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In short, a requirements document outlines all of the features and functionalities that your association needs for its LMS. Think of it as a wishlist for your perfect system!

Creating a requirements document may seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually not as difficult as it sounds–and taking the time to create a thorough document will pay off in the long run!

A requirements document will ensure that your association gets the LMS that meets all of your specific needs, without leaving you feeling disappointed or frustrated down the line.

Not sure how to start? Don’t worry–we’ve got you covered. Here are our top tips to get you started:

4 Steps to Creating a Requirements Document

1. Define Your Goals

Before you start writing an exhaustive list of every feature you think would be nice to have in an LMS, take a step back and define your goals. Ask yourself:

• What are you looking to achieve with your LMS?
• Do you want to provide online learning opportunities for your members?
• Do you want to reduce administrative burdens?
• Do you want to create a more engaging member experience?

Once you’ve defined your goals, you can start narrowing down your list to features that will help you achieve those goals—and identifying the ones that are simply nice-to-haves.

2. Involve Stakeholders Early

The requirements document isn’t just for you; it’s also meant to be shared with vendors during the RFP/vendor search process. That’s why it’s important to involve key stakeholders early on in the process so that everyone has a chance to provide input.

Is there a need for integration with other key systems, like an association management system? Will you need to customize the LMS for specific workflows within your association?

After all, you don’t want to find yourself in a situation where the vendor provides a system that meets all of your needs but fails to meet the needs of another key stakeholder group!

By involving stakeholders early, you can avoid potential conflict down the road and ensure that everyone is on board with the final decision.

3. Be as Specific as Possible

When outlining the features and functionalities you need in an LMS, be as specific as possible. Include things like:

• The types of content you need to be able to upload (SCORM-based courses, videos, PDFs, etc.)
• The number of users you need to be able to access the system at the same time
• The kinds of reporting features you need
• The types of integration with third-party vendors (Quickbooks, AMS, Zoom, etc.) you want to include

The more precise you are in your requirements document, the simpler it will be for vendors to understand exactly what you’re seeking (and whether they’re able to supply it).

4. Make Sure It’s Feasible

Last but not least, make sure that everything on your list is actually feasible within your budget and your timeline. The best way to determine feasibility is to share your requirements document with vendors either during the RFP/vendor selection process or early in your initial conversations.

Ask vendors if they feel their system is a good fit for your requirements, and see what kind of suggestions (or concerns) they have about the specific features or functionalities you’ve outlined. By getting insight from vendors on feasibility, you can better prioritize your requirements and make the decisions that are best for your organization.

You may also like: Top 5 Reasons To Replace An e-Learning Vendor

Conclusion:

Creating a requirements document can sound difficult, but by following these simple tips, you’ll realize it’s easier than you think!

Creating a comprehensive requirements document is essential in discovering the right LMS for your member-based organization.

By involving key stakeholders early on, being specific in your requirements, and considering feasibility, you can create a list of requirements that truly reflects your needs–and helps you find the LMS that achieves them all!

So, make sure to take your time and create a thorough document–it’ll pay off in spades later when you’re implementing your shiny new LMS.

Happy searching!

The post How Requirements Documents Help Your Association Obtain the Perfect LMS appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Tool: Social Media (and Related Apps)

Next to your association’s website, social media may be the next most commonly pointed-to source of potential. On social media platforms (like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter), you can reach out to your members directly.

While IT support and ticketing systems will always be the main way to solve problems, people are becoming increasingly more likely to reach out to organizations on social media–especially when it comes to more general questions or concerns. When this happens, be sure to listen; timely and helpful responses are always appreciated.

Social media doesn’t just go one way, however; if your association is wondering about the wants and needs of its members, don’t hesitate–reach out to them! Consider using the poll option if your question is more of the multiple-choice variety.

Hootsuite

Running an association involves a lot of administration and coordination, so simplify things by making use of media management platforms like Hootsuite. Hootsuite lets you queue posts on your social channels ahead of time, meaning you can schedule blocks of content when it’s most convenient for you. Keep your members up to date with regularly released association news and articles; consistent posting helps improve engagement!

Canva

If you find it difficult to design marketing copy, graphic design platforms like Canva could be the perfect tool to help you out. Canva lets you create quality ads, posts, slides, articles, and more–if it’s something that can be formatted, Canva probably has it. Grab your members’ attention with chic, eye-catching posts and boost your overall social media value.

You may also like: Webinar blog: 5 Powerful Growth Strategies to Boost Non-Dues Revenue for Your Association in 2022 and Beyond

Conclusion

While the ever-expanding field of technology may seem daunting, bar associations have more tools and strategies available to them now than ever before. Don’t miss out on all the ways you can increase your support to members, build trust, and boost engagement; instead, look into improving your website, enhancing your research techniques, implementing cloud computing, bolstering your online security, and increasing your social media’s value. With the right tools in your belt, you’ll be able to help your members survive and thrive in the present and beyond!

The post Technology Tips and Tools to Help Bar Associations Build Trust and Support Members – Part 5 appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Tip: Safety First

You want your association’s data to be accessible, but not too accessible–at least, not to the wrong people! Keep your files secure by looking into your online security. You want your members to know their data is safe in your hands, and that they can trust your association’s cyber savvy.

Educate

First, educate: yourself, your staff, and your members. You can’t spot a problem you don’t know exists, so make sure to offer resources on how to spot scams, fraud, phishing, and other heinous tricks.

Teach everyone about password control: users should change their passwords regularly, employ two-factor authentication, consider using secure password managers, and lock their computers when away from the keyboard. Additionally, make sure to use only secure wifi connections; if there’s no lock symbol, it shouldn’t be trusted. By pairing all of this with regular network testing, your users should be able to stay safe–and your data will stay where it belongs!

Assess

You want to keep your association’s various functions safe (and trustworthy!), so look into having online security audits performed on your system. Set up yearly on-site data security assessments and encrypt your information. Use VPNs whenever possible as an additional precaution.

You should also inform your staff of any risks, and set up protocol on what to do should someone make a mistake. It’s better to know there’s a problem and respond than to rugsweep and pretend it never happened!

Protect

One way to increase the security of your online environment and simplify password management for your members is to standardize authentication across all your online solutions. This is made possible using single sign-on (SSO) cloud technology. Single sign-on (SSO) is a user authentication process that allows for access to multiple online applications with one set of credentials.

In addition to greatly enhancing the online experience of your members (they login only once to access multiple services!), SSO reduces password fatigue and facilitates the adoption of stronger password policies. Just make sure that prior to implementation, you consider what SSO protocols are supported by your preferred software solutions and confirm that they can connect.

You may also like: Post-Purchase Service: Why It’s Crucial When Picking an LMS Vendor

Conclusion

When doing anything online, you want to make sure you’re practicing good digital hygiene. Inform your bar association of the dangers associated with the web, audit your tech, and remind members to safeguard their credentials. They say the best defense is a good offense, but the reverse is often also true!

Next time, we’ll be concluding our Vocalmeet/Lexum article series with one of the best support (and engagement!) tools of all: social media.

The post Technology Tips and Tools to Help Bar Associations Build Trust and Support Members – Part 4 appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Tool: the Cloud

You may have heard of “cloud computing” (or just, “the cloud”) before, but what is it? It refers to information and processing power that is housed online, rather than on-site. You aren’t pulling files from your own computer’s memory but directly from online storage. This type of computing provides fast, on-demand service that anyone with access to the internet can take advantage of.

SaaS

Software as a Service (or SaaS) is a type of software that lives directly in the cloud, meaning it’s easy to access on any device. Many platforms run on SaaS because you can use them directly on their respective websites–no extra programs or downloads necessary! With their convenience and easy integration capability, SaaS platforms are a great solution when it comes to different types of association systems (be they association, member, learning management, or more).

Document Retrieval and the Cloud

“The cloud” isn’t just for hosting platforms–it can help you store association documents! This not only makes things super accessible, but it can allow your organization to improve its consistency and formatting.

Imagine: all of your document templates in one place, easy to download to your device and modify whenever you want. Member application forms, event submission forms, testimonial submissions, surveys–the sky’s the limit! You can streamline a number of administrative tasks this way, and improve your association’s overall data organization while you’re at it.

Solutions that support members in retrieving legal documentation and collaborating online also exist to help your bar association out. Not only this–some of them don’t even require changing the way you operate and produce your documents! Whether you’re using your desktop, tablet, or phone, you can search and load reference material quickly and easily, as well as make and share notes with clients and colleagues–a must in any data-driven industry (like the legal sector!).

You may also like: Making Your Content More Accessible Does Not Mean Introducing More Complicated Technology

Conclusion

While the term “cloud computing” can sound daunting, don’t let it inject fear into the heart of your bar association; leverage the right cloud technology, and you’ll discover a world of increased ease and efficiency!

Tune in (or click on) next week for our article all about web safety!

The post Technology Tips and Tools to Help Bar Associations Build Trust and Support Members – Part 3 appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Tip: Enhance Your Research

The ability to research effectively is a crucial skill in many jobs–especially when in connection with the law: for bar associations and their members alike, fast, accurate legal research capability is essential. Because of this, it’s important to properly organize your association content and boost its accessibility by making it as easy as possible to find; this is particularly important if your association is promoting CLE training and publications. Thankfully, there are a few proven approaches to do exactly that!

Leverage Document Software Designed Specifically for Legal Research

When providing access to legal material, bar associations should use a solution that facilitates searching, highlighting, and annotating legal documents. It’s important to pick one that’s user-friendly and intuitive, as well as one that fully integrates with your website and your learning management platform. You want something that’s a pleasure to use and that allows seamless navigation with the rest of your web environment. For this reason, white-label integration is a must!

And, because you’ll likely be using it frequently, you’ll want one that loads quickly. Focus on SaaS applications (we’ll get to that in the next post!) so you can access content directly on your browser; no external programs means you don’t need to worry about access points (or about carrying around your work PC!). Not only that–web-based solutions are also more likely to incorporate the latest innovations for saving bandwidth and loading time, such as dynamic caches, lazy-loading, and infinite scrolling.

Provide Advanced Search Capabilities

Any modern legal research solution should allow users to combine full-text search in the body of your documents with search-by fields (such as date, author, field of law, etc.). At the minimum, your search engine should support Boolean operators, including:

• AND: Adding “AND” means all linked words must be included.
  • For instance, searching pink AND blue AND green will only give you results that include all three colors; this limits your results.
• OR: Using “OR” means one or the other–not both.
  • For instance, searching pink OR blue OR green will give you results that give you only pink, only blue, or only green–but not a combination of any of them; this gives you a larger pool of more specific results.
• NOT: Searching “NOT” filters out results that contain the word.
  • For instance, searching pink NOT blue NOT green will only give you results for pink, removing anything that mentions blue and/or green; this considerably fine-tunes your results.

Ideally, however, your research solution should also enable users to complete proximity searches; for instance, it should allow for searching within sentences (/s) or paragraphs (/p). Wildcard operators (*) are also highly appreciated by legal researchers, as they allow truncated words and look for all derivatives of a keyword from a single query. For instance, if one were to search “injunct*” to get documents, the solution would also match either “injunction” or “injunctive”. The best legal search solutions provide stemming capability by default, weighing in the possible derivatives (including singular and plural forms!) in their lists of results automatically. Now, that’s helpful!

You’ll probably agree that a common annoyance when browsing the Web is getting a long list of search results without any context about why you’ve received these results in the first place. To guarantee your members reach the pages and documents you invested your efforts in, make sure your search results page guides them in the right direction.

Employing the use of short snippets that are automatically generated from the body of your content and include keywords in context (in bold) are a must. Various ranking mechanisms (by relevance, but also by date, by popularity, etc) can also aid members in their searches. In addition, your members will greatly appreciate the ability to refine their searches directly from the results page (instead of clicking back and forth between distinct search and results pages)!

Finally, when your members reach their destination on the page or document you’ve produced, why not help them navigate it even faster with keyword highlights? This is particularly relevant for larger publications, in which the significant content may be hidden deep within the document.

Curious to see how all of this advice can be combined in practice? Here’s how the State Bar of Wisconsin has done it for its Books Unbound service!

