The checklists below complement the routemap. They were originally developed for Making the Net work for residents and their landlords . Don't be daunted - they are a 'long list' aiming to cover everything from getting started through to long-term management. Just pick out some prompts for what you are doing.

The checklists look at (and mix in) things from several different perspectives:

A phased process. We've divided things up into four sections: getting started; planning and development; delivering; keeping going. This is slightly different from the phasing in the routemap to cover operations. Within that we have also aimed to cover:

• helping people understand, getting them involved, providing support

• choosing appropriate technology

• building a partnership

• planning for sustainability.

Summary of the checklists

1 Getting started

• Understanding the context. What's happening now. What of the future.

• Understanding the Net. The main benefits and Net tools.

• Defining the scope. Who is the system for, who will 'own' it. What resources.

• Checking reality. What works, what doesn't.

2 Planning and developing

• Developing a shared vision. Making sure everyone has a similar picture of the future.

• Getting people connected. What technology may be appropriate.

• Building awareness and involvement. Helping people understand and engage.

• Providing training and support. Basics and more advanced use of the Net.

• Building partnerships. Finding collaborators and working with them.

• Business planning. Funding, staffing, management structures, procedures.

3 Delivering

• Installing and supporting technical systems. Supporting users.

• Developing content. What type of material. What media. How controlled.

• Supporting personal interests and development. Focusing on users.

• Building online communities. Related to existing networks, or new.

• Delivering services online. Enhancing existing, developing new. Meeting special interests and needs. Key groups - age, gender, ethnicity.

• Enhancing community-wide strategies. Models for regeneration, community development.

4 Keeping going

• Maintaining systems and user commitment.

• Managing organisation.

The checklists in full

1 Getting started

As well as getting up to speed on the technology, it is important to take stock of what is already happening locally and elsewhere, and what lessons other people can offer. Most important, address the 'why' questions: who will benefit and in what way. That should determine the type of system or project you develop.

Understanding the context

• What is already happening? Audit local activities, organisations, resources.

• What is happening elsewhere? What models are people following?

• What future technology developments are likely to be important?

Understanding the Net

• What are the main non-profit benefits of the Net? Information, communication, collaboration, visibility, management, services.

• What are the main tools? Email, web, and much else. Each provides particular benefits and has specific requirements.

• What are the different connectivity options? Dial-up, ADSL, cable, TV, satellite, wireless.

• Defining the scope of your project

• Are you, and others involved in the project, using the Net? Get the core group online and using some of the technology you plan to offer to others.

• What will be the main focus? Local community, community of interest, organisational, personal.

• Where will the benefits lie for those involved and how will they be evaluated? Reducing service delivery costs, enabling users, supporting community-wide initiatives.

• Who will develop and control the different elements of the systems described below? Access, training, content etc. Where will 'ownership' lie?

• What resources are available? How will any system be maintained in the longer term?

• How will online communication be designed into overall local communication systems? What is in use now? What do users prefer?

Phase 1 reality check

• Do you really know why you are doing this - and for whom?

• Is the core group up to speed on the Net - if not how can you expect others to be?

• Have you found out who else is doing what? Do you want to collaborate or not?

• Are you thinking about the whole communication mix - not just tech stuff?

2 Planning and developing

What is involved in planning and developing projects? Not just technology but user involvement, partnerships, management, sustainability. There has to be a shared vision - or picture of the future - among those involved.

Developing a shared vision

• Run demonstrations and workshops, including one with the game in this guide.

• Prioritise activities (including those in these checklists).

• Identify champions for different activities and form project teams.

• Set up an interim management system to carry the project through.

Getting people connected

• How will people be connected from the options you have investigated? Dial-up, broadband (ADSL or cable), digital TV, wireless, satellite.

• Who will provide Internet services, and how extensive will these be? Basic services or special applications.

• What equipment will be used? PCs, laptops, TVs, mobiles. New or recycled. Free, loaned or purchased.

• Where will there be access? Personal/mobile, home, work, community or public facilities. Free, subsidised or paid for.

• What identity will users have? Email addresses for all, opt in.

