View source for Feature-driven vs value-driven development: Why funders and RFPs are sucking the value out of your project

Notes for the Values-driven project:

Reframe conversation about technology to values.

Share why session is cool: 

Why RFPS and funding models are sucking the value of of your project
Because my grant said so is not an acceptable model to why we need this? in nonprofit website building

Nonprofit funder driven development is at odds with the way i want to build technology.
Also, How to structure your project and relationships to include assessment and value in the work.

Framing: What can we as tech builders, social change agents, and funders do to make sure this happening? 

What is value?
How do you talk about it?
Hear stories about value.

1. Let tech do a job.
2. Put values before features.
3. Assume things will change - in the website and in the relationship.

what is value?

improve something you already know is valuable
increases efficiency
value is an agreement between people
value in terms of nonprofits is advancing your mission
helping achieve a goal
something that has an impact
something that brings you closer to your organizations mission and the outcomes that you are looking for
meets a need
help you understand a problem better
something that makes sense for your people
value should be defined by the people that need it most
value - what you get for your money
value is a principle, like a touchstone to refer back too

Value is generated by people, generate by the user. 

Anyone had a project that had a lot of value?

- Story: Tried to bring more value to the organization to help them with their software solutions. We are trying to bring   value into organization.

- An engagement strategy: Show up in someone else stomping grounds.

- Spending a year making civic projects - We learned that some things that are valuable are reusable. Value can create a   propogation of your   message. 

- Are projects that are funded really useful? They just want me to do it. 

- An example of value: Working with person directly on top added a lot of value. The ED was clear. The ED did not communicate   any restraints based on funding and the goals for the project were clear.

- Internal stakeholders: Struggle with relationship between developers, funders, users, consultants. 

- Coming back to value hypothesis throughout the entire project.  How does every feature come back to the mission? 

- Helping people recognize their capacity in tech, especially nonprofits. 

- Has anyone ever written agile in grants?

How can we change this?

Natural rub between funders and nonprofit fundings. We have the power as tech people to slow things down. 

Away from funders and more toward grassroots funding.

Measuring impact --> Actually reflect value.

Convince funders to go at a slower pace and that can really help.

A lot of this falls on the nonprofit's back to show value to a project.

Wrap this up: Report Back.

Bullet points-

- Successful project is where people are committed to a relationship.

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