Wes’s Wednesday Wisdom

First ask: “How will I use this data?” Whether it’s during data conversion, adding a new data field, or reconsidering a given process, one of the first questions you should ask is “How will we use that data?” Put another way, just because we can manage the data doesn’t mean we should! For example, I […]

“We run the report three times and get three different results.” “We run the same report three times and get different results.” In my 21 years of consulting, I’ve probably heard this (or something similar) dozens, if not hundreds, of times. What the user is usually saying is that when they run two different reports

How do you know if you’re making progress? We all want to improve our data management, making it better than it was yesterday. But how do you know if you are improving? Showing progress requires two things: a benchmark and an objective. Your benchmark tells you where you are right now. Your objective tells you where

Don’t move too quickly OR too slowly This may sound like a big “duh!” but I’ll say it anyway: When it comes to selecting and implementing a new AMS, don’t move too quickly or too slowly. If you move too quickly, you are very likely to overlook things. During the selection process, this means overlooking functionality

“Your current habits are perfectly designed to deliver your current results.” “Your current habits are perfectly designed to deliver your current results.” – James Clear I’m a big fan of James Clear because much of data management is based on habits. Whatever business process we develop, if we execute it long enough, it becomes habit. And so,

There is value in just going through the exercise I was working with a client recently on helping them adopt new business rules for managing the customer relationship management (CRM) aspect of their association. The project includes reviewing how staff throughout the organization interact with members and customers, and included discussion of what type of data should be captured,

Daylight savings and business rules This past Sunday, most of the US observed Daylight Savings Time and moved our clocks one hour ahead. Daylight Savings Time (DST) is a case-study in how bad business rules never go away. Consider: DST was implemented first during WWI and then implemented as federal law in 1966. A classic case

It’s always about priorities No matter the size or type of technology project, you will always be faced with choosing priorities. What gets done first, what gets done second, what will be saved for Phase 2 (or “phase later” as I like to call it). Every project requires you to determine your priorities. So how

Only one can be best One of my (many) pet peeves with software vendor marketing is when an AMS company claims “We’re the number one AMS product in the market” or “We’re the top provider of membership software!” Since only ONE company can be “number one,” by definition, all but one of these companies are lying. And

Seek to simplify When I work with my clients on system selection or implementation, one of the things I love to praise them for is simple business rules. When they tell me things like “Our registration is simple; member or non-member, early-bird pricing, that’s it,” I can barely contain my glee! Too often we’re our