2000-2001 R3 MDC Strategy by Butch Shadwell

My view is to think of MD objectives as a behavior modification
problem.  The principal means of promoting constructive behavior of
the membership is by positive reinforcement.  Several meetings and
surveys have been done to determine which activities should be
promoted and to what degree.  Also meetings dealt with the relative
value of different reinforcers.

First, I was interested in finding out which were the major
impediments to constructive activity.  The most important impediment
mentioned was address database inaccuracy.

Next we explored the different types of reinforcement that members
would find worthwhile.  Such as: dues rebate or reduction; door
prizes; tickets to engineers week activity; free admission to a
conference; honorable mention in newsletter; and a letter of
commendation.  These reinforcers might be awarded to a member for such
things as early membership renewal, signing up a new member, achieving
a certain level of attendance at IEEE functions, membership upgrade,
etc.

Then we examined things that the institute could do to improve
execution of the desired activities.  These included producing a best
practices document for: each officer position, getting a new member
involved, ceremonies and other forms of public recognition, renewing
members in arrears, etc.

On the subject of arrears, it was suggested that members who volunteer
to telephone, or solicit in some other way, arrears members, could
receive a special reward for their degree of success.

The most important part of my vision was a point system for members
that complete activities that are considered valuable from an MD
perspective.  Over the course of a members career, as he or she
accumulated these points they would earn a special tab that would be
mounted behind the IEEE membership lapel pin and be just visible along
the bottom edge of that pin.  These tabs would take the form of a
lightning bolt (perhaps?) and the color would indicate the level of
achievement of the wearer.  Perhaps three different levels, blue,
silver and gold.

The next phase of this development project was done at SECon2001.  A
detailed survey was done to determine the relative value of different
activities in order to help determine the point value of each or the
level of other reinforcer that would be used.  The result of this
survey is attached.

If the Excom feels that they would like to develop these ideas
further, I would happy to serve as a resource person to the next MD
chair to add clarity and detail to the ideas espoused here.  I had
hoped that by analyzing this work carefully, we could produce an MD
kit for sections in Region 3 that would include detailed instructions
and best practices on how to execute the reward system developed.  The
kit would include record keeping forms for tracking individual
activities for scoring, as well as give-away items that would act as
reinforcers until people got to the level of earning the lapel pin
tabs.

Respectfully submitted,

Butch Shadwell Region 3 Membership Development Chair


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R3 MDC Review 2001

1. Things that need re-enforcement

The relative value of these activities was based on a consensus of
those present at an MD workshop I conducted at SECon2001.  There was
some debate over these values, but I believe these numbers are a fair
representation of the normalized data ranked from 1 to 10, 1 being the
lowest value.

1.1. Attendance at IEEE mtgs-Local                  7
1.2. Attendance at IEEE mtgs-Regional or more       5
1.3. Volunteering for Committee service             8.5
1.3.1. Standing committees
1.3.2. Student branch activity
1.3.3. Ad hoc committees
1.4. Member of Society                              5
1.5. Member of Affinity Group                       4.5
1.6. Membership upgrade                             7.5
1.7. New member recruitment                         9
1.8. Submit articles                        
1.8.1. Non- Peer reviewed                           7
1.8.2. Peer Reviewed                                6
1.9. Submitting others for awards                   7.5
1.10. Submitting others for upgrades                7
1.11. Giving lecture or tutorial                    7.5
1.12. Special Contributions
1.13. Pay dues early                                4

2. Types of re-enforcement

2.1. Regional Award
2.2. Local Award
2.3. Honorable mention in Regional Pub-Members of the Quarter list
2.4. Honorable mention in Local Pub-Members of the Month list
2.5. Gifts of varying value
2.6. Promote meaning of member grades and awards
2.7. Honorary title
2.8. Insignia
2.8.1. Pins
2.8.2. Badges 
2.8.3. Hats
2.8.4. Logo for bus. Card
2.9. R3MDC Citations (?)

3. R3 MDC Activities

3.1. E-Conference
3.2. Meeting co-located with other IEEE events
3.3. Email
3.4. Telephone conferences
3.5. To do list
3.5.1. 2001 Goals and objectives
3.5.2. Budget
3.5.3. Meeting Schedule
3.5.4. Identify initiatives and execution plans.
3.5.4.1. Activity vs Reward chart for section use
3.5.4.2. Easy reward item purchasing for sections