Knowledge Sharing - The Future of Professional Membership Associations - 1st Draft - 5th March 2015

KNOWLEDGE SHARING
The Future of Professional Associations
Gill Ringland & Debra Fox
debra.fox@knowledge-insights.com
Knowledge Insights - A Collaborative Approach
A new way of working with leading Professional Associations by creating a structure
for knowledge sharing to meet the identified need and the opportunity.

Knowledge Insights
Knowledge Insights Ltd, The Rectory, 1 Toomers’ Wharf, Canal Walk, Newbury, RG14 1DY, UK
Phone: +44 (0)1635 36971 e-mail: info@knowledge-insights.com
Directors: Debra Fox, Eric Kihlstrom, John Milner, Gill Ringland, Jonathan Soar, Dr Chris Yapp
Contents
Background .............................................................................................................................................2
The Need.................................................................................................................................................2
Workshop Purpose..................................................................................................................................2
Workshop Format...................................................................................................................................2
Syndicate Groups Models .......................................................................................................................3
Key Success Factors.................................................................................................................................4
Offer to Users of Content....................................................................................................................4
Offer to Professional Associations......................................................................................................4
Summary Findings...................................................................................................................................5
Next Steps...............................................................................................................................................5
Appendix 1 – Participants .......................................................................................................................6
Appendix 2 – Syndicates Notes – Group 1..............................................................................................7
Exercise 1 - Four Scenarios (Group 1).................................................................................................7
Exercise 2 - Offers and Wants (Group 1).............................................................................................7
Exercise 3 - Potential users (Group 1).................................................................................................8
Appendix 2 – Syndicates Notes – Group 2..............................................................................................8
Exercise 1 - Four Scenarios (Group 2).................................................................................................8
Exercise 2 - Offers and Wants (Group 2).............................................................................................9
Exercise 3 - Potential users (Group 2).................................................................................................9
Appendix 2 – Syndicates Notes – Group 3............................................................................................10
Exercise 1 - Four Scenarios (Group 3)...............................................................................................10
Exercise 2 - Offers and Wants (Group 3)...........................................................................................10
Exercise 3 - Potential users (Group 3)...............................................................................................11
Exercise 4 - Key Success Factors (All Groups) .......................................................................................12

Knowledge Insights
Background
On 5th March 2015, we held our third workshop in the series of “The Future of Membership
Associations” at the z/yen offices in London. The topic was Knowledge Sharing among
Professional Associations, all participants are listed in Appendix 1.
The Need
Professional Associations are facing a number of challenges. As new jobs emerge, one
estimate is that 65 percent of today's primary school students will grow up to work in jobs
that have not yet been invented. The changing nature of work, careers and demographic of
members are common concerns that have emerged from our previous events on the Future
of Membership Associations.
Professional Associations of all types are looking for ways of increasing their attractiveness
to their members, attracting new members, and finding new ways of engaging with non-
members in their profession, and with the wider public. The workshop focused on content –
training material, events, how to guides, etc, as one avenue for this.
Most Professional Associations maintain a structured set of events, publications and training
and qualification modules specifically related to their profession. So, the British Computer
Society maintains these in ICT. These form a ladder, which can be represented as the upright
of a “T”. But computer professionals as they get more senior need additional skills – e.g in
health and safety, or negotiating skills, or -------. And it is time consuming and costly for
individuals or Associations to form the links to get access to the modules – for training, case
studies, events – developed or run by Professional Associations other than their own. The
need is for this content, on the cross bar of the “T”, to be shared, of known quality, and to be
accessible through an agreed taxonomy.
Workshop Purpose
To explore with a few leading Professional Associations the opportunities for new revenue
streams and increased profile from: re- using existing or using new content, access by their
Members, by the wider public and by Members of other Professional Associations. Also to
consider a structure for Professional Associations that they could work with other owners of
content, set standards for trading content and operate at arm’s length in a neutral space for
trading content
Workshop Format
Working in three syndicate groups these four questions where discussed:
1. Four scenarios – Reflecting on scenarios for the future of Membership Associations,
where do they currently operate and where might they like to be in the future?
2. Offers & wants - Consider what would organisations like to share and like to be
available?
3. Potential users – Think about who might the consumers / contributors be and what
might they ask for?
4. Key success factors - What is required in this neutral space and the consortium to
make it work?

