From the Executive Director
Everywhere we look, new technological offerings abound. But newer, better technology is rarely the goal in and of itself. Instead, the goal is to improve something we do through new technology—to make something easier, faster, or better.
To serve members and to support the initiatives in AORE’s strategic plan, we are building capacity in a few key ways, and one of them is building new technology. We are upgrading our software suite, including our website, association management system (AMS), and content management system (CMS), all of which will serve you better.
Every AORE member needs timely, accurate information as a basis for decision-making, evaluation, and accountability. Member research we conducted in in 2015 gave us some insight on how we can present this information better. Thank you for participating and sharing your input—we heard you, and we have found ways to make improvements based on what you had to say.
A full 100 percent of those of you who responded told us you’d rather get information from AORE through email than through any other method, so we have converted some of our previously printed communications to online ones. This way, the information we send you is more accessible, gets to you immediately, and allows us to reduce our use of paper—along with the associated costs of paper, printing, and mailing. This shrinks our environmental footprint but expands the ways we can get members engaged.
Your input also told us that we have some room for improvement in making our communications more engaging. We are doing that in several ways, including developing a more dynamic and user-friendly website. Websites need to be reassessed periodically to determine whether they are delivering what users want in a way that makes sense.
AORE’s current website is outdated: It is relatively stagnant and text-heavy, and it doesn’t adequately communicate what we need it to. The new website will better convey who we are and what the website visitor can do on the website. It will resonate with visitors—both AORE members and outside viewers. For members, the new website will allow us to connect with you better. The made-over version looks fresher and more current, with a design upgrade that we will also employ in our email communications.
Because our website also serves as an introduction to AORE for people who are less familiar--or totally unfamiliar--with our association, the new website better explains who we are, what we do, why and how we do it, and how we might work together with others.
Our AMS and CMS allow us to plan, track, and assess our membership and programs, as well as to communicate with members, partners, and other parties. Our upgraded software greatly improves our ability to manage membership, event registration, and updates of AORE content.
Our current AMS gives us limited access to member information history and limited ability to track current information, such as committee involvement. It also requires several steps and manual input for some functions. For example, processing, registering, or updating an AORE membership requires accessing five separate web interfaces. This and other functions will be converted into completely automated ones, so that the membership process will be fully automatic. Receipts will automatically be uploaded to QuickBooks, a welcome email will automatically be sent to new members, and members will automatically be signed up to receive community emails. This streamlines several processes and improves our efficiency.
Earlier this year, we were awarded inclusion in a graduate project with a University of Michigan School of Information student group. As they conduct their work to create a Needs Assessment and Usability Evaluation user study and usability analysis of our existing website and AMS, they need your help. This team of students is conducting a series of evaluations and analyses which will lead to them generating reports and recommendations regarding our interactive system. Please take part in their valuable survey here: https://umich.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0SrstNm0EEJLtrf
These technological upgrades are helping us make strides in improving member benefits and increasing our value to the industry. AORE is the leading organization that serves the college, university, military, and nonprofit sector in outdoor recreation and education, and these advances set us up to lead further.
STAFF
Adventure on,
Jeannette Stawski, CAE
3
Dear AORE,
Jeannette Stawski, CAE
Executive Director
Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education
1100 N Main St. Ste. 101
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Work: 810.772.6493
Emily Thomas
Assistant Director and Membership Manager
Association of Outdoor
Recreation and Education
1100 N Main St. Ste. 101
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Work: 810.299.2782
AORE is humbled to have a team of full-time staff, part-time staff, and independent contractors that dedicate their time, skill and passion to our mission. From those working 5 hours a month to 40 hours a week, AORE is also made up of these passionate individuals:
Allison Burtka
Audrey Bloomberg
Beth Williams
Brad Hunt
Brent Bell
Jenn Velie
Mia Axon
Mitch Hoffman