Schemas: Skill List

See: Membership Database Schemas

Aside from core membership contact data, your organization may find it useful to record skills, interests and assets which members could potentially contribute. This list is intended to help you develop your own list, appropriate for your organization. Note that though this listing is based on membership materials & applications at existing co-ops, that doesn't mean each item has been valuable. While it's important to collect information, it can pose logistical challenges when too much unnecessary (or unclear) information is stored in membership records.

Categories

If you choose to break up skills & interests into categories, they will reflect your organizational structure & major areas of focus. The categories used on this page may not be suitable.

Facilities

• Carpentry
• Welding
• Plumbing
• Cleaning
• Access to a shop or vehicle?

Administration

• Spreadsheet (Libre Office Calc / Open Office Calc / Excel ...)
• Project/Store Management
• Copy Editing / Writing
• Conflict resolution

Product

• Research
• Ordering
• Receiving & stocking

Finance

• Bookkeeping (Level of experience?)
• Advanced Spreadsheet (Libre Office Calc / Open Office Calc / Excel ...)
• Business tax preparation

Information Systems / Information Technology

• Programming / Coding
• Computer Repair/Installation
• Server or workstation systems administration
• CMS administration
• Database design
  

Graphics

• Photography
• Videography
• Video Editing
• Illustration
• Cartooning
• Graphic Design
• Desktop publishing

Specifics

While broad categorizations are convenient, consider listing very specific entries that are tailored to your peculiar needs.

• "Extensive Produce Knowledge"
• Specific software knowledge.
• "Compulsively careful and detail-oriented (enjoy paperwork and/or data entry)"

Forms: Collecting information

The presentation of options in any form or survey will affect the results. Broad options, specific options, & write-in questions without suggestions can all produce different results, even from the same members.

Data Quality & Format

Pay attention to the utility, accuracy, and overall quality of the data you collect. The format of collected data will also affect its suitability for analysis. Consistency from the beginning will support historical comparison.

Consider these attempts to determine volunteer availability:

Availability & Interests
[ ] - a few hours every month	[ ] - 2 hours or less a week	[ ] - 2-5 hours a week
[ ] - 5-10 hours a week but exact hours vary	[ ] - 5-10 hours a week, the same hours	[ ] - 20 hours or more

General availability to perform outreach
	Early Riser	Noon	Afternoon	After 6pm
Weekdays	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]
Saturday	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]
Sunday	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]
Notes:

Shift availability
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Shift 1 preference:
Shift 2 preference:

Shift availability
Monday
9am-1pm	[ ]
1pm-6pm	[ ]
6pm-10pm	[ ]
Not available Mondays	[ ]
Tuesday
9am-1pm	[ ]
1pm-6pm	[ ]
6pm-10pm	[ ]
Not available Tuesdays	[ ]
etc..

If options are​​​​​​​ overly​​​​​​ precise, users are forced to ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​make judgements. If I say 8am, each user will make a judgement, and you may end up with less people stating that they're available than if you had used descriptive ​​​​​​​​​​​​​but less specific options. Specific data also tends to change, and unless you have a routine in place to check & update your data, it could quickly be out of date. On the other hand, if you're storing data for a very large membership base, you may benefit from the targeted outreach that specific data can offer. Consider your needs and your tools.

Some samples of different styles of survey

Checkboxes

[ ] = Empty checkbox.

Desktop publishing [Macintosh]
[ ] - QuarkXpress	[ ] - highly skilled	[ ] - frequent user
[ ] - InDesign	[ ] - highly skilled	[ ] - frequent user

• [ ] - Own a truck or van​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
• [ ] - Cashier experience, or [ ] - willing to learn cashier skills
• [ ] - Enjoy phone work
• [ ] - Love to clean
• [ ] - Compulsively careful and detail-oriented [enjoy paperwork and/or data entry]​

Checkboxes + write-in

Languages:
[ ] - American Sign	[ ] - Speak	[ ] - Can interpret at meetings
[ ] - Other _____	[ ] - Speak	[ ] - Write	[ ] - Translate
[ ] - Other _____	[ ] - Speak	[ ] - Write	[ ] - Translate

Write-in

• Attorney – Specialty __________

Other sample entries, taken from free-form membership submissions

​

• Art
• Childcare
• Computers
• Licensed driver
• Outreach/promotion
• Basic html
• Content management
• photo production
• Pudio production
• Organization
• PR
• Management
• Fundraising/grant writing
• Food handler
• Carpentry
• Graphic design
• Carpentry
• Film production
• Editing
• Government relation
• Computer programming
• Core Java
• GWT
• Perl
• Database
• Basic Linux sysadmin
• Basic MySQL admin
• Graphic design
• Web design
• Word press build
• Sewing
• Spanish-speaking
• Electrician
• Meeting facilitation
• Community organizing​