In the same way that organisations recognise the need to manage their premises, accounting and other office equipment, it is essential that managing ICT is recognised as fundamental to the development of the organisation.

Understanding how to manage ICT is key for organisations of all sizes undertaking a number of different roles. Organisations may use ICT to carry out increasingly complex functions which may include complicated software solutions and hardware set-up.

Increasingly, ICT is vital in the work of organisations so an understanding of how to manage this important and potentially expensive resource needs to be developed. It is essential for organisations to focus on what they want to gain using their ICT and then put in place systems to help them achieve this.

Your organisations goals must come first. Careful management of ICT will not only help organisations meet their aims and objectives, it will also prevent organisations making possibly expensive mistakes. A good starting point for thinking about this issue is the Knowledgebase article Why be concerned about Managing ICT.

Policies and legal issues

Policies and best practice for effective use of ICT in your organisation will help your organisation get the most out of its ICT. There are also legal issues associated with ICT that organisations should be aware of.

• Building Blocks of an IT Policy - explains briefly the elements and principles which should underpin all decisions on IT
• ICT Acceptable Use Policies-explains why policies are  needed, what they should contain and how they can be implemented
• The Internet can be a very useful tool. Having an Internet Use Policy will help with setting boundaries to enable staff and volunteers to use email, the web and other online tools responsibly
• Even in the very smallest organisations staff and volunteers need to know what systems are in place. Having an ICT Induction Manual can help with this.
• ICT is a fantastic tool however there are some risks and legal requirements associated with using it. The article ICT Risk Assessment outlines some of these and will help you identify and manage risks appropriately. There is further information in the Knowledgebase section Legal Issues.