[NCSG-EC] CiviCRM

[Tapani Tarvainen]

On Mon, Feb 06, 2023 at 08:41:33PM +0100, Johan Helsingius via NCSG-EC (ncsg-ec at lists.ncsg.is) wrote:

> I think we need to look at moving away from CiviCRM.

Either move away from it or fix it. I'm not sure which would
be easier.

> Even a shared document/spreadsheet would probably do, as long as we
> have a web page for submitting applications.

I'm not fond of that idea. Sure, it could be done, just have the web page
email the applications to Andrea and have her update the spreadsheet.

But I've been involved in quite a few organizations doing that and
sooner or later they've all found it too laborious and lacking in
necessary features as soon as they've grown up beyond a dozen or so
members or when their secretary changes. Often after having found that
their spreadsheet or whatever had rotted away to such an extent they
no longer knew who their members were. I've even built member
databases for various organizations (including NCUC way back when it
had its own) and I still manage a couple, so I have an idea what it
entails.

Of course, CiviCRM with the configuration we have now, is not only
difficult to use but broken.

But I fear a too simple solution could be worse.

NCSG membership is organized in rather complex fashion, with
constituencies and both individual and organizational members with
multiple representatives and processes for maintaining good standing
and managing elections.

I would hate to manage it with a spreadsheet.

Looking back to NCSG history, I'l just note there were reasons why a
database-based membership management system was desired.

As you note:

> Unfortunately the current CiviCRM database is also being used to do
> the membership check-in for elections.

Yes. It is also used to generate the membership listings on the
websites of NCUC and NPOC. If we just abandon it, their websites
will break. Of course Andrea could be asked to update them
manually every time but...

Anyway, as I see it the only critical problem in our CiviCRM now is
the EC members' application approval interface. Perhaps fixing it
would be easier than finding and migrating to a completely new system?

Otherwise, we could try to work out a list of features we need
and find alternate solutions.

-- 
Tapani Tarvainen