Top Three Association Technology Trends in 2020

In this age of innovation, associations need to stay competitive. Recent studies have shown that by the end of this year, about 17 percent of work will be automated. Thanks to companies like Tesla, Netflix, and Amazon, the fourth industrial revolution is increasing the pace of change and customer expectations. To keep up as technology evolves, the way you run your association must evolve as well. 

Consider the benefits of future-proofing your association to make sure you have the capability to leverage the three association technology trends listed below:

  1. Artificial Intelligence
  2. Business Intelligence
  3. Digital Transformation

Continue reading to learn more about these top association technology trends.

1. Artificial Intelligence 

Artificial intelligence refers to the ability of a computer to think like a human (or more than one human) and adjust its behavior based on learned observations over time. Machine learning (or m-learning) is a subset of AI, which involves learning by applying an algorithm to data in order to gain insights into that data and make informed decisions based on these insights.

One example where artificial intelligence can be beneficial for associations is with content curation. Manually creating a personalized stream of information for each member of your organization is both inefficient and impossible, especially if you have a large member base with a lot of content to choose from. Artificial intelligence can facilitate personalization by combing through massive amounts of content within the association and matching the most relevant content based on each member’s preferences (prior interest in topics/subjects, type of events, etc.) and known factors (location, job title, etc.). 

2. Business Intelligence 

Although often confused with artificial intelligence, business intelligence is another association technology trend that’s going to take center stage this year. While AI aims to mimic human intelligence, business intelligence (BI) refers to the use of technology tools to collect and analyze data. The main purpose of BI is to provide organizations with useful information and analyses in order to make data-driven decisions. 

An association LMS or learning management system is an example of a tool that can be leveraged by your association to collect and analyze data. Psychometric and site-wide usage reporting features can provide invaluable insights to help you understand more about your learners and ways your educational offerings can be improved.

3. Digital Transformation

Digital transformation at its most simplistic level is moving operations from paper to electronic. Making this transformation is not nearly that simple and it must have support from the top down to be successful. Technology will always be a central part of these efforts, but for associations, it must go beyond switching from one vendor to another. 

Acquiring software for associations is just one aspect of digital transformation. While it’s true that organizations won’t be able to make the digital shift without the tools, a complete transformation also requires modifying your association’s priorities, processes, and strategies. 


Author: Amber Winter

Amber Winter is the Director of Sales & Marketing at Web Courseworks. She’s committed to helping association executives realize the potential of their education programs and turn them into high performing revenue generators. Amber was named one of Madison, Wisconsin’s 40 under 40 and the number 1 LMS salesperson by Talented Learning.

0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *