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Bottom Line: Databases Are Hard

Effectively using any database in any organization is a long story. 

There are many steps an organization must follow just to prepare to use a database. I believe the easiest step in the entire process is installing the database, and in many ways it is one of the reatively least important steps.

A database will only be effective if an organization is ready to work hard on building an environment where a database can grow and thrive. Populating, maintaining, and using a database takes time, patience, and especially active monitoring and evaluation.

A key, secret ingredient to the process is: an organization's ability to change how they work. Adding a database to an organization usually means changes for an organization -- changes that must be institutionalized. It also means new, extra work for some people.

OK, Why Suffer All This Pain?

Databases have the potential of freeing our data so that it can grow into beautiful, helpful information. Information that can help satisfy donors, find inefficiencies, create new questions, and answer old ones.

A High-Level Process

The diagram below shows some of the steps an organization must go through to institutionalize a new database.
Created By: Wire Car On: Thu, Aug 18, 2011 04:53 AM

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Wire Car August 18, 2011 5:20 am
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Wire Car August 18, 2011 5:29 am
Wire Car has a database in the clouds that is helping NGOs around the world meet their reporting requirements. Please feel at home to visit our webpage. If you are interested, we can even create a test account for you.
Our database service is offered free to small NGOs. Larger NGOs must pay a small, yearly subscription fee.

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