OPERATIONS PLAN – 2015
Purpose
The Operations Plan is to provide foundational information required for operating the Austin ATD Chapter. These plans
align with CARE and membership expectations.
Table of Contents
Purpose ................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
OPERATIONAL PLAN ................................................................................................................................................................ 2
the 2015 Plan ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Purpose ........................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Scope ............................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Focus Areas ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Chapter Goals .................................................................................................................................................................. 3
CARE Minimal Requirement............................................................................................................................................ 3
Board Approved CARE Activities for 2015 ...................................................................................................................... 4
Progams, Professional Development and Special Interest Groups ................................................................................ 4
Communications and Public Relations ............................................................................................................................ 5
Membership .................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Volunteers ....................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Finance ............................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Technology ...................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Succession Planning and Leader Development .............................................................................................................. 8
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OPERATIONAL PLAN
2015 CARE Requirement
the 2015 Plan
Purpose
Scope
Austin Chapter of ATD operational plan sets forth the intended actions in support of CARE
strategic plans and the Chapter’s mission to advance Austin’s Area learning and talent
development community.
All aspects of the Austin ATD chapter operations are covered or supported by this operational
plan and in alignment with ATD CARE Requirements.
Other operating documents, such as the chapter’s bylaws and board duties, provide more
specific detail for certain areas and are identified where appropriate.
Focus Areas
The Austin ATD chapter board has identified the following focus areas for 2015:
a. Sustain and Grow a Healthy Organization:
i.
Retain and grow membership
ii.
Identify and effectively communicate the value of chapter membership
to all potential audiences.
iii.
Strengthen members’ sense of community and commitment to the
chapter.
iv.
Succession planning and leader development
b. Professional Development: Deliver high quality programs and introduce more
programs related to industry and technology trends.
c. Community Outreach: Build partnerships with area businesses, non-profits, and
educational institutions.
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C h a p t e r G o al s
The following measureable goals will be the target for the Austin Chapter in 2015:
A. Maintain the number of joint memberships at 46% which exceeds the minimum 35% ATD
CARE requirement.
B. Offer a minimum of 40 professional development opportunities including presentations at
chapter meetings, workshops, and special interest group meetings.
C. Offer a CPLP study group and have at least five (5) members obtain the CPLP credential.
D. Host two (2) chapter meetings at local businesses where employee training and
development practices will be highlighted.
E. Host at least two (2) social networking events.
F. Communicate with chapter members several times each month via the website,
newsletter, email, and social media.
G. Strengthen existing relationships with local businesses and develop at four (4) new
relationships with pertinent local businesses.
H. Support the initiatives and programs of other ATD chapters and ATD national programs.
CARE REQUIREMENT: 35% Joint Membership for Chapter and 50% Aggregate
CARE Minimal
Requirement
1. Power Member Page on Chapter Website
2. Highlight Power Membership in chapter email communications
3. Send targeted email message QUARTERLY to PROSPECTIVE members promoting power
membership.
Action Items:
 VP Technology and VP Membership will ensure that Power Member logo is promptly
displayed on Membership Page along with Membership benefits in alignment with HQ.
 VP Communications and VP Membership will ensure that all email communications
display Power Member Logo and joint membership benefits in each monthly
communication.
 VP Communications will create and deploy strategy to target Prospective members for
joint membership in 2015. Proposal will be presented at April Board meeting and
action will follow proposal.
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Board Approved
CARE Activities
for 2015
The following are proposed activities that ATD Chapters may deploy to be in compliance
with CARE Requirements.
The Austin Board must vote on and approve which activities we support in 2015. Must
complete a minimum of 10 Activities for the year.
 Mention Power Membership at the start of each chapter event
 Highlight Power Member benefits using rotating PowerPoint slides at each event
 Printed Power Member collateral at each event
 Power Member section in newsletter
 Power Member logos on chapter website
 Power Member testimonials on website, meetings, and newsletter
 Power Member messages on social media
 Promote Power Membership at Special Interest Group (SIG)/Geographic Interest
Group (GIG) meetings
 Request list of national members quarterly; identify prospects
 Request joint membership calculation from your CRM quarterly
 Promote Power Membership at chapter special event, including an information table
with both chapter and ATD materials
 Create group/corporate Power Membership offering
 Talk about Power Membership at each board meeting
 Customize activities for your chapter
When completing the CARE Survey at end of the year, we must be able to indicate TRUE
that we met these requirements.
Progams,
P r o f es s i o n al
Development
a n d Sp e c i al
I n t er e s t G r o u p s
One key mission of ATD chapters is to provide professional development opportunities to
members that are relevant, affordable, and meet a high standard of excellence.
The following are goals for 2015 related programs, SIGs, and professional development:
a. Offer a wide variety of professional development opportunities – including:
i.
