September 2013

ToP Network Newsletter, Issue 8

Table of Contents

  1. ToP Training Website
  2. Facilitation Acrobatics
  3. ToP Network Snapshot
  4. Virtual JAM Sessions
  5. New ToP Network Members
  6. 2014 Gathering Update
  7. ToP Cares Activities

Virtual JAM Sessions

October's theme is Virtual Facilitation. The theme kicks off on October 3 when the Virtual Facilitation Collaborative hosts the first of 5 virtual JAMs sessions (one each Thursday morning) to learn about various virtual platforms.

Mark your calendars and grab your headset!  Join a JAM and learn about:
  • Fuzebox
  • Powernoodle
  • Blackboard
  • Adobe Connect
  • Edistorm

First session - October 3, 2013.  9 AM Eastern, 6 AM Pacific.  Watch for details!

New ToP Network Members

Joined since the August newsletter:

Welcome to ToP Network!

Do you want to connect and share plans, space, or travel arrangements with others going to the 2013 Gathering?.  An updated list of registrants is accessible in the ToP Community forum.  View it in the 2014 Gathering discussion area under "Gathering Meet-ups" or just login and click here. If you subscribe to the topic, you'll receive an updated list whenever new registrations are received.

2014 Gathering Update

Sue Laxdal recently solicited interest for several fun roles during the gathering. Roles may have been filled but if you're interested and have not already responded, here is the list she was seeking:

  • Adventurers willing to help design get acquainted activities for Friday afternoon.
  • Individuals who would like to gather other facilitators around a topic of interest during the Sunday afternoon Facilitators' tent session.
  • 2-3 people who would like to help plan the ToP Celebration on Sunday night.

You can find Sue's contact information in her profile.  She'd love to hear from you!

The Minnesota folks have been hard at work on this gathering and they are looking for lots of involvement from the rest of us.


ToP Cares (Membership Team) Activities

Our Network has experienced significant growth during 2013.  We've added 25 members from many different parts of the country, working in different settings and with diverse experience and interests.   

We committed to develop a process to help connect new members to existing members based on shared interests during 2013.  Be on the watch, ToP Cares will be sharing a draft strategy for member input soon.

 

Journey of the new ToP Training Website and the Work of the Website Launch Team

https://icausa.memberclicks.net

It all started in 2011 with a group of ToP Trainers who wanted a better ToP course registration system.  Their vision was to have a system that was user friendly, could be managed by ToP Registrars, and would retain the contact information of registrants, thus forming a national database. 

In September of 2012 ICA hired the ToP Network’s recommended project manager, Nelson Stover, to find the right system for our needs and get it set up for our use.  ICA formed teams with various registrars and trainers to make preliminary decisions on each of the 14 business processes Nelson initiated.  A group of trainers was formed as the initial website support team.
The new website was launched in May of 2013, but not without some issues, policy decisions that needed to be made, and technical problems.  Shortly after the launch date, a team was formed, comprised of Nancy Jackson, Marti Roach, Marilyn Oyler, Erness Wright-Irvin, Fara Taylor, and Anne Neal to address these challenges.

Below are the main focus areas and determinations made by this team:

  • Registrant Information: Determining what would be asked of online registrants on page 1 and page 2 of the online course registration forms
  • Evaluation Format for Trainings:  Deciding to use electronic evaluations on Survey Monkey and selecting the questions to be asked
  • Cancellation/Transfer Policy:  Adopting the cancellation/transfer policy as currently stated on course registration forms
  • National Course Pricing:  1- day courses $345.00; 2-day courses $645; 3-day courses and Virtual Boot Camp $845.00.  $50 early bird discount for 1 and 2-day courses, $100 discount for 3-day courses and the Boot Camp. 10% early bird discount for MToP
  • Database Access:  Registrars are responsible for maintaining sections of the national database, based on their public course registrations.  Any registrar can grant permission to all other registrars to have access to the contact data in their sections.  Contact information of registrants who take courses in several locations will be in the Multiple Registrar Access group.  A Database Team will be formed to handle such issues as duplicate profiles in the system.  ToP related communication with the national database will be the responsibility of ICA, based on the strategy and marketing materials developed by the ToP Network Marketing Team.
  • Marketing Guidelines:  Recommendation: The ToP Network Board should take the next steps to determine how to move marketing forward, in line with their strategic inquiry into the ToP Business Model.
  • In House Courses: If a Registrar posts an in-house course on the website, he/she needs to let registrants know their contact information will automatically go into the national database.  Registrants would need to let the Registrar know if they do not want to receive information from ICA via the website.
  • Trainer’s Center and Registrar’s Center on Website:  A review of the documents available in these sections of the website was made and recommendations are being implemented.
  • Social Networking Function:  Decision: The ToP Network website will be used for member networking and engagement. The ToP Training web site is for course registration and marketing via the national database and will not be used for social networking of grads.
  • ICA-Website Administrator Memorandum of Agreement (MOA):  Registrars and other people who have been given website administrator rights have a number of responsibilities, as does ICA, in making this website a success.  This document clarifies the various responsibilities.   The final draft of the MOA is being reviewed and will be sent for signature to everyone who has administrator access.

Thank you, thank you to all who held the vision for the new website, served on the initial website support team, provided input on the business processes, and helped launch this website.  It has been a team effort for sure.

Note: top-network.org links to the training site by clicking on the image on the events tab (pictured above) and on "training" in the footer.  The link is also listed under quick links on the home page

Facilitation Acrobatics Details Emerging

12 Topics will be featured during the Facilitation Acrobatics (Saturday and Sunday) portion of the 2014 Gathering.  Highlights of 6 topics are now available for viewing.  Go to www.top-network.org/facilitation-acrobatics to see more:

  • Change Management
  • Conflict
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Government
  • Information Technology
  • Public Health

It is shaping up to be a great event.  Stay tuned and register!

A ToP Network Snapshot

ToP Network membership has grown and changed over the years since the Network was founded.  Recently, we stopped to take stock of our membership and found an interesting distribution.  

As of September 8, 52 percent of the membership were, are or are on the journey to be trainers.  The remaining 48% are facilitators who are in private practice, work in organizations or are part of ICA.  The graph above shares percentages of the various categories.