Using Technology to Enrich Governance—What's Possible Now and What's Coming

• Published date: 01 July 2017
• Author: Ray Tooley
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/bl.30082
• Date: 01 July 2017

6 BOARD LEADERSHIP

Using Technology to Enrich

Governance—What’s

Possible Now and What’s

Coming

By Ray Tooley

You will have noticed the growing number of applications that aim to help boards

streamline their work. In this two-part article, Ray Tooley, CEO of OurBoardroom

Technologies, helps us navigate the waters using his recent review of what’s

available. In the next issue of Board Leadership, he will complete this review and

look ahead to the radical advances coming our way.

Human beinGs are tool-using crea-

tures, so much so that, at one time,

we thought we were the only species to

use them. Since 1960, when Jane Good-

all observed chimpanzees using a blade

of grass as a tool to “fish” for termites,

we have come to know that many mam-

mals, cetaceans, birds, reptiles, and

even insects use tools. We also know

that elephants and other primates can

actually manufacture tools that help in

their survival.

Humans, however, have outdone

themselves. We can live and travel

almost anywhere we want (including

plans for Mars). We don’t fear preda-

tors (other than each other) and essen-

tially have the means to feed ourselves

(if we could only focus more on includ-

ing everyone). We are healthier than

ever. With the invention of comput-

ers and the means to connect them,

we can communicate with each other

no matter where we are and have an

incredible ability to store, access, and

share knowledge.

The tools we use today rely on

technology to extend and enhance

their usefulness. This two-part article

will look at what tools and technology

are available for boards today and will

boldly predict what’s coming in the

future. It will pose some questions

that may be difficult to answer but are

important for the kind of new world

we will live in.

Wikipedia defines “technology” as

the “science of craft” (from the Greek

techne, “art, skill, cunning of hand,”

and the suffix logia): the collection of

techniques, skills, methods, and pro-

cesses used for the accomplishment of

objectives.

Why should we apply the “science

of craft” to governance? The bottom

line is that society will be better off

with successful organizations. By max-

imizing the productivity of boards, we

maximize organizational performance.

The right tools can deliver the ben-

efits of:

•sustainability—growth from a solid

foundation;

•optimized human contribution—

extracting everything we can from

the skills, experience, and wisdom

of people;

•decisions that are evidence-

based—for informed judgment;

•role clarity—assigned and

accepted accountability;

•time management—no time

wasted;

•comprehensive—nothing

overlooked by the board or staff;

•history—informs the future when

easily accessible; and

•cost reduction—do more for less.

To help understand what’s available

for boards today and what’s coming

in the very near future, I have defined

three classes of tools or applications of

technology. Class I contains the large

multitude of programs and websites

that are available today from multiple

vendors, all delivered over the Internet.

We will look at their common feature

set and pricing. Class II applications set

a new standard of tool use and enhance

the performance of the art and science

of governing itself. Only one vendor

currently provides this functionality, but

I predict Class I tools will migrate to

Class II over the next few years or risk

obsolescence. Class III applications are

currently not available but represent a

revolution that’s about to happen much

sooner than we think.

What’s Available Today—

Class I Applications

Class I tools can essentially be

described as delivering secure, consis-

tent, and accessible document manage-

ment. Information is usually accessed

through a standard browser. All docu-

mentation is available in a familiar loca-

tion for immediate viewing and future

reference. This organization of data

not only represents a significant step

up from the physical delivery of “board

packages” via paper and courier, but

is also a step above the electronic dis-

tribution of board documentation via

email. Board and staff no longer have

to reinvent local storage and retrieval

systems on their own personal comput-

ers. A PC is used as a “portal” to access

documents that have been posted and

can be accessed wherever users are

located from most available computers.

Boards also need task management

and calendar functions, and these are

included in Class I apps.

In addition, Class I vendors have a

wide range of variations of the basic

features of basic document upload/

download, task, and calendar func-

tionality. They use these differences to

justify their uniqueness in the market in

the hopes of convincing boards to pur-

chase their product. A good strategy in