I first read this phrase in a James Clear blog post. And what it means, simply put, is that before you can really optimize any behavior, you have to standardize how you perform that behavior. And this is so true when it comes to data management. I harp constantly about the need to document processes. The …
Over my nearly 30 years in the association space, one of the things that always gives me a chuckle is when I hear an association executive say “I work at a small association.” Because I know in my mind that “small” most likely means something different to that person than it does to me. For …
I recently came across a one-question service from a service provider (I think it was some kind of online software…) that asked why I had discontinued my subscription to their service. Among the choices were “Too expensive” and “didn’t provide enough value.” I had to read it three times to make sure I was reading …
"Too expensive" and "Doesn't provide enough value" are the same thing Read More »
In his book Contagious, Jonah Berger discusses the concept of “social influence.” In short, social influence is a change in behavior in one person caused by another. You might call it peer pressure or normative pressure. Whatever you call it, it can have tremendous impact on how people behave. Which is why it’s important to …
During the process of implementing a new AMS, one of the steps you’ll take is creating and testing scenarios for different functionality within the system. For example, what will the online join process consist of? What will the customer or member experience when they login to join or renew? And what are the different potential …
The Number of Test Scenarios Illustrates How Complex Your Business Rules Are Read More »
One of the most common challenges all of my clients face is duplicate records. And the simple fact is, even the very best managed databases have some duplicate records. They are impossible to avoid. Why? There are several reasons: Your members use multiple emails. As a result, they may create new records that your system doesn’t …
EVERY System has duplicate records. Get used to it! Read More »
One of the more frustrating aspects of consulting is running into staff who are unwilling to speak up when speaking up is warranted. For example, during the implementation phase of a new AMS, many processes will be changed, either by design or by default. As processes change, staff needs to speak up and ask both …