Knowledge Insights
Syndicate Groups Models
All three groups developed models to aid their discussion:
Figure 1 –Shows how a traditional member with deep expertise could transitions to two or
eventually more specialisms to gain greater breadth in the future.
Figure 2 – Shows how a
professional
association can think
about three distinct
audiences, internal,
their members and
members of other
collaborative
associations and the
public who might be
interested in the
profession. This
applies to both
individuals and
companies
Figure 3 – Shows a structure based on offerings across the traditional four life-cycle stages;
Figure 3
Figure 1
Figure 2

Knowledge Insights
Key Success Factors
Offer to Users of Content Offer to Professional Associations
Compelling Content & Online Hygiene factors
1. This offer must be compelling in
cost/time/value terms
2. Brand weight: transparency of content
brand owner
3. USP compared with organisations like
the CBI
4. Value (price would be one metric)
5. Quality of content
a. Content breadth with defined
scope
b. Price flexibility with some free
content
6. Futures perspective – if 65% of primary
school children will do jobs that don’t
currently exist then content must
reflect this
7. Simple to discover, accessible, easy to
use, transparent and secure
8. Quality of communication of the
content
9. Trust (users need to be able to trust the
content so it should not be advertorial)
10. Individual users would require:
11. Hygiene: secure, robust, 24/7
availability
12. Multi-lingual and tailored to regional
markets
13. Simple registration/sign-on even some
content un gated
14. Ability to provide feedback – tied to
both the individual and the page. Also
a process to review and respond to
feedback
A Consortium, Individual, Partners, Prof. Assoc.
1. Must solve a compelling problem
common to all professional associations
and potential users (both individuals
and corporates)
2. Good transparent governance
3. Right partners
4. Well defined business and pricing
model and benefits eg
a. Demonstrably greater reach
b. Ability to leapfrog internal
technical restraints
c. Avoidance of conflicts of
interest by not partnering with
competing organisations
5. A comprehensive marketing plan
including explicit ways of growing
participating organisations reach to
new audiences
6. Rules of collaboration (vital to maintain
trust)
7. Community coalescence (keep the
content coherent so that there is a
feeling of “us-ness” about the website)
8. Add to existing offerings and web site
9. Commitment from all content providers
to maintain and update their own
content
10. Rules around usage of their content to
be supplied by the content provider
/professional associations – cost, who
can access it etc.
11. Tracking of all content views and
purchases – tracking statistics to be
provided to all content providers

Knowledge Insights
Summary Findings
Two strands emerged in the discussion the:
1. Need for a set of training and other material covering the core needs of any business
and with the first target SMEs – finance, HR, legal, marketing, facilities
2. Opportunity for sharing across a more specialised area e.g. medicine, engineering,
ethics, foresight.
The details captured are summarised in the attached at Appendix 2.
Next Steps
To make this happen we will start with the core set of topics and seek to set up a consortium
of interested Professional Associations with agreed target markets. We will discuss with them
the need for a formal structure, its nature, and funding. We will propose a simple transparent
business model for a startup.
At the same time we will work with interested parties to set up a pilot web site, capable of
providing extra revenue. This will use a SaaS platform which is separate from and can be
accessed through the existing web sites of Professional Associations, or directly. The platform
enforces algorithms for charging in multiple currencies; manages access rights; and handles
pdfs, video clips, images and graphics, etc.
For more information contact info@knowledge-insights.com, or check our web site
www.knowledge-insights.com .

