Responsive Web Design – Associations, Listen Up!

Responsive Design has been the buzz word along with “Big Data” in the association community for the past year and there’s a good reason why. With 2013 deemed “The Year of Responsive Design” by Mashable.com, as well as forecasted by many to be the year that mobile browsing surpasses desktop browsing, associations need to have a solid mobile solution.

As all of us have now become comfortable with carrying and relying on multiple devices (tablets, smartphones, laptops, desktops) to tackle our work and manage our communications, we will no doubt embrace even more as new and evolved products continue to infiltrate the market. Just consider the tabtop and phablet.

If associations want their content to be consumed, then they must think beyond traditional mobile sites and native apps as there one and only mobile solution, and really look at their website.

In a recent interview with ResultsDirect’s Cecilia Satovich on DelCor Sweet Spot Live, I asked her the big questions surrounding responsive design, the triumphs, challenges, and reasons why she considers it a solid solution.

Is your association considering moving to a responsive web design? What are the questions you still have?

ASAE #Tech12 Recovery – Interviews & Brian Solis!

Last week the annual ASAE Technology Conference took place in Washington, DC, as well as the Higher Logic User Group (HUG) and DelCor’s first ever user group, DUG. As an outgoing three year member of the ASAE Technology Council that helps choose the sessions for #Tech12, it was feeling of accomplishment, as well as reunion of sorts for the bustling association tech community. My overview on the Conference will be posted to the DelCor blog tomorrow, so look there for more details from the event! 

However, one moment worth mentioning twice was meeting the opening keynote of #Tech12, Brian Solis. A big fan of his books and blogs, it was an honor shaking his hand and grabbing a quick photo with the business analyst.

For more on the Conference, as well as my interview with Craig Sorrell, the Project Coordinator at AIHA, please read my post on the DelCor blog tomorrow.

Blogging & Skyscrapers

Wowser, It’s been a busy few months and my goal of blogging more is well, suffering as you can see. I’ve been a horrible blogger on my own personal site, as well as on DelCor’s, although I’m making one hell of a blog coach to the DelCor staff as our blogger competition ramps up. Whistles up!

So, in case you didn’t know, I host this little bi-weekly show for DelCor called Sweet Spot Live where I get to cover association and tech-related topics of my choice for an 30 mins to an hour every other Friday from 12:30-1:30pm ET. This Friday I just happen to be attending The Washington DC Chapter of the User Experience Professionals Association event, so it’ll be an extra little perk to share some of what I’ve learned during the morning sessions. I’ve had the opportunity to interview some outstanding guests from the National Association of County and City Health Officials  as well as Dave Coriale, my boss and the President of DelCor, on his travels to Dreamforce 12. Definitely check out the archived shows if you get a chance and join the next live show, which just happens to include a live chat too which goes great with a bagged lunch. *hint hint*

One thing I love about being a consultant is constant learning, and I recently just interviewed Vivian Zhang and Sammi Liu, organizers of the Council of Tall Buildings & Urban Habitats World Congress in Shanghai, China. Our podcast is on MCI Group’s blog if you get a chance to read the full post.  

Podcast – Council of Tall Buildings & Urban Habitats World Congress Shanghai – Part 1

 

Please share your blogging secrets with me if you got ‘em! What are your tips for blogging on the run?  

Courage for the Unknown

Liv Tyler by Ruven Afanador

“We must assume our existence as broadly as we in any way can; everything, even the unheard-of, must be possible in it. That is at bottom the only courage that is demanded of us; to have courage for the most strange, the most singular and the most inexplicable that we may encounter.”

-Rainer Marie Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet 

I came across this passage this afternoon, highlighted in my paperback copy “Feb 2006″ in pen. I have no idea what I was doing in February 2006 or why I felt the need to document the date, but I do know that Rilke’s intellect and prose is just as moving in 1934 as 2006 and now, in 2012.  He writes this to the young poet who has suffered a great loss, but his words apply to everyone who has or is navigating through transitional periods in life. Whether starting a new career or a new project, fear of the unknown and our boundless insecurities seem to arise. This is a reminder to push through. That we are so much more than we ever imagined.

Megan Berry, LiftFive Founder & Klout’s former Marketing Lead to Guest on Sweet Spot 6/29!

Associations have always been in the business of community building and advocacy. Like almost every other company out there, associations are (or should be) eagerly trying to catch up with technology trends and discover where discussions are taking place online surrounding their industry.

Many association executives struggle with learning the social media tools, messaging, and means of engagement and aren’t sure how to properly lead their organization and staff into building dedicated social media programs.

