--- title: "Technology Project Challenges: Where’s the Breakdown Happening?" id: "35187" type: "post" slug: "technology-project-challenges-wheres-the-breakdown-happening" published_at: "2016-09-30T22:03:03+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T17:35:36+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2016/09/30/technology-project-challenges-wheres-the-breakdown-happening/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2016/09/30/technology-project-challenges-wheres-the-breakdown-happening.md" excerpt: "The issues that can cause your association's technology project to lose steam. Also: Trying to engage a new member? Stay on the ball." taxonomy_category: - "Organizational Strategy" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Change Management" - "Project Management" - "Risk Analysis" - "Technology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Executive Team" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Technology Project Challenges: Where’s the Breakdown Happening? When taking on a tech initiative, you’re dealing with a lot of moving parts, and they can often cause the project to veer off course. In a two-part series on the DelCor blog, the company’s president, David Coriale, [breaks down (opens in a new tab)](http://www.delcor.com/resources/blog/7-reasons-why-it-projects-fail-part-1) seven [different issues (opens in a new tab)](http://www.delcor.com/resources/blog/7-reasons-why-it-projects-fail-part-2) that can arise with big, hulking IT projects—and poor communication is only one of them. Perhaps the most interesting one is user disengagement, [which Coriale says (opens in a new tab)](http://www.delcor.com/resources/blog/7-reasons-why-it-projects-fail-part-2) is often caused by a lack of information about the purpose of the project or its benefits, or by a lack of resources, such as time or leadership. “Staff may not fully cooperate if they don’t see the need for change. You have to listen to concerns, ask questions, and understand why they’re resisting change,” Coriale writes. “When fear, anxiety, and ego are involved, you need communication and, especially, empathy.” Ultimately, associations need to be ready for the possibility that things may go off the rails. “Take the time at the start of a project to understand what can go wrong—do the necessary risk analysis,” Coriale writes. Check out [part one (opens in a new tab)](http://www.delcor.com/resources/blog/7-reasons-why-it-projects-fail-part-1) and [part two (opens in a new tab)](http://www.delcor.com/resources/blog/7-reasons-why-it-projects-fail-part-2) for more issues to keep an eye on. (He covers a lot of stuff!) ### Create the Habit **Your member onboarding strategy** is a key part of what turns a new member into an engaged one. How do you keep them on the hook? A blog post over at MemberMan’s website [offers suggestions (opens in a new tab)](https://www.memberman.com/blog/5-ways-to-create-an-awesome-new-member-onboarding-sequence/) to get the relationship up and running. A pithy tip: “The main thing is to not drop the ball.” ### Other Links of Note **Guess who’s revamping their content strategy?** Google. The company [launched a new blog platform (opens in a new tab)](https://blog.google/topics/inside-google/introducing-the-keyword-our-new-official-blog/) , Blog.Google, on Thursday. **Make the most of 15 minutes.** *Fast Company* contributor Lisa Rabasca Roepe [offers suggestions for staying productive (opens in a new tab)](https://www.fastcompany.com/3064212/work-smart/got-15-spare-minutes-heres-how-to-make-it-count) , even when you don’t have much time. **Innovative approaches to email** probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of AOL, but [the company just introduced a groundbreaking mobile (opens in a new tab)](https://www.wired.com/2016/09/aol-alto-dashboard/) strategy for managing the beast, *Wired* reports. (iStock/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Change Management](https://associationsnow.com/tag/change-management/) [#Project Management](https://associationsnow.com/tag/project-management/) [#Risk Analysis](https://associationsnow.com/tag/risk-analysis/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [ArticleThe Bigger Risk Is What Associations Won’t StopMay 27, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/05/27/the-bigger-risk-is-what-associations-wont-stop-2/) - [VideoChallenge Legacy Mindsets at MMC+TechApril 17, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/04/17/challenge-legacy-mindsets-at-mmctech/) - [ArticleStop Installing Technology. 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