要对封闭的数据系统进行跟踪？ 好吧，我继承了数据系统灾难，我不希望您(或您的继任者)遭受同样的命运。
警示故事：不该做什么 (The Cautionary Tale: What Not to Do)
In 2017, a year before I joined #teamBGCP, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula was looking for a new system to monitor program effectiveness and track outcomes. Staff had been using a patchwork quilt of an outdated Access-based system and Excel to capture daily attendance, and leadership knew it was time for a change. They were ready to implement outcome-oriented programs and needed a more robust CRM to tie students’ participation in BGCP programs to school success outcomes.
2017年，也就是我加入#teamBGCP的前一年，半岛男孩与女孩俱乐部正在寻找一个新的系统来监控计划效果并跟踪结果。 员工们一直在使用过时的基于Access的系统和Excel拼凑而成的被子来捕获日常出勤情况，而领导层知道是时候进行更改了。 他们准备实施以结果为导向的计划，并需要更强大的CRM，以使学生参与BGCP计划与学校的成功成果挂钩。
At the time, BGCP and its advisors compared four performance measurement systems, and chose to deploy a data system with a Closed API (most are) for performance measurement. They seemed to go through many of the right steps. They spoke to several companies about their products, brought together a cross-functional team to evaluate the demos. They had a scorecard with a numerical ranking. They checked the boxes. (Notably, they did not create a Product Specifications Document — see Step 2).
当时，BGCP及其顾问比较了四个绩效评估系统，并选择部署一个具有封闭API(大多数)的数据系统来进行绩效评估。 他们似乎已经采取了许多正确的步骤。 他们与多家公司谈论了他们的产品，并召集了一个跨职能的团队来评估演示。 他们有一个带有数字排名的记分卡。 他们检查了箱子。 (值得注意的是，他们没有创建产品规格文档-参见步骤2)。
However, in the end a team selected a system that I had not heard of, but whose sales team promised could do all that we asked for and more!
但是，最终，一个团队选择了一个我从未听说过的系统，但是其销售团队承诺可以完成我们要求的所有工作，甚至更多！
The organization learned, the hard way, how easy it is to get sales’d.
该组织通过艰难的方式了解到获得销售的难易程度。
Demos showed the team what was possible, rather than probable. Sales reps touted features that weren’t yet rolled out or required additional customization work that was not included in the initial contract. Sure, all our requirements were “possible,” in theory, so long as our budget and timeline allowed.
演示向团队展示了什么是可能的，而不是可能的。 销售代表吹捧尚未推出的功能，或者要求额外的定制工作的功能，这些功能未包含在初始合同中。 当然，从理论上讲，只要我们的预算和时间表允许，我们的所有要求都是“可能的”。
To avoid getting sales’d, we must separate the possible from the probable.
为了避免销售，我们必须将可能与可能分开。
Three sentences cut through the bull: “Has this been done?” “With whom?” “Show it to me.”
公牛切入了三个句子：“这样做了吗？” “和谁一起？” “展示给我看。”
This is why a clear and detailed Product Specifications Document is so important. Without a clear set of requirements, the sales pitch will get you every time! After all, you are up against (pretty) smart sales representatives whose jobs — and livelihoods — depend on you thinking that they are the answer to all your data system woes. Sales people are just doing their job.
这就是为什么清晰而详细的产品规格文档如此重要的原因。 没有明确的要求，销售推销将每次都为您服务！ 毕竟，您要与(漂亮的)聪明的销售代表抗衡，他们的工作和生计取决于您是否认为他们是您解决所有数据系统难题的答案。 销售人员只是在做他们的工作。
Here’s how you can do your job, as well or even better. Watch out for:
这也是您甚至可以做得更好的方法。 注意：
Universal “Yes” — Watch out when the response to every question about a requirement is “Yes, it’s possible.” Remember: ask when and how it was done, ideally with a client example. No data system is perfect, and you want your vendor to be realistic about what is possible for your organization.
