The creation of the Client Advocacy Office demonstrates the effect of HOW integration of client advocacy into the initiation and delivery of services, data resource administration, implementation of institutional policies, and procedures can create significant synergistic results. The extent to which an institution addresses and integrates client advocacy into technology development and services may provide a means to measure the success the institution as a whole will accrue in the future. To provide a voice for our clients, we need to ensure that advocacy is fully factored into our organization, throughout the process of design, implementation, data resource management, measurement, and the evaluation of technology services. Redefining what information is attended to and input sought is the challenge. It must be noted that advocacy is not synonymous with consulting.
Advocacy is complimentary to technology advisory structures.
Furthermore, the role of a client's advocate must be held separate, at times, from the policy or decision-making bodies. Where stewardship is fostered, the institution will wrestle with a number of critical questions. Though not readily apparent, answers to these questions do have a significant impact on the culture of the organization, on successful technology adoption, and in the development and delivery of effective technology training. Stewardship elementally changes how we think, speak, relate, handle difficult situations, and learn. One of the things I think about, one of the continuing challenges, is blending knowing and being.