1.
Fix it or Flee it?
Proven approaches for dealing with
failing, flagging and floundering association programs
Greg Melia, CAE @gmeliacae

2.
Photo credit: hebedesign on flickr
Program Assessment is a lot of GRIEF

3.
Program Assessment is a lot of GRIEF
• Goals
• Research
• Impact
• Efficiency
• Finances Credit: Angie Torres on Flickr

4.
Defining the Goal of the Review
–Work with key stakeholders and decision-
makers
–Solicit their key questions:
• What do they want to know?
• What information will help their decision-making?
• What do they think needs to be evaluated?
–Refine questions to be measurable and defined

5.
Exploring Program Goals
Investigate the Key “Whys”:
•Why was the program originally established?
•Why has it continued to be offered?
•Why has it change over time?
Review the Original Intended Approach:
•Who, what, when, where, why and how?
•What was implemented?
•What was not?

6.
Lessons Learned
• Verbalizing goals of the review are an important part of
preparing for change
• Seek superordinate goals
• Some agreements are easier reached upfront

7.
Research
3 kinds of data:
Corpus Inscriptionum
Opinions and Descriptions
Imponderabilia of behavior
Bronislaw Malinowski
Credit: Photographie et Ethnologie:
Les photographes français au XXème siècle
devant d’autres formes de cultures.

8.
Lessons Learned
• Historical minutes and documents can be VERY
informative
• Seek to understand program mutations
• Good decisions based on bad data usually give bad
results
• Remember they may have been involved

9.
Impact Measure
• Outputs = Immediate
I attended
• Outcomes = Short-term
I gained knowledge
• Impacts = Long-term
I served more members as a result

10.
Efficiency
Staff and Volunteer Time
Complaints and Comments
Marketing/Communication
Registration/Orders
Technology Photo credit: mansikka on Flickr

11.
Lessons Learned
• How do people feel about it? Do they have
suggestions to increase efficiency?
• What are the trends in terms of level of effort?
• What is cost/benefit of doing it the same way versus
trying a new approach?
• Can improved efficiency save it?

12.
Finances
• Direct fixed expenses
– Incurred regardless of how many people participate,
buy, or are served (e.g., office rent)
• Variable expenses
– Incurred per each additional unit or person that is
serviced (e.g., per person meal charge)
• Mixed expenses
– Incurred per each additional set of units or persons
serviced (e.g., room rental, temporary help)

13.
Key Calculations
• Revenue – Expense = Margin
– Margin per attendee/unit
– Margin per staff hour
– Margin per impact

14.
Lessons Learned
• One full flight is more profitable than two half full ones.
• Most do not realize the true full cost.
• Understanding costs helps determine price.
• Price increases (and closing programs) take time.

15.
Implementation
• Who to involve
–Consultant?
–Stakeholders
–Staff
–Non-users
• Who to interview
–Former volunteers
–Former staff
–Vendors
Photo credit:
kierenmccarthy.co.uk

16.
Communication of Results
• Review purpose of review
• Review what was done
• Arrange key findings in logical order,
highlighting interpretations where
appropriate
• Close with recommendations or issues to
be addressed
Credit:
EE.UTD.Events
on Flickr

17.
Lessons Learned
• Equivocal recommendations get equivocal results
• Decision-makers need synthesized data, not the
opportunity for data analysis
• Survey data is important, but the proof is in historical
performance
• Plan and communicate transitions

18.
Thank You!
Greg Melia, CAE
gmelia@asaecenter.org
@gmeliacae