通用“是” -当对有关需求的每个问题的回答是“是，有可能”时，要当心。 切记：询问时间和完成方式，最好是举一个客户的例子。 没有任何数据系统是完美的，并且您希望供应商对您的组织可能采取的措施保持现实。
Flashy Features — It’s easy to get caught up with flashy features that are fun or interesting, but are unnecessary. Keep your vendor (and any team evaluating your options) focused on your priorities. If a vendor can’t stay focused on what matters most to you during the demo, that behavior will likely carry on through design and implemention.
华而不实的功能 -这是很容易陷入了华而不实的功能，是好玩或有趣，但不是必需的。 让您的供应商(以及任何评估您的选择的团队)专注于您的优先事项。 如果供应商无法在演示过程中专注于对您最重要的事情，那么这种行为很可能会在设计和实施过程中继续下去。
Roadmap Promises — Every thriving company has a roadmap of features or new products it plans to rollout in the next 6 to 12 months. Sometimes, these features will be requirements of your system, and other times they will be nice to have. As an optimist, I know it can be tempting to bet that those roadmap features will rollout just as you need them to at exactly the right time. But in reality, roadmaps are simply well articulated dreams. Don’t place your bet that they will come to fruition. You need to make a choice assuming that the roadmap could change and that hoped for feature never gets developed.
路线图的承诺 —每个蓬勃发展的公司都有计划在未来6到12个月内推出的功能或新产品的路线图。 有时，这些功能将是您系统的要求，而有时它们会很不错。 作为一名乐观主义者，我知道可以诱使您相信这些路线图功能会在您恰好在适当的时候推出。 但实际上，路线图只是明确表达的梦想。 不要押注他们会实现。 您需要做出选择，假设路线图可能会发生变化，并且功能从未实现过。
Sales-only Demo — If you are having a technical demo you need someone who is actually technical (a developer or troubleshooter from customer support) from the vendor on the call. A sales rep will not help you evaluate your options or advise the best way to scope the work. A technical expert will often be your ally and best reality-check of not just what is possible, but what has been done.
仅销售演示 -如果您要进行技术演示，则需要电话中卖方的实际技术人员(来自客户支持的开发人员或疑难解答)。 销售代表将无法帮助您评估您的选择或建议确定工作范围的最佳方法。 技术专家通常将是您的盟友和最佳现实检查，不仅是对可能的事，而且还对已完成的事进行检查。
Be prepared to step in and steer the conversation in ways that will help your team best evaluate the data system and partner who will make your performance measurement system successful.
准备介入并引导对话，以帮助您的团队最好地评估数据系统和使您的绩效评估系统成功的合作伙伴。
成功选择合作伙伴 (Successful Partner Selection)
In the end, we selected to use Salesforce as our performance measurement system and Exponent Partners as our implementation partner. How did we get there? Let’s break it down.
最后，我们选择使用Salesforce作为我们的绩效评估系统，并选择Exponent Partners作为我们的实施合作伙伴。 我们如何到达那里？ 让我们分解一下。
First, in our case it had only been 18 months since we had rolled out the (failed) data system. So I reviewed the prior team’s evaluation of vendors for the initial data system project. I learned that Salesforce came in a close second. We knew everything we wanted would be possible with Salesforce, but weren’t sure yet what was probable. I also had relationships with a few executives at nonprofits whose program teams utilize Salesforce for performance measurement and were happy with it.
首先，在我们的案例中，距我们推出(失败的)数据系统只有18个月了。 因此，我回顾了先前团队对初始数据系统项目的供应商评估。 我了解到Salesforce紧随其后。 我们知道使用Salesforce可以实现我们想要的一切，但不确定可能发生什么。 我还与非营利组织的一些高管有关系，他们的计划团队利用Salesforce进行绩效评估，对此感到满意。
As I looked at my options, Salesforce represented the future of nonprofit performance measurement. It had an open API and would give us access to a broad pool of talent and contractors. We were in a great position to pioneer a true outcomes-focused data system, and I wanted security and stability. Salesforce fit the bill.
