Five questions to ask before adopting open technologies
Is your school ready for open technologies? Here are some questions that you should consider before diving in:
- Compatibility – Will your current software base run on the OS systems? Will you have to install additional adaptors to make it all work? Will the proposed OS applications produce files that can be read by other non-OS applications?
- Available applications that meet district needs – What are your most pressing needs? Have you identified particular OS applications that could meet these needs? Have you done due diligence and testing before committing to a full scale roll out?
- Hardware - Is the equipment you own up to snuff? Can you afford to dedicate these machines to the new software or do they need to stay multi-purpose?
- Quality support – Do you have staff that is able to install and support the OS systems or applications? Have you planned for redundant training so you will not be overly dependent on individuals who might move away? Have you identified early adopters on staff who can serve as mentors to assist with implementation?
- Leadership and change management discipline - Have you identified the key stakeholders that need to support your new solution? Will the proposed software be appealing to the users? How can you involve users in the adoption process?