Knowledge Insights
Appendix 1 – Participants
Royal Town Planning Institute Andy Levene
TechUK Adam Lincoln
Knowledge Insights Alison Hagger
ITMSA Bev Burgess
SAMI Consulting Cathy Dunn
Charterer Institute of Marketing Chris Daly
Strategic Planning Society Chris Hafner
Charterer Institute of Personnel Development Claire Bishop
Knowledge Insights Debra Fox
Knowledge Insights Emma Cox
Knowledge Insights Gill Ringland
SAMI Consulting Hue Williams
Zyen Ian Harris
Ashridge Communications Ian Phillips
Royal Society of Medicine Janice Liverseidge
Law Society Jenny Crewe
Career Innovation Jonathan Winter
Non-Executive Directors Association Louis Cooper
Charterer Institute of Personnel Development Sam Whittaker
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Sarah Hathaway
Charterer Institute of Personnel Development Sinead Burke
Assoc. of Learned & Professional Society of Publishers Suzanne Kavanagh
Association of Accounting Technicians Tracy Allison

Knowledge Insights
Appendix 2 – Syndicates Notes – Group 1
Exercise 1 - Four Scenarios (Group 1)
Reflecting on scenarios for the future of Membership Associations, where do they currently
operate and where might they like to be in the future?
All felt their PA were positioned in at least two of the four scenarios on the matrix, eg:
>Publishers – aspiration to be
joined up, in reality priest-hood
and café flux
>AAT – paid services closed,
gives value to subscription.
Law society – priesthood for
membership with member
benefits; joined up for public
>CIPD – elements of
membership priesthood at
different levels; joined up for
public work; café flux for new
areas e.g. international
expansion. Maybe moving
towards priesthood: looking to
tailor membership offer to
different types of members
>ACCA – global organisation,
approx 50% members in UK.
Lots provided for general public but move towards more membership only/priesthood.
Suggested that most Professional Associations will always have an aspect of Priesthood as
charging for membership and offering members some benefits other cannot get. PAs with
‘old boy’ network as governance to move towards masonic cartels. Potential for some aspects
to move to Joined Up to expand globally and extend their brand and reach
Exercise 2 - Offers and Wants (Group 1)
Consider what would organisations like to share and like to
be available?
During the discussion it emerged that their where three
audiences that they would want to share and have access:
1. Internal to employees of Professional Associations
2. Their members and other association’s members
3. Global/Interested Public.
These three could be further segmented to consider
individuals and business e.g. if HR director of a company
deciding on how their organisation trains its accountants.

Knowledge Insights
Exercise 3 - Potential users (Group 1)
Think about who might the consumers / contributors be and what might they ask for?
Topic of Interest Raised by Offering Wanting
Developing Forums/dynamic
groups of members
ACCA Yes Getting members creating content for
members
Careers advice AAT eg interview skills, which lots of PAs must be
doing
HR advice CIPD Yes
Apprenticeships CIPD Consortium to develop and offer
apprenticeships in PAs
CPD/qualifications Publishers Materials for ‘generic’ skills to enhance
membership offer eg developing digital skills
Making business successful Law Society Yes –
legal
aspects
eg DP
Law
Law Society provides business consultancy to
members, but would like modules eg HR,
career development, digital. ; help in
business aspects to enhance membership
offer
Skills and knowledge for Boards ACCA As well as current best practice for Boards,
also helping junior/entry levels start
developing these skills
Framework for problem solving
for members
T traditionally the member of a PA has been a deep specialist with only a little breadth
M now it seems that more and more have two specialisms and would like to be members of more
than one PA and generally have greater breadth.