当我查看自己的选择时，Salesforce代表了非营利绩效评估的未来。 它具有开放的API，将使我们能够接触到广泛的人才和承包商。 我们非常有能力开拓真正的以结果为中心的数据系统，而我想要安全性和稳定性。 Salesforce符合要求。
Our next steps assumed we would move to a system built on Salesforce, and it was a matter of determining whether we would work with a partner to develop a custom solution for BGCP or utilize a “managed package” that would eliminate some of the risk with customization. If you’re wondering, what risk? Reach out me. (I was told by a veteran tech executive if a vendor said “customize” to me I should run in the opposite direction!).
接下来的步骤假设我们将转移到基于Salesforce的系统，这是确定我们是否要与合作伙伴合作开发BGCP的自定义解决方案或使用“托管软件包”来消除某些风险的问题。定制。 如果您想知道，会有什么风险？ 向我伸出援手。 (一位资深的技术主管告诉我，如果供应商对我说“定制”，我应该朝相反的方向前进！)
Salesforce is somewhat unique in that its employees do not design and configure the platform for your organization, instead you must hire an “implementation partner” to get Salesforce to meet your needs. There are MANY potential implementation partners. There are large firms with a long track record of working with nonprofits, as well as independent contractors and start-ups. Finding the right fit is critical to your success.
Salesforce的独特之处在于其员工无需为您的组织设计和配置平台，而是必须雇用“实施合作伙伴”来使Salesforce满足您的需求。 有许多潜在的实施合作伙伴。 有大型公司与非营利组织，独立承包商和初创公司有长期合作记录。 找到合适的服装对您的成功至关重要。
How do you find a great implementation partner? Ask for recommendations. When I asked around my network, I learned that there were a few nonprofits who recently hired implementation partners to help them get started with Salesforce. I was specifically looking for recommendations for the type of data system we were building — a performance measurement system that enabled us to connect our activities to our outcomes.
您如何找到出色的实施合作伙伴？ 寻求建议。 当我在网络中询问时，我发现最近有一些非营利组织雇用实施合作伙伴来帮助他们开始使用Salesforce。 我特别在寻找有关我们正在构建的数据系统类型的建议-一种性能衡量系统，该系统使我们能够将活动与结果联系起来。
These initial conversations to get recommendations helped in a few ways:
这些最初的对话以获取建议，在以下几个方面有所帮助：
Identified the strengths and limitations of Salesforce — the people I spoke with were not universally happy with Salesforce. I dug into what they were unhappy with and kept these issues in mind as we approached the design of our system.
确定了Salesforce的优势和局限性 -与我交谈的人普遍对Salesforce不满意。 在研究系统设计时，我挖掘了他们不满意的地方，并牢记这些问题。
Surfaced alternative approaches to outcome tracking in Salesforce — the biggest ah-hah! was that nonprofits were sometimes entering aggregated or summary outcomes data in Salesforce. Knowing this, we could make sure the implementation partners we interviewed knew that we were interested in a more client-centered approach.
在Salesforce中浮出水面的替代方法来进行结果跟踪 -最大啊！ 非营利组织有时会在Salesforce中输入汇总或汇总结果数据。 知道了这一点，我们可以确保采访的实施伙伴知道我们对以客户为中心的方法感兴趣。
Narrowed our list — there are so many options, and these conversations helped me narrow the list of potential implementation partners from 100 to 10.
缩小了我们的列表 -有太多的选择，这些对话帮助我将潜在的实施合作伙伴的范围从100个缩小到10个。
Once we started getting recommendations for implementation partners, I started making calls. I had an initial call (no demo) to get a sense of fit. Since Salesforce “out of the box” is designed for — wait for it…sales — making the system intuitive and effective for performance measurement does take some imagination and expertise. If a partner only had experience configuring Salesforce for fundraising or volunteer management, I knew not to pursue that relationship further.
一旦开始为实施合作伙伴获取建议，我便开始打电话。 我打了个电话(没有演示)以保持健康。 由于Salesforce的“开箱即用”功能是专为等待销售而设计的，因此使系统直观，有效地进行绩效评估确实需要一定的想象力和专业知识。 如果合作伙伴仅具有配置Salesforce进行筹款或志愿者管理的经验，那么我就不会进一步寻求这种关系。
Of the 10 calls I made to recommended implementation partners, 4 had potential. I had a follow-up call with each of the 4 candidates individually. During these calls, I communicated our Phase 1 priorities, and I shared our Product Specifications Document. We discussed who would be attend the demo; an internal task force of program and operation leaders to help evaluate our options.
