ASNT members value the content we provide through printed and digital information and professional development and education programs. They also value the engagement experiences we provide through networking connections and volunteerism. We will improve content by expanding and improving the breadth, quality, and timeliness of content which members find interesting and relevant. We will improve engagement by enhancing and expanding opportunities for members to connect to the people and organizations they find useful to their professional success. We will also improve the volunteer experience by making volunteering more accessible to all members and by providing essential training and development which will also help the members in their careers.
Future Vision
People of all backgrounds and levels interested in nondestructive testing will join and retain membership in ASNT because they will highly value the content and engagement.
Strategies
To achieve this vision, a two-tiered strategy is necessary—one focusing on content and the other on engagement by volunteers. For the content strategy, ASNT must develop a deep understanding of the content needs and preferences of members and potential members of all interests and levels. Once a needs assessment is done, ASNT will map existing content to member needs and gaps in content will be identified. Based on association research (which is consistent with ASNT data), members rate professional development programs as their most valued member benefit. We expect ASNT will need to significantly expand its professional development program to close this gap through internal development or acquisition, or a combination of both. The strategy will define what content is needed, how we acquire it, and how it is organized and delivered to members. ASNT will also need to acquire and implement an effective content management system (CMS) to organize and deliver digital content. Central to the content strategy will be defining what content is restricted for members only and what is available to the public, thereby maximizing the value of membership.
Association research makes clear that members who have a positive volunteer experience tend to retain membership in their society. Volunteers also report a much higher level of satisfaction and value of membership. Our engagement strategy is built around this understanding and begins by creating a system for identifying ASNT’s needs for volunteers, followed by identifying and recruiting volunteer candidates, training and mentoring volunteers, and engaging volunteers. Identifying our volunteer needs requires extensive communications with boards, committees, councils, and sections in order to identify their work requirements, followed by extensive communications with members to inform them of volunteer opportunities and benefits and to secure their commitment to engage.
We will need to design, develop, and implement a training curriculum and a mentoring plan followed by matching up volunteers with needs, and making appointments. To house this volunteer development effort, we will create the ASNT Leadership Academy which will house all volunteer training and mentoring programs, including existing programs such as the Section Leadership Conference, Regional Director training, and the RISE leadership development program.
Goals
- Implement a comprehensive volunteer identification and recruitment plan by 30 April 2022.
- Implement the ASNT Leadership Academy to train and develop volunteers by 30 June 2022.
- Develop a business plan for professional development programming which addresses the needs of current and potential members of all levels and interests by 30 June 2022.
- Provide a broad range of programs, products, and services advancing the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in nondestructive testing by 31 December 2022.
- Implement a content management system which enables effective organization and delivery of content based on individual needs and interests by 31 December 2022.
- Implement a system of metrics and baseline measures to track volunteer engagement by 31 December 2022.
- Increase the number of active volunteers by 50% by 30 June 2026.
- Increase the number of members by 25% by 30 June 2024.