Knowledge Insights
Consider what would organisations like to share and like to be available?
CIPD would welcome access to a wider range of training and other materials to extend their
offer to corporates, beyond their core. Topics mentioned were finance, business analysis,
strategy and also soft skills such as interviewing.
RSM would also welcome this portfolio, and also a focus for material across the range of
medical specialities.
The group thought that the scope could also include material from private companies as long
as it was of the required quality and reputation.
1. Where can I get thought leadership on a topic? (without being ‘sold to’)
2. Where can I get the latest information on x?
3. Would I rather pay to get article/info, etc rather than simply give out my email address?
4. How do I get a job in x? (or a better job)
5. Is there an event on x near me in the next y days?
6. How can I find out more about x in the next y time (hours/days, etc)?
7. How do I deal with a particular situation (whatever it might be)?
8. Can I find a quality controlled YouTube type service and, if so, where?
9. Is there event streaming available? (cf the RSA events)
10. Where’s a meaningful forum to continue conversations around specific content?
11. Can this be a networking substitute or enhancement?
12. Who knows about x or knows a specialist in x?
13. My degree was in x, how can I move to a career in y?
14. Where do I get the required portfolio of training for myself or for my staff?
15. Where (or how) do I find my opposite number or a specific specialist in another association?
16. Are we thinking of ‘shared services’ for PAs?
17. How do I deal with Trustees?
18. What’s the governance process?
19. What’s best practice in the governance process?
20. Or just what’s best practice in x?
21. What’s the best way of organising Regions/Branches, etc
22. How can I offer my expertise to the next generation?
23. Where do I find a good mentor/coach?
24. Why would I go to this site?
25. Is it free or paid for?

Knowledge Insights
Group 3 found these scenarios a useful way to think about their organisations. ITSMA has
corporate members rather than individuals so is about sharing. NEDA helps non-Execs so has
no formal qualifications. The others all offer some form of accreditation and have exams.
Consider what would organisations like to share and like to be available?
Using a structure based around the way NEDA builds its offerings. NEDA has offerings across
the 4 life-cycle phases; CIPD, CIM and RTPI across the first three – were interested in idea of
the fourth. ITSMA was much more focussed on phases 2 and 3.
1. ENTRY - All apart from NEDA worked with students, some with schools. In some cases
accredited college courses were accepted as credits towards a professional qualification.

Knowledge Insights
2. DEVELOPMENT - Offers and wants included: Job hunting, finding candidates, CPD, Tools,
best practice case studies. Delivered by conferences, website, events, newsletters, branch
meetings. Also awards and recognition to help people demonstrate progress, improve CV
3. SENIORS - Mainly networking, thought leadership and giving back to the community.
4. EXIT/SUCCESSION - Mainly networking
5. All the organisations also identified– LOBBYING on behalf of the community – developing
generic policies, conducting research and just championing the profession.
1. ENTRY (and pre-entry)
WHO WHAT VALUE
Schoolchildren Creating awareness of the profession, what it is and what
subjects you need to study.
Only to profession
itself
Students Accredited courses giving credits to professional
qualification
Value to colleges
Students Material to help pass exams Low

Knowledge Insights
2. DEVELOP
WHO WHAT VALUE
Junior
members
Want to broaden my skills. How do I do X? What tools can
I use?
Low, increasing with
seniority
All Accredited CPD Medium, increasing
with seniority
All How to impress my boss – speaking opportunities, awards Low to medium
SME Specialist assistance, helplines – eg unfair dismissals,
finance
Medium to high
Career
movers
Building a career plan; what competencies do I need?
What opportunities are there? What else can I do
Low- Generic High -
Tailored & personal
3. SENIORS
WHO WHAT VALUE
New board
member
Want to broaden my skills. What do I need to know to be
on the Board?
Medium, higher if
tailored
Senior execs How to be the best in the field? Benchmarking, 360
reviews, improvement plan
High to Very High;
must be tailored
Senior Execs How to show off? Give talks, win top awards,
demonstrate though-leadership
Medium
Senior Execs;
SMEs
Keeping up to date – digital tech/mkt; regulations;
governance; helplines; safe and trusted sources
Medium
Board
members
How well is the Board performing High; tailored
All seniors Where is the profession going? What’s the next big thing?
Discussions, forums
Medium to High
All seniors Opportunities to mentor Low to Medium
Exercise 4 - Key Success Factors (All Groups)
What is required in this neutral space and the consortium to make it work?
1. Defined roles; Association Employees, Customers (interested public) and Members of
at least one of the consortium
2. Openness (question why they then need membership) vs. regulatory/closed
3. Visibility of who is accessing content and how to keep direct e.g. at present, if a
member from X company accesses Y information, PA can contact them and offer
other support e.g. training
4. Credibility and trust will be important if to succeed
5. What to do if clashing views (e.g. if several PAs offer info on the same subject)?
6. Discoverable access – who knows what information we have already? Must be easy
to access
7. Joint badging – want to maintain profile to members, for both PA supplying the
content and the PA whose member access it

