Does your association have well defined business processes? Or is a specific process only known to that one key person in IT, sales, or event planning? What happens if he/she gets hit by a bus? Can someone else step in and keep the ball rolling?
At ERA, we are in the middle of an AMS data import (event registration data) and it became apparent that we needed to clarify the process to ensure that all stakeholders understand the impact (and to avoid mistakes). In the past we simply dumped that data in and hoped for the best. This created myriad data issues and frustrated staff and members beyond belief.
So we assembled stakeholders in my office and mapped it out. In my telecom days I learned a great way to clearly and easily develop processes with teams: large Post-it notes. Simply write down the important steps, systems, and actions onto the sticky notes and rearrange them until your process is clear to all. Below is my whiteboard with our new show import process.
The three great reasons for doing process development like this are the following:
- Give an overall view of the existing process
- Clarify roles and responsibilities
- Identify weak links
The next step is to transfer this initial diagram into PowerPoint or Visio and formalize and share the process with all. Do you have processes for your association? What pitfalls are you creating by not clarifying mission critical processes?
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