On Friday, June 29 from 12:30-1:30pm EST, Megan Berry will join DelCor’s Sweet Spot Live host Kylee Coffman to discuss what associations can do now to help build their online communities.

Megan Berry is the Founder of LiftFive, partnered with Lerer Ventures to help top startups with social. She previously led marketing at Klout for two years, after starting as the fourth employee. She blogs about social media on the Huffington Post, Mashable and more.  

Basically, yes, you will want to ask her questions while the opportunity comes a’knockin. Have a question you’d like to ask her in advance? Post your comment below! You can also follow her on Twitter at @meganberry.

Mark your calendar! It’s gonna be a good one.

Confused about the cloud?

For the last live episode of DelCor Social Media Sweet Spot I decided to explore that fuzzy and oh-so-popular term, “The Cloud.” There are a ton of misconceptions out there about what a cloud is and can/can’t do, so I met with Partner and Vice President of DelCor, Brian Sheehan to discuss in advance of the live show.

My DelCor Sweet Spot guest later that week was Laurence Hart, CIO, The Global Community of Information Professionals (AIIM), and master tweeter @Piewords. While he wouldn’t let me in on the secret story behind his Twitter handle, he did answer a wide range of questions surrounding cloud computing.

If you can’t view the Sweet Spot interview with Laurence (above), please just follow this link.

DelCor Social Media Sweet Spot: Round Deux with Renato Sogueco

So, I’ve been quiet for a few weeks and there’s a good excuse for why. I joined the incredible team at DelCor as a Senior Consultant, Technology & Digital Strategies on April 3. For those of you who know DelCor, you know what a hard-working, smart, and passionate group of technologists it’s comprised of. Also, you might know about the DelCor Social Media Sweet Spot that former DelCorian KiKi L’Italien hosted. Sweet Spot is a live web show that happens every other week from 12:30pm – 1pm ET. As the new host of Sweet Spot, I was honored to interview Renato Sogueco, Chief Information Officer for the Society of American Florists (SAF), and current Chair of the ASAE Technology Council. I didn’t include today’s entire Sweet Spot episode due to a freak browser/audio-recording error that plagued my MacBook, but here’s the interview portion with Renato. He shared the great work that the Tech Council has been doing as well as some productivity tips for mobile warriors.

Big thanks to Renato for the interview. More good stuff to come.

Recap of Association Chat: Career Development for Association Professionals #assnchat

Association Chat happens on Twitter every Tuesday at 2 pm ET and is usually hosted by @kikiliatlien – but I had the lucky chance to step in for the week. Full recap here. 

Read the full recap here. 

Scenes from the Unofficial #ASAEtech Council’s March Radness Happy Hour

Big thanks to everyone who came out to the Unofficial #ASAEtech Council’s MARCH RADNESS Happy Hour last week, and even bigger thanks to DelCor for sponsoring the event. Contributions from those who attended equalled 180 meals, a wonderful way to kick-off DelCor’s 10th Annual Food Drive!! If you’re interested in learning how your association can get involved, please contact Bill Walker, Marketing Manager, Delcor at BWalker[at]Delcor[dot}com.

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Follow updates on upcoming association tech news via #ASAEtech or @kyleecoffman.

 

Unofficial #ASAETech MARCH RADNESS happening Thur, March 15!

I wouldn’t be a true DCer if I didn’t love a solid happy hour that also supplies me with an excuse to write silly limericks and support a good cause.

As part of my work on the ASAE Technology Council, this year I’ve been put in charge of organizing the Council’s monthly happy hours which occur on the third Thursday of every month, after our Council meeting at ASAE headquarters.

That’s why I’m super excited that DelCor is sponsoring and co-organizing MARCH RADNESS, happening this Thursday, March 15 from 4-8pm at P.J. Clarke’s in DC. 

Be RAD & celebrate March Madness! Come to the Unofficial #ASAEtech Council & DelCor Technology Solutions MARCH RADNESS Happy Hour on Thursday, March 15 between 4-8pm at P.J. Clarke’s (Washington, DC).

The happy hour will act as a kickoff to DelCor’s Community Food Drive. Help us fill the POT O’GOLD with a $10 contribution to celebrate 10 years and learn how your org can support this year’s food drive.

RSVP TODAY and BRING YOUR PARTY GREEN for hoops and hops.

LISTEN: to the MARCH RADNESS SPOTIFY PLAYLIST to get your groove on.

ASSOCIATION EXECS: HEAR YE, HEAR YE:
The first drink’s on Delcor for the first 30 of you to arrive!!!

Have an awesome limerick? Add it to the Facebook Event Page for a chance to win some exciting gifts at the Happy Hour!

Follow the discussion on Twitter at #ASAEtech