Starting an Association

by Max Hardy and Wendy Raikes

So you want to start a professional Association! Need some advice? Well, you may think you don’t, but that probably means you do!

Recently Twyford Consulting has been involved in starting and expanding two organisations:

• setting up the Australasian Chapter of International Association for Public Participation (IAP2)
• expanding the National Local Government Customer Service Network (NLGCSN) into an organisation with regional groups across three states.
  

As a result, we have learned a great deal, and would like to offer some ideas, advice and words of wisdom.

Our Tips

• Be very clear about the aims of the Association and how it will help members do the things that matter better than they do now;
• Be realistic about how long it takes to get some ‘runs on the board’ – it all takes time and effort;
  
• Be prepared to outsource work if it means getting things up and running sooner – it may hasten the ability of the Association to build a membership base and attract revenue;
  
• Do some fun activities and eat together – breaking bread helps to establish a sense of belonging;
  
• Be the first to demonstrate a need for new information. Some people are cautious about asking for help from colleagues in case it infers an inadequacy on their part. It is helpful if professional development can be shown to be the legitimate aim of information sharing;
  
• Try some short term activities to help the association gain a sense of accomplishment – it is easy to lose enthusiasm if there is no evidence of progress.
  

What structure can be used?

We have found regional groups to be one very useful model for developing professional organisations, especially those that have a national or international focus. Regional groups can be developed in areas where individual members can network conveniently and practically.
Networking activities can also be developed across regional, state and country boundaries. This permits both an internal and external focus and encourages broad perspectives.

The regional structure has proved successful for the NLGCSN in supporting its objectives of promoting information exchange and disseminating best practice standards. Case studies of organisations have been profiled at various events and feedback from the membership base indicates that their own objectives and strategies have been greatly influenced by ideas gained through networking activities.

What does the PDCA cycle have to do with it?

The well-known continuous improvement cycle of “Plan Do Check Act” forms the basis to develop the networking practices. In the NLGCSN we used the PDCA as the basis of the approach. Using this model, we:

PLAN:

• obtained information on member and other stakeholder needs
  
• designed, developed activities to meet those needs
  

DO

• implemented the activities based on the plans
  

CHECK

• obtained feedback and comments from members and stakeholders
  
• reviewed activities in terms of meeting the identified needs
  

ACT

• implemented appropriate changes
  
• tried different formats of activities and events.
  

Is it worth it?

A member of the NLGCSN recently told us about his experiences. He explained how he has used the ideas gained from networking with colleagues and professionals to design and implement a new customer service call centre. Using technology, improved processes and a team approach, he was able to decrease the customer call drop-out rate by 84 per cent. This is an excellent example of the possible outcomes from professional networking.

Starting associations is hard work – but if the need is there you will discover that people are often willing to put in the time to make it work. It can be satisfying and enriching – and sometimes the benefits are unexpected.

Associations are a valuable way of raising the profile of a professional area. We hope the Australasian Chapter of IAP2 will do this for Consultation and Participation.

If you embark on this journey – good luck and enjoy the ride!!

Twyford Consulting Newsletter December 1998