Credit union boardrooms have not only done a creditable jobadopting mobile technology to meet their members' banking needs,but have also been at the forefront in leveraging the power of theInternet to improve non-customer-facing tasks.

As early as 2008, many credit union boards began using onlineboard portals – Web-based platforms that simplify how boardmaterials are produced, delivered and reviewed. However, the pasttwo years have led to an explosion in credit unions' adoption ofboard portals, fueled by the proliferation of tablets and businessapps.

For credit unions considering moving from hard copy board booksto a board portal, the checklist of requirements for a secure,easy-to-use solution is straightforward, yet critical to ensuringacceptance by all directors. The solution must be secure,customizable in both implementation and training, and ultimately,must ease the crucial pain points faced by credit unions. A boardportal will only be viewed as a smart investment if the solutionhelps directors read, annotate and engage with board materials moreconveniently and securely than the bulky paper hand-outs or PDFsthe portal replaces.

Setting a new standard for secure access to boardmaterials and governance

Board portals enable a safe, secure means of communicatinghighly sensitive board materials to directors. Today, directors areperforming their responsibilities at a time of intense regulatorychange and scrutiny. Concerns about governance and compliance aretop of mind. Board portals provide directors with secure access tothe critical documents needed to fulfill their duties. Any creditunion considering and reviewing best practices in governance shouldbe looking to implement a board portal.

Capabilities in data security have advanced and likewise, boardportals have strengthened the security processes surrounding theactivities of a credit union's board of directors. All informationis fully password protected and encrypted; nothing material is evercommunicated via email. With these stringent security measures inplace, no one but each specific director can access his or herinformation, and directors can only view materials to which they'vebeen given access.

Directors' varied needs require a customizablesolution

The board communication and governance needs of each creditunion are different and complex, with factors like director travel,frequency of meetings, and specific state or local regulationsweighing heavily on every decision the board makes. Every creditunion must begin by closely examining what is working with itsdirectors and then determine where there is room for improvement.The board portal solution must be customizable, so that thesoftware saves time and money for both the credit union and itsdirectors.

A board portal is more than just software. Credit unions shouldlook for a board portal that provides one-on-one training for everydirector. Regular support for routine tasks, such as home computerset-up and password recovery, are a must, and a board portal shouldhave the flexibility to be personalized to match each individual'scomfort level with technology. In short, the credit union's boardportal provider should be willing and able to hold a director'shand every step of the way, through preparation, implementation andcomplete integration. Digital readingexperience seamlessly improves adoption bydirectors

While directors may use an iPad personally, moving to a digitalreading experience may be new territory. A good board portal shouldactually be even easier to use than a paper book, featuring anintuitive interface, easy navigation and other add-on benefits likesearch, voting, and approvals that take the experience to the nextlevel.

For directors on the move, seamless access to their boardmaterials is essential. When board members leave the office, get onan airplane or enter the boardroom with their iPads, they should beable to enjoy the same book-like reading experience regardless oftheir location or access to a Wi-Fi connection. Overall, this easeof use and familiarity provided to the directors will greatlyimprove their adoption of this new technology.

Board portals ease the pain points felt by creditunions

A primary point of stress for credit unions across the countryis the challenge to achieve timely communication of board materialsto directors, who often need to review documents quickly oron-the-go. These board books, which are large in size – sometimesrunning into thousands of pages each – require lengthy preparationand printing time, and use up a significant amount of paper.

Some credit unions have reported using as much as one millionpieces of paper a year for board and committee materials.

An effective board portal alleviates these pain points byproviding directors with intuitive and interactive tools thatstreamline communication and organization, while saving theorganization countless hours that would otherwise have been spentprinting, collating, binding and shipping the board books.

With board portals, directors receive the most updated versionson their tablets or PCs once the materials are prepared, which caneven be updated prior to or during the course of a meeting.Additionally, board portals can be a vital element of any creditunion's green initiatives, as they help lower carbon footprint byeliminating the use of large quantities paper every year, andfacilitating electronic delivery instead of physical delivery oflarge and bulky board books.

As tablets continue to rise in popularity, any credit unionconsidering best practices in corporate governance should considerimplementing a board portal. A secure board portal solution willprovide credit union directors with the interactive tools toefficiently streamline communications, featuring significantsavings in cost, time and resources.

These valuable tools include security that meets or exceeds themost demanding industry standards and a true book-like readingexperience that provides equally robust online and offlineaccess.

Alex Sodi ispresident/CEO of Diligent Board MemberServices in Christchurch, New Zealand, and New YorkCity.