Returning Warriors Organization

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Returning Warriors Organization (RWO) is a rapidly-growing association in Washington, DC. Last year, Vietnam veteran William Jones has held the CEO role of the organization which has more than doubled in membership. It now has over 3,000 members and has added Cassandra Jenkins as Director. Prior to the rapid growth, most of RWO’s records have been in paper format. However, the organization’s business manager, Regina Collins, has emphasized the need for a computerized system to help meet its information needs and to manage activities.

In addition to Ms. Collins, the organization employs a part-time administrative assistant, Martha Reynolds. Martha performs clerical duties such as filing, recordkeeping, answering phone calls, and producing the monthly newsletter to members using Word on a Windows personal computer. Shawn Johnson is a Desert Storm veteran who performs maintenance activities part-time in the evenings. Robert Duncan serves in a part-time paid marketing coordinator position, overseeing 25 volunteers who meet every Tuesday to prepare contribution letters to send to the membership.

The main concern of the RWO is with registering new members. When a prospective member wants to join, Mr. Jones, Ms. Jenkins or Ms. Collins speaks on the phone or in person with that person to establish rapport. Then, the person is mailed pre-numbered envelopes for use in regular contributions to the RWO. Most contributions are made to the RWO using these envelopes, although about 15% of each collection comes from cash and checks from non-member contributors. Additionally, RWO has a capital improvement campaign to purchase a building (and stop leasing) for the organization. Contributions to this fund are collected at fundraising campaigns held once per month. The cost of acquiring the property, paving it, and making it ready for use is $500,000.

RWO obtained a bank loan to finance this project, and makes monthly payments from the funds received at its fundraisers. As contributions are made, the remaining balance is reduced. Since RWO is recognized as a 501(c)3, non-profit organization, all contributions are tax-deductible. In January, RWO sends out a summary report of all contributions made using envelopes during the previous year for income tax purposes. RWO must also keep records of all its fundraising campaigns.

Mr. Jones and Ms. Jenkins have hired your small consulting firm to analyze their current systems and develop a feasible information system solution to support revenue management and record-keeping requirements. The project has a six-month timeline for analysis, design, and proposal development.

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Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

This report presents an initial analysis phase for developing an information system for the Returning Warriors Organization (RWO). It addresses the organization’s current challenges, opportunities for improvement, and defines objectives for a new computerized system to enhance operational efficiency and record management. The analysis involves identifying core problems in the current manual processes, exploring how a digital solution could optimize member registration, contributions, and fundraising campaign tracking, and recommending appropriate data collection methods and development methodologies.

Current Problems and Organizational Opportunities

The RWO currently relies heavily on paper-based records, which pose significant operational challenges, such as data inaccuracies, difficulty retrieving historical information, and inefficient processing of contributions and membership data. Tracking contributions, especially those from non-members, and managing diverse fundraising efforts are cumbersome, leading to potential errors and delays. The manual process hampers effective communication and timely reporting of contributions for tax and organizational purposes.

Opportunities for improvement include digitizing membership registration and contribution tracking, automating the generation of contribution receipts and campaign reports, and establishing a centralized data repository. These technological enhancements would enable real-time data access, improve accuracy, streamline communication, and support the organization’s growth and capital campaign initiatives.

The objectives for the proposed system are to automate member registration, facilitate efficient contribution processing, consolidate fundraising campaign records, provide accurate reporting for taxes and organizational analysis, and improve overall communication with members and contributors.

Enhancement of Efficiency and Effectiveness

Implementing a computerized information system will significantly improve RWO’s operational efficiency. Automating registration and contribution records reduces manual data entry errors and accelerates processing times. A centralized database allows instant retrieval of member and contribution information, enabling prompt reports and analysis. Digital records facilitate better tracking of fundraising campaigns, thereby supporting strategic planning for campaigns like the building purchase.

Enhanced efficiency also improves organizational effectiveness by providing reliable data for decision-making, improving communication with members via automated updates, and reducing administrative overhead. This enables staff and volunteers to concentrate on strategic activities like member engagement and campaign development rather than clerical tasks. Additionally, the system can generate detailed reports, such as tax summaries and contribution histories, ensuring compliance and transparency—vital attributes for a non-profit organization.

Data Collection Methods

Effective data collection is foundational for designing a suitable information system. The best methods for data collection include interviews, observation, and surveys, each offering unique advantages.

Interviews are particularly beneficial for understanding detailed processes, business rules, and user needs, especially when discussing complex volunteer and membership activities. For instance, interviews with Ms. Collins (business manager) will clarify existing workflows and data requirements, enabling the identification of system functionalities that support current and future activities.

Observation allows direct monitoring of ongoing processes such as contribution collections and volunteer workflows, providing real-time insights into operational bottlenecks and user interactions with manual processes. This method helps detect inefficiencies and areas where automation will be most beneficial.

Surveys serve to gather broad input from members and volunteers regarding their experiences, preferences for communication, and reporting needs. They are valuable for assessing user satisfaction and expectations from the new system.

Among these, interviews are prioritized because they facilitate detailed understanding of specific processes and data needs critical for system design.

Sample Interview Questions

To gather relevant information, the following six questions are recommended:

Process-Related Questions

1. Can you describe the current process of registering new members and the steps involved?

2. How are contributions currently recorded, tracked, and reported for both members and non-members?

Data-Related Questions

3. What specific data fields are needed to manage member records effectively?

4. How do you currently document and verify contributions received via envelopes or other means?

General Information

5. What reports do you generate regularly from existing data (e.g., contribution summaries, campaign reports), and what are their typical formats?

6. What challenges do you face in maintaining accurate records and generating timely reports with the current manual system?

Development Process Recommendations

Selecting an appropriate development methodology is essential for the success of the project. The options include:

- Prototyping: Suitable if the client requires rapid visual feedback on system features, but less ideal for complex, integrated solutions.

- Agile: Offers flexibility, iterative development, and stakeholder collaboration—beneficial given evolving organizational needs.

- System Development Life Cycle (SDLC): A structured approach with defined phases (analysis, design, implementation, maintenance), ideal for comprehensive, scalable solutions needing rigorous documentation.

Considering RWO’s needs for a systematic, transparent, and scalable system with room for iterative enhancements, the Agile methodology is most appropriate. It allows incremental development aligned with user feedback, reduces risks of misaligned features, and accommodates the organization’s growth aspirations.

Conclusion

The analysis indicates that transitioning RWO from manual to digital record-keeping will markedly improve operational efficiency, data accuracy, and reporting capabilities. A carefully planned implementation following Agile practices, coupled with thorough data collection through interviews and observation, will ensure the new system meets organizational needs and supports strategic growth objectives. Proper planning and stakeholder involvement are essential to develop a robust solution that enhances the nonprofit’s capacity to manage member information, contributions, and fundraising campaigns effectively.

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