Wes’s Wednesday Wisdom

The best ideas are stolen I don’t remember where I first heard it, but someone said (or wrote) “The best ideas are stolen.” And so I’ve stolen that thought for myself! (I would give credit if I could, but I simply don’t remember.) Another of my favorite stolen ideas is this: “There are those who backup […]

It’s all about expectations One of the most critical contributors to the success of a new AMS implementation (or any new system) is managing expectations. I define managing expectations as helping staff and users understand what the system will, and critically, what it will not, do. When I start an AMS selection project with a

Either you test, or your members will If I was forced to choose the single most important activity during a system implementation, I would choose testing. The point of testing is to ensure the system does what you expect it to do in normal, day-to-day use. Can you process and renew members? Can members and

But are you really willing to change? When any organization is making a change in data management systems, one of the most important considerations during implementation is what business processes need to be changed. Or put another way, when we change the software, are we also willing to change how we do the things we do? It is

Two Tips for Data Conversion I’ve written a lot about data conversion over the years (click here for a list) but when I’m asked by my clients for advice on their data conversion, two tips always rise to the top: Convert the absolute minimum amount of data possible. Look at all the data you have and

Who should “own” the database? One of the most common questions I get from my clients is “Who should have responsibility for the database?” That is typically followed by “Should it be the membership department, or IT, or somewhere else?” Back in the day, I would recommend that whoever was “closest” to the data should manage it. For

What makes you weird? When I work with clients on selecting a new association management system, one thing I’m digging for is what makes the association weird. What I mean by that is, what is the association doing that most other associations don’t typically do? This is important for a couple of reasons: The weird stuff is usually pretty important

Why “AMS Consortiums” Don’t Work About once a year I will get a call from an association executive who has partnered with one or more “similar” associations in search of a new AMS. The group of associations believes they can find one AMS to serve all of the members of the group, and by pooling their resources they can get more

Your vendor will disappoint you I follow politics as a hobby. A past publisher from a political opinion magazine I read would tell his new writers: “Don’t fall in love with any politician; at some point, they will disappoint you.” I think the same advice can be given about your AMS vendor: “Don’t fall in

Learn how to lose “Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday.”