7 Steps to a Successful Association Management Solution (AMS) Implementation

Planning and executing a successful AMS implementation is a unique undertaking and is unlike most IT projects. Since such a project requires an unusual combination of skills, you must create a team with the requisite knowledge, skills and experience, as well as a deep understanding of your internal processes and business objectives. Such a team should be led by a project manager who is a business process expert, motivational coach and strong taskmaster with the wherewithal to obtain executive sponsorship. The team should also be fluid enough to respond agilely to ongoing issues and challenges while keeping their eyes on the prize. 

You should review your association’s service/business areas (such as membership, volunteers, events, etc.) to build a business case and requirements for your AMS implementation. You should arrive at these requirements by carefully considering the following: 

• How will the AMS complement your association’s activities and long-term business strategy? 

• What are the pain points you want to eliminate? 

• What are the needs of your association stakeholders (executives, administrators, users) in regards to an AMS? 

After selecting and prepping your team, it’s time to design an implementation schedule. This schedule should identify the person(s) in charge of the various milestones in the implementation, their roles and communication protocols with the vendor and/or internal stakeholders, as well as details of the testing process.