The arrival fallacy is the false belief that reaching a specific milestone or achieving an external goal will automatically bring lasting happiness and fulfillment.

I see this a lot when associations are seeking a new AMS. The thinking is "If we just get the right AMS, all of our data management problems will be solved!"

The fact is, a new AMS can't solve certain foundational issues like bad data, a lack of data governance, or confusing business processes. All of these issues have to be addressed for the AMS to provide the most value. This is why a change of AMS alone will not provide the "lasting happiness and fulfillment" the association is seeking!

So if you're having data management challenges, changing your AMS platform may (or may not!) be the right move. But don't fall for the arrival fallacy that getting a new AMS will finally solve all your problems!