Case Study
Client Challenge
Cassandra Halyshyn joined National Senior Campuses, Inc. (NCS) only three months ago. Hired as an administrator to support the board of the organization recently named by Leading Age and Ziegler as the largest nonprofit in the senior living provider industry, Cassandra knew she’d have much to learn, especially following the individual responsible for implementing BoardEffect.
In studying the workrooms of sixteen different communities supported by NCS, along with seven Advisory committees, three regional boards, and a board-only workroom, she quickly recognized that the “design” of workflow and information management had evolved organically throughout the platform, reflecting users’ initial learning processes as well as some lingering discomfort. Charged with creating a more unified platform to streamline and centralize information for an exceptionally complex organization (with software she hadn’t previously used), she needed a place to start.
The BoardEffect Solution
Rather than rush to conformity in using the tool, Cassandra resolved to leverage her still outside perspective in evaluating how BoardEffect was being used. She found each workroom had developed its own system for organizing information without strategic naming and archiving conventions that would promote efficiency. To foster best practice utilization of the tool, Cassandra designed naming conventions for all files, across workrooms and work groups. She also relocated files, re-organized workrooms, and re-imagined workflow while creating conventions for distributing administrative permissions throughout the platform.
The Impact
Cassandra knew the key to increasing use of the platform was in boosting its appeal. “It’s an amazing tool and must be treated that way,” she explained. She updates the landing page, for instance, at least once or twice per week to keep it “current, interesting, and fun.” Despite the reluctance some board members had demonstrated a few months prior, log-ins have increased significantly over the past few months. Cassandra uses news, links to articles, and other tempting tidbits to invite board members in to the platform. As a result, 95% answered the first survey they ever received almost immediately.
Tips
Cassandra offers this guidance to administrators (especially those who inherited responsibility for their platforms from someone else) for using BoardEffect most effectively:
- “Look at it from the outside in.” Cassandra encourages new administrators to leverage their outside perspective. “Make sure your
platform is organized logically and appeals to you before you work to engage your board members.”.
- Infuse the platform with personality. “Tempting users with the right information makes them unable to resist logging in. Make
it both informative and fun…while keeping it organized properly.”
- Keep yourself engaged. Spend time playing around in the platform and watch webinars to learn new uses and functions. As
a brand new administrator, Cassandra attended the BoardEffect user conference simply to surround herself with other
administrators who could share tips, ideas, and enthusiasm.
