Google Workspace (GWS) is a powerful tool generously provided for free to nonprofits by Google. This is the anticipate strategy for using GWS to support SAPAA’s program efforts.

Concepts and SAPAA Priorities

Let’s start with a conceptual model which tries to answer the question, ‘What do Nonprofits or Clubs Do Exactly?‘. As the above model suggests, there are Six Functions with the Seventh, Integration, pulling them together. At the top is the big hexagon, program management. For SAPAA, this Function is defined by the approved 2025 strategic priorities as presented in SAPAA Newsletter No. 52, November 2024.

To help SAPAA manage these functions and execute on the Priorities, GWS will be used as a platform. This post describes the usage. Check back in a year to determine how reality compares to good intentions for 2025!

1. Concepts and SAPAA Priorities
2. Four C’ing How to Run SAPAA
3. Communications and Content Management
   1. Specific SAPAA Comm and Coor Practicalities
4. Volunteer and Member Management
5. Program Management
   1. Site Inspection
   2. GIS Management
6. External Systems
7. Integration and Managing the Beast

Four C’ing How to Run SAPAA

Organizations run on the “Four C’s”: Communication, Coordination, Command, and Control. There are three principles involved with the Four C’s:

1. The first is that the more you do of the first two, the less you need the last two.
2. Using the last two degrades the first two using the principle of diminishing returns.
3. Volunteers love the first two and will barely tolerate the last two before leaving.

In other words, SAPAA Board must create process, systems, and cultures to promote communication and coordination. Command and Control are still important, for example:

• The SAPAA Board ‘Controls’ the site inspection process and the resulting data.
• SAPAA ‘Commands’ that it is NOT asking its members to volunteer to visit sites (due to OHS risks).

Business management concepts aside, let’s look at the Six Functions (some in pairs of functions).

Communications and Content Management

SAPAA is small enough that these two functions can be merged for 2025. The role GWS will play in these two functions is as follows:

• Communications
  • SAPAA email communications will use @sapaastewards.com email addresses.
  • Allocation of the emails is per the Email Policy & Procedure.
  • Initially, all SAPAA Board Members will receive a ‘role based’ email
  • They can also set up ‘aliases’ (e.g. president@ and phrank.p@ represent a role email and an alias).
  • All SAPAA members may be issued with an @sapaastewards.com email; this will facilitate content management and access to other resources supporting program management etc.
• Content Management
  • All SAPAA digital content, save for the website, will be saved to one or more directories on GWS.
  • These directories are managed by the GWS – File Management policy.
  • Board members will have access to all resources.
  • Paid members and invited guests will have
    • Read access to all resources save for restricted areas.
    • A small personal ‘Mydrive’ allocation.
    • Access to program resources (described below).
  • Invited guests may be given further access for defined periods (e.g. a reporter investigating a story).

Specific SAPAA Comm and Coor Practicalities

• The Website is used for public facing communication of SAPAA, WAERNAHR areas, and activities.
• GWS is used to manage projects, activities, and store content of a transitory or enduring nature.
• Google Calendar and Meets is the meeting and webinar tool of choice.
• Emails should only be sent from SAPAA accounts.
• Only SAPAA emails can be listed on business cards and other external communications.

Volunteer and Member Management

To facilitate the above access, member and volunteer information will be stored per the GWS – File Management policy. For example, a Google Sheet will be the master list of members (and will also meet a Corporate Registry requirement to have such a list available for inspection).

The above list(s) will determine who has access to what SAPAA content including the Website. Training will be provided but there is a minimum cost to Volunteer and Members to use these resources:

1. Access to a computer or device including smart phones.
2. Chrome browser installed on the above device.
3. Willingness to learn and use resources to understand basic computer functions.

Program Management

Central to the 2024 Program Year was the site inspection report as well as a few ad hoc webinars/web meetings. In 2025, this will accelerate and become more formalized. The following is envisioned for this year:

Site Inspection

• A Website based form will be available for the most casual of contributors, however, this is not the preferred method of completing such reports.
• Advanced Users will have access to a central data system in which they can directly enter the site reports into the database.
  • Such users must prove themselves in advance to be trustworthy, computer-literate, and content experts.
  • Advanced users can amend their contributions in the ‘system of record’.
• Other Users will have access to a ‘staging’ directory in which they can enter their site inspections in a temporary ‘container’ and flag them for amalgamation to the central data system.
  • Until amalgamated, users are free to edit and update their reports but must request a ‘data fix’ after amalgamated in the central data system.
  • The staging directory is created as part of the GWS user provisioning process.
• Photos, videos, and other media files will follow a similar process to the above unless managed by an external system.

GIS Management

The existing map on the SAPAA website will be moved into SAPAA’s systems. The exact means to be determined. Once this is done, secondary maps and data sets may be created, for example:

• (Un)Visited Protected Areas over a defined time period (e.g. a rolling 3-year window).
• Best/Worst Areas based on site inspections.
• Most (Un)Wanted to Be Visited Sites

External Systems

• SAPAA primarily uses GWS and its website to manage its administrative and program functions, however…
• SAPAA indirectly consumes data and functionality from third party systems, for example:
  • Tracking application (e.g. Alltrails) or a GPS device generates a GPX or KML file which is uploaded to SAPAA and displayed on a map.
  • Species of note are recorded in iNaturalist or eBird.
• Sharing agreements, technical documents, API or user documentation may be generated and/or stored in GWS.

Integration and Managing the Beast

Technology is a productivity enabler and requires increasingly sophisticated users and operators to keep the ‘Beast’ running. For 2025, Phrank P. will be the system administrator and will evaluate how best to sustain operations in the future.

By using GWS as an underlying platform, integration comes (almost) free. For example, there

To keep Phrank sane, the following principles will be used in selecting technology:

• Learn, Learn, and Learn: Members are responsible to read and learn how to use the technology.
• Proof of Concept and Good Enough: It may not be pretty or perfect, but it should work.
• Vanilla Flavour: Vanilla means no bells, whistles or extraneous features – at least initially.