Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

My most recent posts

Painting the Bridge

By Wes Trochlil | May 24, 2023

Painting the Bridge According to this article, the Golden Gate Bridge is painted continuously year-round. That is, rather than painting the entire bridge once per year (or every couple of years), “painting the Bridge is an ongoing task and a primary maintenance job.” This, of course, reminds me of data management. Data management is not a “once …

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Maintenance isn’t sexy

By Wes Trochlil | May 17, 2023

Maintenance isn’t sexy I remember reading once long ago that one of the reasons our country’s infrastructure (e.g., bridges, roads) isn’t as well-maintained as it could be is because maintenance isn’t “sexy.” When it comes to choosing between maintaining and/or fixing the current infrastructure versus building new roads and bridges, new always wins out. Maintenance …

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“Will I still have a job when this is done?”

By Wes Trochlil | May 10, 2023

“Will I still have a job when this is done? While working with a client on a new AMS implementation recently, the executive director told me she was surprised to hear her staff ask: “With all the improvements and automation that the new AMS brings, will I still have a job?” I’ve been at this …

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Evolution, not revolution

By Wes Trochlil | May 3, 2023

Evolution, not revolution I don’t recall where I first heard it many decades ago, but the phrase “evolution, not revolution” always struck me as one key to understanding how data management really works. (I heard the phrase in relation to something else but naturally I found a fit for data management!) It’s really quite simple: When it …

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The power of the users’ group

By Wes Trochlil | April 26, 2023

The power of the users’ group Recently in an online users group forum for an AMS provider, a poster asked a question about a fairly complex topic. The poster received multiple replies that pointed her toward a solution. She then posted: “Thank you everyone for the insights. I know why I rely more on this …

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Older Posts

Must-haves vs. Nice-to-haves

July 12, 2007

When developing an RFP on behalf of my clients, one of the items we'll discuss is "nice-to-haves" vs. "must-haves" on …

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Checking references; look for the older clients

July 11, 2007

One of the cardinal rules when buying a new association management system is to be sure to check references. Presumably …

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What baseline functionality should an AMS have?

July 10, 2007

I’m often asked this question (or a variant of it) by my clients and others. “Well shouldn’t every association management …

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One System or Multiple Systems?

July 9, 2007

Frank Sarlo from PDA recently posted the following to the ASAE technology listserver: "Our Programs and Meetings Department is researching …

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Some rest from blogging

July 2, 2007

I’ll be taking a rest from blogging during the week of July 4th. My typically brilliant posts on data management …

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Do as I Say, Not as I Do

June 29, 2007

There’s an old saying: “There are those that back up, and those that will.” And as I mention here, it’s …

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.net vs. PHP and Technology Architecture

June 28, 2007

There was a thread on the ASAE technology listserver a few weeks back about whether an association should choose an …

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Data Entry, Then and Now

June 27, 2007

It was 20 years ago this June that I took a summer job at my college alumni association. I had …

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Bleg

June 27, 2007

Update: Many thanks to Lisa Junker at ASAE for sending me her copy of this post.  I published a post …

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