Chapter meetings with industry-relevant presentations (11+)
ii.
Special interest group meetings (20+)
iii.
Full- or half-day workshops (4)
iv.
CPLP Study Cohort / study sessions (9)
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b. Ensure that all programs are aligned to the ATD Competency Model and that 50% or
more focus on current industry or technology trends
c. Hold 1-2 chapter meetings at local businesses, highlighting the host organization’s
training and development best practices
d. Offer a facilitated study group that prepares participants to achieve CPLP certification
with at least 5 achieving that certification by December 31, 2015
e. Partner with regional ATD chapters and the national ATD organization to share
information, resources, and events of value to Austin members
Communications
a n d Pu b l i c
Relations
In order to operate effectively and grow, the chapter must communicate effectively with
members, prospective members, and the larger Austin community.
The following are goals for 2015 related to communications and public relations:
a. Establish a strategic communication plan that incorporates the chapter’s
website, email, newsletter, and social media
b. Ensure that all external communications are professional in appearance and
follow national’s branding guidelines
c. Integrate and strategically market to members local, national, and regional,
events with the goal of raising both attendance and our profile within the
community.
d. Communicate directly with members several times each month via a variety
of multi-media outlets: newsletter, website, meet-up groups, social media,
video, etc.
e. Engage members in collaborative discussion with each other via social media
and a community blog
f.
Actively build existing relationships with local businesses, educational
institutions, and non-profit organizations
g. Strategically cultivate four new relationships with local businesses with
shared goals and interests
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Membership
Membership levels reflect the success of all initiatives, and increasing those levels – as a
measure of our success – is an ongoing priority.
The following are membership-related goals for 2015:
a. Regularly solicit feedback from existing members (in person and via survey)
about their needs, priorities, and the effectiveness of existing programs;
analyze and provide recommendations to board to improve member
experience and value
b. Welcome each new member personally and provide them with information
on all membership benefits that are relevant to their personal career goals
c. Actively recruit Austin-area members of the national ATD organization via
strategic initiatives and targeted communications that demonstrate value to
that target membership base
d. Organize at least two social networking events
Proposed Monthly Chart for Membership
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Austin #
Joint #
% Power
Member
% Retention
$$$ Revenue
New Member
Count
Volunteers
A strong volunteer base is necessary to (1) deliver the quality of services that our members
need to remain competitive in the Austin market and deliver value to local businesses and (2)
support a stable succession plan.
The following are volunteer-related goals for 2015:
a. Continue to grow a sustainable volunteer recognition program that boosts
volunteer rates
b. Engage 50% of active members in at least one volunteer activity
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F i n an c e
Austin ATD has sufficient capital to operate in the near future and is committed to remaining
financially stable.
The following are financially-related goals for 2015:
a. Track all income and expenses by account number to allow for planning and
accountability
b. Review financials quarterly (as a full board) and reassess budget allocations
mid-year to identify opportunities and actions to take to deliver greater value
to members
c. Review and Approve the Budget and make available to the members on the
website. (members only)
d. CHIP Strategy – we generate revenue from this tool. Create communication
strategy
Technology
Modern technology enables the board to communicate with stakeholders, track essential
data, and function efficiently in all areas.
The following are technology-related goals for 2015:
a. Maintain a user friendly website, for both members and administrators, with
information no more than one week outdated, professionally formatted and
100% free of errors
b. Protect data through robust backup and security protocols
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Succession
Planning and
Leader
Development
Attracting and retaining competent, motivated board members is essential to the continuity
of chapter operations. The following is an outline of the revised succession plan to be
implemented in 2015:
a. The President and President Elect have primary responsibility for succession planning,
with support from all other board members.
b. Each year, half of the board positions are put before the membership for a vote. The
term for each board position is two years. This allows for continuity in operations and
allows a board member the opportunity to master their position.
c. The VP of Volunteers, with ongoing input and support from all elected board members,
will recruit volunteers to support the chapter’s succession plan:
i. Assistant VP of _____: Dedicated support for a particular board position. The
Assistant VP is appointed (not elected). They assist the VP in performing routine
tasks, acting as backup for the VP when needed, documenting procedures, and
preparing to assume a board position in the future.
ii. Committee members: General support for a particular function. Committee
members include SIG leaders and other volunteers for special projects with
regular involvement and duties.
d. Assistant VPs and committee members are candidates for future board service. They are
able to be regularly involved without the same level of responsibility assumed by board
members.
e. Board members are expected to document their processes and procedures on an
ongoing basis with the help of an assistant VP and/or committee member.
i. Any board member who does not fulfill their assigned duties and responsibilities
will be approached by the President or President Elect, with the intent of
creating a collaborative action plan.
ii. If performance does not improve, the board may take other action – up to and
including requesting that board member’s resignation in accordance with the
procedures in the chapter’s by-laws.
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