Knowledge Insights
8. Marketing important: a hub which is seen as the first point of call for expert advice,
easily accessible. Create a strong and valued voice as PAs – showing important role
for professional bodies.
9. Right partners
10. Clearly defined offering e.g. legal + HR + ? then scale up with marketing etc.
11. Well defined business model and benefits
12. Good transparent governance (BACS example)
13. Feedback loops – regular updates on research etc.
14. Commitment from all content providers to maintain and update their own content
15. Rules around content usage to be supplied by the content provider – cost, who can
access it etc.
16. Simple to discover, accessible
17. Transparency of content brand owner
18. Tracking of all content views and purchases – tracking stats to be provided to all
content providers
19. Some free content (there was a suggestion that this should be viewable without
logging in or registering but this would make tracking impossible)
20. Futures perspective – if 65% of primary school children will do jobs that don’t
currently exist then content must reflect this
21. Rules of collaboration (to maintain trust)
22. Value (price would be one metric)
23. Quality of content
24. Quality of communication of the content (discussed success of TED.com)
25. Trust (users need to be able to trust the content so it should not be advertorial)
26. Community coalescence (keep the content coherent so that there is a feeling of “us-
ness” about the website)
27. Collaboration is not a success factor in itself but increasing the value of the product
by virtue of collaboration is.
28. Individual users would require:
a. Content breadth
b. Brand weight
c. USP compared with organisations like the CBI
d. Price flexibility with some free content
e. Hygiene: secure, robust, 24/7 availability
f. Well marketed (possibly get an organisation to sponsor this – a bank
interested in SMEs was suggested though this was questioned by some as
undermining users trust in the site)
g. Multi-lingual and tailored to regional markets
29. Professional organisations would require:
h. Demonstrably greater reach
i. Ability to leapfrog internal technical restraints
j. Avoidance of conflicts of interest by not partnering with competing
organisations

Knowledge Insights
30. Must solve a compelling problem common to all professional associations and
potential users (both individuals and corporates)
31. This offer must be compelling in cost/time/value terms
32. Website must be easy to use, transparent and secure
33. A compelling value proposition to professional associations and their members
34. A comprehensive marketing plan including explicit ways of growing participating
organisations reach to new audiences
35. Content boundaries: marketing content from a marketing professional association
would take precedence over marketing content from other types of association
36. Pricing models
37. Rules of engagement including how relevancy is ensured
38. Clearly expressed benefits to professional associations
39. Clear plan for attracting new customers focussing on key groups to start with
40. Rules of engagement covering professional organisations with overlapping
interests/content provision
41. A clear set of shared principles and benefits to be signed up to by all participating
organisations
42. Website easy to find and easy to use
43. Simple registration/sign-on
44. Ability to provide feedback – tied to both the individual and the page. Also a process
to review and respond to feedback
45. Agreed funding formula – taking into account the size of an organisation and any
non-financial contribution
46. Joint professional standards signed up to by all participating organisations
47. Members of individual societies to be given benefits (or credits) reflecting their
individual membership

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