Organizations and it's age-characteristics

Disclaimer: This isn't a technology subject nor i am specialist in understanding both human and organizational behavior.

In January 2010, I was invited by my alumni CRY to celebrate it's completion of 30 years. While sitting there and meeting old colleagues, going through some old photographs and presentations - my mind went back and also intrigued by looking at presentation made there for every decade of what CRY has done. While the presentation refreshed memories - i was also looking at evolution of the organization through the stages of age-characteristics. Over the last 12-14 months where working with many ngo's/non-profits - i looked at their websites, talking to them, information provided by them, annual report etc - i found some patterns or manifestations in this sector. I have also found these patterns of evolutionary stages in the for-the-profit sector as well when i read newspaper/magazine articles or blogs or TV interviews or inter-acting with technology partners during my stint at CRY.


Give below is my collective experiences through some understanding in development jargon:


a. Survival and Protection - 1-15 years - where you will find typically the founders almost determine the course of action. High levels of energies, innovation/creativity at its peak, most of the people who come into the managerial level or founders are typically are generalists and/or loving mothers/father (more likely to find the word 'family'). Performance measurement through carrot and stick. Completely un-systematic, culture of 'WE', 'I' is bad word, poor infrastructure, people turnover is quite high. Collaboration with others are given as it's more of family. Information is not available in a documented fashion or with selected 'few' in their heads. Would likely to have at the end of 10-15 years- Mission and Vision written down.


b. Protection and Development- 16-30 years where you will find more structures and systems evolve; culture of group/committee, high levels of confusion - between old and new (i.e. 'WE' vs. ”I'), looking for specialist/professionals in their own field, questioning old belief's and thinking - thereby resulting in more debates, changing the course or evolution of strategies (at least short-term), questioning non-performance. (more likely to find the word 'organization', 'professionalism', 'strategy' in most of the dialogues). Collaboration with others are formal with more on relationships between Individuals. Information is available but in stand-alone. Founders/old guards take a back-seat - more in mentor's role or move out.


c. Development and Participation -31-45 year - Re-defining structures and systems, high levels of 'I' ness, new ways of thinking, collaboration with others are extremely formal (what is there for me), extreme specialization, People turnover may be lowest, little reverence to history, diversification, define strategic direction/vision (more likely to find the word 'performance, efficiency, bottom-line'), better infrastructure, high level of systems and structures. Mission and Vision will be re-written or enhanced. Information is moving towards integration.


For technologists - one critical aspect is to understand these evolutions and patterns before undertaking a project for creation or implementation.

Technology Projects and Organisation Culture

Over my years of experience in creating/implementing technology projects for non-profits, i was intrigued by both success and failure of technology projects in NGO's.

Initally I and my team was elated of the success of the projects and it's contribution to the organization innovation and growth. On the personal front comes recognition, promotions, salary raises etc. - i was also was very much disturbed when technology projects didn't take off as resources went waste in a shoe-stringed technology budgets of an NGO and also risking which is primarly donor's money.

Many of the technology projects (particularly software projects) don't take off across all sectors (not only in NGO's). Some statistics of various surveys conducted are there in this link.

Conclusion by IT Cortex
       Technology project is more likely to be unsuccessful than successful
       About 1 out 5 IT projects is likely to bring full satisfaction
       The larger the project the more likely the failure


Many attribute this failure to due to various reasons like Poor Project Management, (Didn't do pareto/water-fall analysis!) Vendor Selection, Technology selection, Scope etc. Don't appoint consultant (particuarly from another company or person who is engaging in developing software) to tell you where your software projects went wrong!

Though i partially agree to some of it mentioned above - i felt during my working experiences that culture of both individuals and organisations - also plays a major role with either success or failures.

I would look at people characteristics such as fairness, collaboration with others, enthusiasm for the job, trust from individuals and organisation characteristics such as risk-taking, information-sharing, compliance, team-work, meticulousness,innvoation at the market place.

If i look back of all my previous success and failures on the above characteristics mentioned, following are some pointers:

High level of only organisation characteristics leads to
More of top-down/autocratic decision making style leads little contribution from individuals or groups. Success/failure rate are high, but information and success/failure are with 'few' individuals. Typical technology projects will be of what's the pressing needs - mostly operations which are tedious and time consuming are implemented, so there could be high level of success rates. Most of the projects will be on time and tested platforms and softwares. Technology projects are owned by functional people or few individuals in IT.

High level of only people characteristics leads to
Participation from individuals are high. Most of the time - technology projects are on a committee basis - typical technology projects involves from cross-functional teams, expert consultants looks at integration aspects between systems. Long projects duration for creation or implementation, Technology transition is invitable. Ownership is neither with technology or functional team! - If there is no considerable organisation characteristics - then the projects will remain only on paper or success/failture will be 50:50.

High Level of characteristics from people as well organisation leads to
Ideally, the project will be co-owned by both function and IT where high levels of maturity would be seen. Maturity on both functional and technology design will be seen. There will be functional and technology champions. Both success and failures will be shared jointly. Some of the characteristics of both people and organisation will manifest are:
    People Characteristic - Inter-dependence and Trust
    Organisation Characteristic - Team-orientation, flexibility, documenting information flow

What could be attributes of software failures in terms of culture?
     People Characteristic - Indepedent and mis-trust
     Organisation Characteristic - Lack of Co-hesion, information which is closely held and lack of risk-taking

If you have created/implemented technology projects in an NGO and experienced it - could you share what are the learnings from both - success and failures of technology projects?