About OMB Watch

"Don’t get
caught up
in not
leaving
people
behind
[technologically]
to the
point that
you don’t
develop the
technology
and, then,
everyone is
left out."
These concerns were reflected in the interviews and comments. Questions
asking for other barriers to technology use elicited an outpouring of
responses. Several organizations raised issues of “accessibility to everyone
including people with varying disabilities” and “activists who don’t speak
much English.”
Most comments on this topic (beyond those items mentioned in the survey)
fell into several categories, listed below in order of frequency:
❐ Lack of added utility, need, and perceived value of technology
❐ Lack of staff
❐ Lack of technology among members and constitu ency
❐ Information Overload
❐ Other Concerns (lack of space, system incompatibility, varying skill
of staff)
When the barriers to technology were separated by frequency of e-mail
use, a different dynamic became apparent. Training, education, and technical
suport emerged as the overall most important factors to engage both
those who use e-mail regularly and those who do not use e-mail. Money
and access to new equipment play a more significant role in engaging
those who do not use e-mail at all. Time seems to be a more significant
concern of those who have e-mail access but do not use it daily.
"We eventually
hope to use e-
mail, but
currently don’t
because of
system problems
and
incompetent
systems
personnel.
There are also
issues with
money and a
general fear of
change within
the organization.
... A lot of
(our) affiliates
barely have
money for
phones."
Barriers to Technology by E-Mail Usage
Percentage of respondents indicating each barrier based on frequency of email use.
Barrier
Percentage
of Daily
Email Use
(N = 265)
Percentage
of Weekly
or Periodic
Email Use
(N = 136)
Percentage
of Never
Use/
No Access
to Email
(N = 139)
Difference
between
Irreg. &
Daily Use
Difference
between
No & Daily
Use
Lack of training 33% 51% 50% +18 +17
Technophobia 8% 18% 32% +10 +24
Lack of technical support 29% 42% 43% +13 +14
Lack of money 51% 55% 72% +4 +21
Inadequate outmoded 38% 43% 50% +5 +12
equipment
Lack of organizational 8% 18% 14% +10 +6
commitment
Perception that it would
be too burdensome to 8% 18% 14% +10 +6
change or add systems of
communication
Lack of time 40% 53% 40% +13 0
Staff turnover 3% 3% 9% 0 +6
Lack of success finding 10% 15% 8% +5 -2
useful information
Lack of interest 13% 14% 6% +1 -7
OMB Watch — May 1997
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