Since 1990, both Charity Finance and the worldwide web have delivered great benefits, says John Tate.

So, 200 issues of Charity Finance. It’s an impressive achievement.

Around the time the first issue of Charity Finance appeared something else significant happened – the worldwide web was created.

These were two noteworthy events. One resulted in the collection and distribution of huge amounts of essential information that has improved the life of every charity finance professional for more than 20 years.

The other – the creation of the web – also deserves some attention.

Perfect timing then for Nominet Trust to announce last month a list of the 100 most inspiring applications of digital technology for social good.

From fighting human trafficking with data, to harnessing the power of the ‘crowd’ to beat cancer, this list gives some inspiring examples of the way web-based technology can be used to tackle the world’s biggest social problems.

What the web has brought

The web has been referred to by some as the ‘quiet revolution’. It has certainly radically changed the way we do business and live our personal lives.

But these developments have crept up on many of us, and much is now taken for granted.

Finance professionals need to look for opportunities to improve the way their charity operates. However, they also need to keep a keen eye on the risks associated with any change programme.

So let us remind ourselves of some of the key developments resulting from the creation of the web:

• Changed ways of communicating 

The web has changed the way we communicate. Initially via email; then blogs, chat and messaging, video conferencing and now voice over IP. While much of this is good, these changes can reduce the face-to-face contact people have with each other.

Email, and other forms of messaging, also have the capacity to constantly interrupt what we are doing. This needs to be understood and managed.

• Access to information

The web has opened up access to vast amounts of information. Daily newspapers from any country in the world, journals, books, Wikipedia, consumer and business reviews of suppliers’ services and products, and online education are all now easily available to everyone.

Again, if used well, this can hugely improve our effectiveness at work. However, the negative side of this needs to be assessed. For example, IT security and the processes required to manage confidential information are often poorly implemented. With so much data now being held on computers, leaks and the hacking of information can cause great harm.

• Access to entertainment

The web is now a major source of entertainment. Music and video can be downloaded and played at the click of a few buttons; games can be played on your own, or with people from every corner of the world; and new television and radio stations are appearing online on a daily basis.

There are many issues to consider here. Not least, the desirability and management of using the web for entertainment in the workplace.

• A vehicle for ecommerce

Finally, the web acts as a vehicle for ecommerce. Goods can be purchased online; donations can be processed; people can sell products and services without a shop-front; and accounting systems can send and receive documents electronically.

Proceed with care

No-one would argue that significant benefits can be realised from ecommerce technology. However, we need to remind ourselves that IT projects are fraught with challenges and unfortunately, at times, we don’t seem much better at implementing change than 20 years ago when Charity Finance was first published.

The Financial Times recently asserted that there is a “dismal track record of the implementation of large-scale information technology initiatives, even in rigorous and focused corporate environments. Unexpected obstacles always arise, deadlines are often missed and budgets usually over-run.”

So let us embrace the great things technology can do for us – but take great care in implementing any change to make sure it really does deliver success.

John Tate is a business consultant, IT adviser to CFG and a visiting lecturer at Cass Business School.