K-Factor vision of the future.

Wed Sep 25 09:51:26 AKDT 2002

Eric, all,

These suggestions, and probably others, all warrant serious consideration.
This last contest two gentleman and I had a conversation about similiar
issues.  One guy is new, and wanted to join the NSRCA to support pattern.
One guy is an avid pattern flyer and builder, and had let his nsrca
membership expire, and there was me.  So, we had three different view
points.  

Personally, K-factor or not, the fact that we have a sig representing our
sport to help lead/effect rule and schedule changes is worth my money.
Gentleman and friend #2 had taken a "consumer" standpoint, and was
disenchanted with the recognized "product" of the NSRCA, the K-factor.
Issues discussed were timeliness and content.  One gentleman had liked the
fact that he could look and find out the scores and names of guys throughout
all districts by looking at results, one gentleman did not like this, and
wanted to have more building articles and non-competition related topics.  

After laying out our individual expectations of the nsrca and k-factor, we
agreed on several things.  

NSRCA topics:
1.  We need the nsrca to lead our sport, because AMA is not directly vested
or interested in pattern as a sect of the hobby
2.  We need the nsrca to lead/support the US Nationals.
3.  We need the nsrca to help support our presence in the world-arena of the
sport.
4.  We need the nsrca to support rule and schedule changes.
5.  We are asking our officials to perform a lot of work - for free.

K-Factor topics:  
1a.  We need the K-factor
1b.  We are asking for a HUGE publishing effort, and giving little reward to
the publisher (if any, as we did not know, but assumed it was very little
compared to the hassle).
2.  We (the three of us), were not willing to take on the effort of
publishing the K-factor, because of the high-work-load and serious time
committment.
3.  We each wanted different content.
4.  We each wanted it to be on time (even though we recognize the other
problems).
5.  Although we recognized other efforts of the nsrca, the "dues" and the
recognized "product" became directly compared:  for instance, you can get 12
issues of Sports Illustrated, or Playb_y, for less than $35 / year.  We
immediately recognized that this really isn't a fair comparison, but felt
that others may think in this direction.  
6.  Purpose of K-factor is to share pattern topics, unique product
advertising, share with information with potential members (website
included).

***Our final item of agreement was that the real purpose of the nsrca and
highest benefit of joinging and supporting, is that it represents us (Joe
pattern flyer), and our interests, to the AMA.  

So, I guess there are several types of members.  
1.  ... cares only for the K-factor
2.  ... cares for K-factor and national/ama type of issues
3.  ... cares only for the national representation of "us" to the AMA
4.  ... doesn't care at all, and is waiting for their membership to expire
5.  ... potential members???

I contend that the purpose of the NSRCA dues should not alone be to support
the costs of the K-factor.  Or that a new emphasis on gaining higher numbers
of NSRCA membership, should not be based on needs to fullfil figher costs
and exptations of publishing the K-Factor - sort of becomes a bad circle of
"need more people to meet higher costs of K-factor, which is caused by more
people."????????

Web format is probably the "biggest-bang-for-the-buck," in terms of reaching
people.  A reduced mailing and reduced frequency of a "copy" of the web page
would also reduce "publishing/mailing" costs.  

What would we do with the $$$ if we cut the cost the total cost of
publishing the K-factor in 1/2 (even considering some increased cost of an
expanded web site)?  I bet one thing is the the US Nationals registration
fee could be lowered?  ... use our imagination.

my 0.02 cents

Jim W.

"Jim" 
James R. Woodward
G. P. F.
Project Manager 
DSN: 527-2184, Comm: (661) 277-2184

-----Original Message-----
From: Henderson,Eric [mailto:eric.henderson at gartner.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 9:56 AM
To: 'discussion at nsrca.org'
Subject: K-Factor vision of the future.

I would like to suggest that we take a broader look at what we are trying to
do.

Are the dues too high? - Compared with a magazine subscription etc. yup!
both home and abroad.

Do we need to give the membership value for their money. - It's not in
the contract. We are supposed to use the money to support the sport. (SIG
and all that)

Should we give the membership good information to help achieve the SIG
mission - You betcha!

Is no K-FACTOR suicide? Yup!

Is reducing the issues a death blow? - maybe!

We need to work smarter not harder. We also need to operate in the 21st
century. (you've all heard that one from me before).  Our K-Factor thinking
is very, VERY, old thinking.

Regardless of how many folks are on-line or not on-line today we should
radically re-design and do the following.

1. Invest in an on-line newsletter capture and delivery system.

2. Make on-line a members-only membership option and charge $20 p.a.

3. Make "paper" an option and charge $40 local etc... (6 or 12 issues ???)

4. Re-design and restructure the K-factor so that it is updated online on a
Daily basis. (e.g. as articles or reports are submitted) Change submission
system, editing system and text/picture capabilities to reflect on-line
reading and loading.

5. Produce a Simpler and simple paper version once a month that is lifted
directly from the Web-site. Much like the way we do the contest calendar
today. You get the latest reports, once a month on paper, sent to your door,
for a
premium.

6. Redesign the content so that it has on-line space per district and
column. e.g. Officers columns, District columns (Results etc.), Features -
tech, FAI, Worlds etc., and advertisements.

7. Allow downloads per column , feature and advertisement(s), in word or PDF
formats. Word files of text allow reuse in club newsletters and at contests
etc by local CD's etc.

8. Make read-version fast on web-site - not a download basically.

You go this route and you have a viable news service with financial options
and improve services for the membership.

The major benefit is that it takes the creativity and gives it an immediate
outlet that can then be reused in many ways.

	WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK?

Regards,

Eric Henderson

NSRCA President.

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