• How will connectivity and access be organised? DIY or planned provision.

• What consideration is being given to disabilities and user preferences? How far will the system be accessible to all?

Building awareness and involvement

• How will benefits be promoted? Awareness campaigns, demonstrations.

• How will user needs be researched? Surveys, workshops.

• How will systems be developed to involve users? Centres, personal options, group options.

Providing training and support

• What training will be provided? Computer basics, Internet basics, advanced.

• How will training be offered? Formal courses, informal and exploratory; centres or mobile.

• What support will be offered? Technical only; personal and organisational; online, phone, face to face.

• Free or paid for? Staff or volunteers.

Building partnerships

• Where will there be centres for access and shared learning? Community centres, schools, libraries.

• What existing networks might use the system and benefit from it?

• Who will be the champions? How will you support them?

• How will you make sure that partners have a shared understanding of what is involved - and what is expected?

Business planning

• What business model do you have in mind? Subscriptions, selling services, continual fund-raising, volunteers - or a mix?

• Do you have funding for capital and revenue - and for how long?

• What organisational structure may be appropriate? Within existing organisation, community enterprise, charitable company, non-profit company, co-op.

• What management procedures will be needed for the technology, user support, content development, finance?

Phase 2 reality check

• Is there a shared vision for the project - or does everyone have a different picture?

• Are you getting users involved to find out what they need, and gain their commitment?

• Are you developing good relationships with your partners?

• Do you have a business strategy?

3 Delivering

Making the project happen, or setting up the system, involves continuing with the development work above, installing the technology, supporting the users and then developing content and services.

Installing and supporting technical systems and users

• Continuing development work.

• Setting up administrative and support systems centrally and for users.

Developing content

• What range of content is relevant to those using the system? Who decides?

• Who develops and controls the content? How is content managed? What is acceptable?

• What is the best way of delivering content? Email or web, audio or video - or all of these?

• How will online content relate to other content?

Supporting personal interests and development

• Will there be formal or informal learning opportunities?

• Will there be signposts to relevant material?

Building online communities

• Will the project or system help develop an online community or network?

• Are you familiar with online communities?

• Can the system offer relevant tools (email and web)?

• How can online communities enhance democracy or participation?

• Will the online community 'map onto' existing networks?

Delivering services online

• How will online services relate to other (non-online) service delivery systems?

• Can costs be justified?

• Will this contribute to meeting targets the government is setting for online services?

• Will provision be accessible to all who need it? Will alternatives be available?

Meeting special interests and needs

• Will the project or system meet the interests and needs of any specific groups?

• age or gender

• arts, literacy

• immigrant, ethnic groups?

Enhancing community-wide strategies

• Does the project aim to support wider regeneration and/or community development?

• Look at models for Wired Up Communities and local community networks.

• Plan how online working can support other means of networking and communication.

Phase 3 reality check

• Do your plans for content and other services match your vision?

• Do you have the technical expertise?

• Do you have the other systems necessary to deliver to your users?

4 Keeping going

The general experience of non-profit projects (and many for-profit ones) is that it seems difficult to get started, but it proves even more difficult to keep going. For example:

• It can be relatively easy to raise funds to create a website, but much more difficult to pay the staff costs of maintaining the content - and keep the commitment of others to contribute.

• The idea of online communities participating through email lists or web forums is attractive - but only works well if the users are relatively confident and skilled online - and/or there are paid or voluntary facilitators to manage the community.

• Technical management will, of course, be needed centrally - but also to support individuals and groups who may not be confident users.

• As well as the users, content and technology, you will also need to nurture the partnership you may have formed.

• Technology does not dispose of the need to manage the organisation running the system.

• Somewhere in the mix there should be a business plan which lays out how you will continue to develop. That may be through continued fund-raising, generating some income, recruiting volunteers - or probably all of those.

Of course it may be that your project doesn't need to keep going - or perhaps needs to reinvent itself within a few years. Technology is going to change fast, so what seems an overriding need one year may be much less relevant the next.

Final reality check

Are you prepared to close down - or redefine the project - if needs change?