A Low-Tech, High-Impact Benchmarking Tool Helps IT Leaders and Meeting Planners Analyze, Compare Key Metrics
CHICAGO (January 29, 2014) – In response to industry feedback, Association Forum announces its launch of InSight™ EZ, an easy-to-use, no-cost benchmarking tool that gives association leaders heightened visibility to key performance metrics on their IT department and annual meeting practices.
Built on the foundation of InSight, a robust benchmarking and comparison tool developed by Association Forum in 2012, the new InSight EZ benchmarking tool gives users the ability to quickly compare their association’s IT and annual meeting practices to those of other associations. A targeted set of data points (43 for IT and 38 for Annual Meeting) narrow the focus and pinpoint areas of significant difference. InSight EZ users are able to easily present key stakeholders with relevant information through built-in reports, charts and graphs. A quarterly InSight EZ Score Card distributed to all InSight EZ users will summarize key findings and offer suggestions for using data to influence change.
InSight EZ gives associations the evidence they need to identify and demonstrate the specific areas where they can make changes that will have a significant impact. “Associations are constantly seeking new ways to improve their performance and better fulfill their missions and strategic plans,” says Association Forum President and CEO Christie A. Tarantino, CAE. “To aid in that effort, it’s important to recognize the tremendous value there is when you can learn from the best practices that have already been achieved by your organizational peers.”
Using InSight EZ will help associations improve their understanding of the real opportunities and their priority, minimize resistance to change, garner support for action, foster enthusiasm to do better than the external benchmark, and promote discussions based on data rather than assumptions or emotion.
“When an association adopts a structured and rational process for analyzing benchmarking and comparison data, that often serves as a vehicle for breakthrough thinking.” Tarantino added.
How to Participate in InSight EZ
To participate in the InSight EZ Annual Meeting and/or IT survey, association professionals first gather their own data, much of which can be found on a standard budget report, and then input their information into an easy-to-use web-based survey. The more associations that complete the survey, the more valuable InSight becomes for the industry. It’s free to participate in an InSight EZ survey and access data to compare against your company’s performance.
How to Use InSight EZ Comparisons
Once InSight EZ data has been entered, users can select peer group organizations they want to compare their performance to (e.g. total members, budget size, type of organization, compliance requirements, or any combination, etc.) and view their performance across each key performance indicator in customizable, instant reports. If there are gaps, InSight EZ will help identify the drivers affecting performance.
For more information about InSight EZ or to add your organization’s data, visit www.associationforum.org/InSightEZ.
About Association Forum
The mission of Association Forum is to “advance the professional practice of association management.” Founded in 1916, the Association Forum serves 44,000 association professionals whose efforts serve more than 27 million members and generate $38 billion in global annual expenditures. Visit www.associationforum.org.
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Contact:
Jemilah Senter
(312) 924-7030
senter@associationforum.org