在我与推荐的实施合作伙伴进行的10项通话中，有4项具有潜力。 我分别跟4位候选人分别进行了跟进。 在这些电话中，我传达了第一阶段的重点，并分享了产品规格文档。 我们讨论了谁将参加演示； 计划和运营负责人的内部工作组，以帮助评估我们的选择。
About a week or two later, we had 90-minute demo’s with potential partners.
大约一两个星期后，我们与潜在合作伙伴进行了90分钟的演示。
The demo’s were telling. We knew we had some out of the box ideas for how this new system would need to be used. For example, we needed to be able to take attendance through scanning ID cards, as well as marking students present for a class or club. We wanted to know how an organization had done it or would do it. One vendor was able to show us a barcode solution they had used for tracking bicycles. Great! Not exactly our use case, but they had experience with integrating scanning functionality. One potential partner ignored that requirement entirely during the demo. Did we hold it against them? Yes, actually we did.
演示者正在讲。 我们知道我们对于如何使用此新系统有一些开箱即用的想法。 例如，我们需要能够通过扫描身份证来出勤，并标记出就读班级或俱乐部的学生。 我们想知道组织是如何完成或将要完成的。 一家供应商向我们展示了他们用于跟踪自行车的条形码解决方案。 大！ 不完全是我们的用例，但是他们有集成扫描功能的经验。 潜在的合作伙伴在演示过程中完全忽略了该要求。 我们反对他们吗？ 是的，实际上我们做到了。
However, we did not expect potential partners to be perfect. In fact, providing feedback to potential partners after the demo, and seeing how they responded gave us as much information about their fit as the demo itself. In our case, Exponent Partners took our feedback and ended up recording a video of an enhanced solution. I liked what I saw and set up a second demo. What had been a lackluster first demo round, blew us all away the second time. It wasn’t just that they had more time to prepare a demo, either. The clincher was that they truly listened and responded to what we were asking of them.
但是，我们没想到潜在的合作伙伴会是完美的。 实际上，在演示之后向潜在合作伙伴提供反馈，并查看他们的响应方式，为我们提供了与演示本身一样的信息。 在我们的案例中，Exponent Partners获得了我们的反馈，并最终录制了增强型解决方案的视频。 我喜欢我所看到的内容，并设置了第二个演示。 最初的首轮演示乏善可陈，第二次让我们震惊。 也不仅仅是他们有更多时间准备演示。 最关键的是，他们真正听了并回答了我们对他们的要求。
So remember a few things as you select your partner:
因此，在选择伴侣时请记住以下几点：
- Ask your network for recommendations and use these conversations to better understand pros/cons of working with a platform or partner. 向您的网络咨询建议，并使用这些对话更好地了解与平台或合作伙伴合作的利弊。
- When it comes to your top priorities, ask a partner to show you how they have done it or would do it. Don’t take “it’s possible” for an answer. 当谈到您的头等大事时，请合作伙伴向您展示他们是如何做到的或将要做到的。 不要以“有可能”为答案。
- Prep partners so they understand your priorities ahead of the demo. Don’t be side-tracked by irrelevant fun or flashy features. 准备合作伙伴，以便他们在演示之前了解您的优先事项。 不要被无关紧要的乐趣或华而不实的功能所困扰。
- Keep your expectations high, yet be willing to give feedback so that a partner can put their best foot forward. After all, don’t expect someone to really understand what you, uniquely, need after a 30 minute call. 保持很高的期望，但愿意提供反馈，以便合作伙伴可以发挥最大的作用。 毕竟，不要指望有人在30分钟的通话后真正了解您的独特需求。
Follow these guidelines and you’ll be well on your way to designing a performance measurement system that meets your organization’s needs with a partner who will help you sleep (a little) better at night.
遵循这些准则，您将与合作伙伴一起设计满足您组织需求的绩效评估系统，这将帮助您在晚上睡得更好(多一点)。
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