How does the Tech Health Scorecard work?
Developed by SmartThoughts through 20+ years of helping associations with technology strategy, this scorecard evaluates eight critical areas that determine whether your technology infrastructure is protecting or endangering your organization. Why did we create this? Executive Directors and small association teams often inherit technology systems without knowing their true condition. You can't afford to discover your backup system hasn't worked in months after your database crashes.
The Pain Point: Hidden technology vulnerabilities lurk beneath the surface. By the time problems become obvious—data loss, security breach, system failure—the damage is done, and recovery costs skyrocket.
The Solution: Assess your technology health objectively. Our framework reveals vulnerabilities before they become disasters, enabling you to prioritize investments and protect your association's most valuable asset: your data.
What technology areas does the scorecard evaluate?
The scorecard assesses 8 critical technology risk areas that every small association must manage:
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Data Backup & Recovery: Can you recover from data loss? Are backups tested and accessible?
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Security & Access Control: Who has access to what? Are passwords managed properly?
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Software Currency: Are your systems up-to-date, or running on unsupported versions?
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Integration & Data Flow: Do your systems talk to each other, or is data manually transferred?
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Documentation & Knowledge: If your tech person left tomorrow, could someone else manage your systems?
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Vendor Relationships: Do you have active support contracts? Can you reach your vendors?
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Disaster Recovery Planning: What happens if your office floods, burns, or loses power for a week?
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Financial System Security: Are payment processing and financial data properly protected?
Each area is scored 0-3 based on risk severity, creating a comprehensive Tech Health Score that identifies your highest-priority vulnerabilities.
FAQ On the Tech Health Card for Small Associations
How is my Tech Health Score calculated?
Simply click the button below to access the interactive scorecard. You'll answer questions about your current technology setup across the 8 risk areas.
Each question is scored based on established best practices for small associations:
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0 = No Risk: You're following best practices in this area
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1 = Low Risk: Minor vulnerability; should be addressed soon
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2 = Moderate Risk: Notable gap; requires attention within 3-6 months
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3 = High Risk: Critical vulnerability; immediate action needed
Your total score (0-24) determines your overall Tech Health Level and provides specific next-step recommendations.
What do I receive after completing the scorecard?
After completing your Tech Health Scorecard, you receive:
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Your Total Tech Health Score (0-24 scale)
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Risk Level Classification: Healthy (Low Risk), Attention Needed (Moderate Risk), Critical Concerns (High Risk), or Emergency Status (Immediate Action Required)
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Prioritized Action List: Which technology areas need immediate attention versus longer-term planning
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Specific Recommendations: Concrete next steps to reduce your highest-risk vulnerabilities
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Comparison to Industry Standards: How your technology health compares to similar-sized associations
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Optional: 1-Hour Tech Health Review ($150): Schedule a consultation where SmartThoughts consultants review your specific situation, answer questions, and provide detailed guidance on addressing your top 3 vulnerabilities.
How long does the assessment take?
3-5 minutes total. The scorecard contains straightforward questions about your current technology practices. You don't need technical expertise—if you're the Executive Director, Membership Manager, or Office Manager who deals with your technology day-to-day, you can complete it. Most small associations finish in under 5 minutes and immediately receive their scored results.
Do I need to be technical to complete this?
Absolutely not. The questions are written for association staff who use technology, not IT professionals who manage it. If you know:
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How your data is backed up (or aren't sure)
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Which software systems you use
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Who has access to what
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Whether you have vendor support contracts
...then you have enough knowledge to complete the scorecard accurately.
Is my information confidential?
Yes, completely. Your Tech Health Scorecard results are confidential. We never share, sell, or publicize individual organization scores. The assessment is designed to help you understand your technology vulnerabilities, not to create embarrassment or exposure. You control whether to share your results with board members, consultants, or vendors..
What if my tech score is terrible?
First: you're not alone. Most small associations inherit technology systems built incrementally over years by different people with varying expertise. Discovering vulnerabilities is the first step toward fixing them.
Second: low scores don't mean disaster is imminent—they mean you now have a prioritized action plan. The scorecard identifies which vulnerabilities to address first, helping you allocate limited budget and time effectively.
Third: SmartThoughts specializes in helping small associations improve technology health without massive budgets. Our Tech Health Review sessions ($150) provide specific, actionable guidance tailored to your situation, budget, and timeline.
Can I retake the scorecard after making improvements?
Absolutely! Many associations use the scorecard quarterly or annually to track technology health improvements over time. As you address vulnerabilities—implementing better backups, updating software, documenting systems—your score improves, providing objective evidence of progress to share with your board or members.
What happens after I submit the scorecard?
You'll receive an email within 24 hours containing:
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Your complete Tech Health Score breakdown
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Risk level assessment
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Prioritized recommendations for the areas needing most attention
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Resources for addressing common vulnerabilities
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Option to schedule a 1-Hour Tech Health Review if you want expert guidance
You can also immediately see your preliminary results on-screen after submitting the assessment.
👉 Ready to Discover Your Association's Tech Health Score?
Stop wondering whether your technology will fail at the worst possible moment. Use the Tech Health Scorecard to identify vulnerabilities before they become disasters. Free to complete, takes 3 minutes, and could save your association from catastrophic data loss or security breach.
Already completed your Tech Health Scorecard and want expert guidance? Schedule a 1-Hour Tech Health Review ($150) where SmartThoughts consultants analyze your specific vulnerabilities and provide actionable recommendations.