You may also like: Academic vs Association LMS: 4 Key Differences

Conclusion

Research improvements can’t be overlooked when it comes to boosting value for bar associations. With the right tools and savvy, you’ll be able to offer your members an unparalleled search experience!

Next week: the Cloud!

The post Technology Tips and Tools to Help Bar Associations Build Trust and Support Members – Part 2 appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Thankfully, we’re here to help! This series of posts produced in collaboration between Vocalmeet and Lexum will cover our top tips and tools to help your bar association make the most of what the internet has to offer:

Tool: Your Website

It may feel like a cop-out to start with what’s arguably the most obvious tool in your association’s belt–its website–but it’s a crucial factor that can be easily overlooked.

Build a Solid Base

Regardless of what you’re making, it needs to have a solid base. The same is true for your association’s website: if your site isn’t visually attractive and user-friendly, you’re already losing out on potential members.

First, make sure your website is modern: if it looks like it was built before Y2K, you’re not going to find much success. It’s hard not to judge a book by its cover when you’re browsing the net, so if you want to keep your audience on your page, make sure your site’s design is snappy, clear, and interesting.

Pay attention to both the user interface (how your website is laid out) and the user experience (how it feels to use your website); if either of these is lacking, you’re going to frustrate your members. Frustrated members are more likely to wander, so be sure to make the process of using your site painless for everyone involved.

A good way to achieve this is through integration. If all of your website’s sections–whether that means your store, forums, continuing legal education, blog, or more–are properly integrated, your users will be able to navigate your site with ease. Additionally, integration means a more seamless experience with more consistent branding. If all your pages match, members are less likely to get confused. In this line of thought, make sure to pick white-label solutions (in this case, software that can be purchased and rebranded to match your association) when relying on third-party vendors to power some of these sections.

You’ll also want to beef up your site’s search functionality. This is especially important when it comes to your continuing legal education courses or publications, of course (members can’t purchase material they can’t find!) but it also applies to your site as a whole. Allow for an array of filtering options; you could include sections for keywords, categories, fields of law, popular posts/courses/books, speaker/poster, profiles, pages, and more! (Look out for part 2 in this series, where we’ll go into more detail on this topic.)

If your bar association is partnered with other quality organizations, consider adding a section presenting them and their logo. For instance, if you run a county bar association that belongs to a larger collective (for instance, a state bar association), you can indicate this with their brand image. This will show your members you belong to a larger network of credible organizations–promoting your peers and proving your reliability in a single step! (Just make sure you get permission first.)

Captivate Members

Catching the attention of members may sound difficult, but there are a number of ways you can accomplish it.

First, you’ll want to put context-specific member testimonials at the front and center of your page (or somewhere else easily accessible!). For instance, on a page dedicated to a practice guide, try to include some feedback from practitioners heavily relying on it. After all, who better to promote your products and services than the members who use them? If you don’t have a stock of reviews available, don’t worry; you can offer CE program discounts or vouchers to those who submit them! Soon, you’ll have plenty of quality member quotes to use.

Your association should also establish a knowledge hub section on its site. This can encompass a variety of formats–videos, blog articles, Ask Me Anything sessions (whether they take the form of livestreams, recorded live sessions, or forum threads), news updates, anything! If you find it useful or interesting, your members likely will, too. By establishing a broad, frequently updated body of resources, your members will be more inclined to keep coming back for more.

Finally, you can appeal to the kid in all of us: achievement badges! By offering digital badges (also known as eBadges) for accomplishments like completing programs or course tracks, you get to reward loyal members with a virtual sticker. Members can then display their badges on their profiles or on social media–showing off their accolades and promoting your association at the same time! Everyone likes to be validated for their hard work, and you’ll be scratching that “collector’s itch” for some of your audience.

You may also like: Let’s Get Digital: 3 Strategies to Boost Member Engagement Online

Conclusion

When you’re looking to boost engagement, you can’t go wrong with a sleek, appealing website. Make it intuitive, make it fun, and make it smart–your members will appreciate it!

Looking for more tips and tools? Have no fear, this article is just the start! Check in next week for our tips to enhance your research ability.

The post Technology Tips and Tools to Help Bar Associations Build Trust and Support Members – Part 1 appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.