NCTech4Good

where tech meets social change

where tech meets social change

Testing Your Website for Accessibility

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Speaker: Don Shin – For many non-profits, inclusion is a core value – and yet many websites and web apps are developed without disabilities or impairments in mind. Learn the basics about the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standard, and some DIY methods for evaluating your current web content for accessibility and improving the user experience for everyone.

Don Shin
Don Shin is the founder of CrossComm, an award-winning mobile, web, and immersive app development studio headquartered in Durham, NC. Under Mr. Shin's leadership, the Durham, NC-based company has been recognized as one of the leading mobile app developers in the region by clutch.co, and has been nationally recognized as the the Minority Technology Firm of the Year (2015) by the US Dept. of Commerce. In 2018, Mr. Shin became a contributor to an open source cryptocurrency project; he is currently interested in exploring Augmented Reality and finding smart uses of blockchain for enterprise.

So You Have a Lot of Data, Now What?

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Speaker: Emily Patterson – Feeling overwhelmed by data? Between Facebook Insights, Google Analytics and email open rates, it’s easy to collect spreadsheets of digital stats. But using this data to shape your nonprofit’s communications strategy is a lot more difficult. This talk has must dos for all nonprofits who want to stop just tracking data and start turning it into insights.

In this talk, you will learn how to:

– Avoid vanity metrics and use stats to really measure your campaign performance
– Stop worrying about others and start setting your own baselines
– Practical tips for getting insights from your data from a professional analyst

Emily Patterson
Emily Patterson runs Bee Measure, a digital agency devoted to helping nonprofits use data to create more effective outreach and digital campaigns. Emily has worked her whole career in nonprofit technology, including at Public Broadcasting Service and Better Business Bureau. She founded Bee Measure in 2016 specifically to help organizations large and small better use data and do more with limited budgets. When she’s not getting nerdy at work, Emily enjoys the outdoors, reading and sampling the many breweries of Charlottesville, Virginia. Emily is also a PMI-certified Project Management Professional.

Web Accessibility for Everyone

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Many people think website accessibility is a “nice to have” feature when in reality it’s a “must have” feature. We’ll demystify the WCAG 2.1 guidelines and show how when you make websites accessible it benefits everyone. You’ll leave this session with new tools to add to your toolkit and be well on your way to being an accessibility ally!

Alisa Herr
Alisa is a multidisciplinarian who loves flexing her skills in strategy, data analysis, writing, empathy, design, and web development. She found her calling to lift up those who use their talents as a force for good and established Unity in 2016 to connect mission-driven technologists, designers, and strategists to the organizations who need them the most. A North Carolinian to the bone, Alisa was born and raised in the Triangle, has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Appalachian State University, a master’s degree in library and information science from UNC-Chapel Hill, and ardently defends her preference for Lexington style bbq. She is a mom, wife, public speaker, open source evangelist, and serves on the community board of AIGA Raleigh as the chair of the Women Lead Initiative.

Access for All…A Website Accessibility Primer for Nonprofits

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An accessible website has benefits for people of ALL abilities, but the concept can seem complex for non-web developers. In this session, we’ll cover the essentials: where web accessibility guidelines come from, what your organization stands to gain by having an accessible site and questions you should be asking your web developer. Additionally, we’ll give you tips on what you can do right now to improve your website and where to go for more information.

Cindy Leonard
Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management at RMU

Speaker Bio
Cindy Leonard is the Consulting Team Leader at the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management at Robert Morris University. She manages the consulting program and technology program, working with the consulting team to maximize client satisfaction and identify areas for growth. Her own consulting specialty is helping nonprofits leverage technology to meet their missions. In addition to technology assessments, planning and decision support, she specializes in website development on the WordPress platform. Cindy convenes monthly Bagels & Bytes meetups and organizes the annual TechNow conference. She holds a B.S. in computer science, an M.B.A. and a M.Ed. in instructional design technology, all from Seton Hill University.

Managing Freelancers Without Losing Your Mind

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Non-profits often need specialized skills that don’t exist within their staff. You may depend on freelancers such as designers, writers, photographers, and videographers to help with your website and other communication channels. Often these outside people aren’t managed very well, and projects can become an unpleasant challenge.

The key to great relationships with outside talent is shared understanding. This leads to better project outcomes and less stress throughout the process for all.

We’ll review research I’ve conducted with freelancers through interviews and surveys. In this session you will learn:

– Pet peeves of the various types of freelancers
– Key actions to take to improve the manager-freelancer relationship
– Kickoff and post-mortem processes to improve each project

As soon as you walk out of the session, you will have tools and ideas to better your relationships with freelancers and consultants. Get great help without losing your mind!

Melissa Eggleston

Speaker Bio
As a consultant on content strategy and user experience, Melissa Eggleston helps people and organizations create user-friendly digital experiences with memorable content. In 1997, she wrote her first online stories about soccer and broke all the rules we now know about writing for the web.

She has developed online content for all types of organizations – from businesses in San Francisco to non-profits in New York City. She provides UX research and strategy for the UX-Shop in Durham, NC. Melissa previously worked for Duke University and Bloomberg News.

NCTech4Good, an affiliate of NTEN and TechSoup’s NetSquared, is the local resource for nonprofit technology information. Join the sharing and networking at monthly meetings on the third Wednesday of the month, 6:30-8:30 p.m. usually at UNC-TV, and our annual conference, http://www.nct4g.org/. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @nctech4good, and with the hashtag #nct4g.