Juan Silva, chief technology officer at the software firm Wicket, says many organizations are turning to identity and access management software, which can standardize user access controls securely and efficiently.

What’s the biggest challenge in managing members’ data?

The goal for any association should be to create a technological ecosystem where the identities of members and staff are securely shared over a number of different platforms and tools. However, it’s challenging for IT administrators to manage users’ data, credentials, roles, and access levels for disparate in-house and cloud-based software. This often leads to the duplication of records, a lack of data control, reduced cybersecurity, and a bad user experience.

How can an identity and access management software safeguard member data?

Identity and access management consists of organizational processes and policies ensuring that the right people have access to the right resources in a timely manner. And it’s enforced through an IAM software system. The two main benefits are increased security and productivity. An IAM policy ensures that users have access only to the resources they need, reducing the risk of cyber attacks. IAM software supports the seamless integration of enhanced security, like two-factor authentication, and helps ensure that members and staff can gain easy access to a variety of technology systems.

What are some things to consider when planning for IAM implementation?

Make sure to involve all pertinent business units in your association and set clear organizational objectives. From a technical perspective, evaluate the compatibility of communication protocols between the IAM software tool you are considering and your existing technology systems. In the end, a good IAM implementation is one that appears seamless and secure for your members and at the same time is easy enough to deploy and maintain by IT staff.