Forms Talk

BFMA Announces the Restructuring of Headquarters Function

By: Lisa Lee, CEBS, FLMI
President

Each year, during Symposium, BFMA conducts its annual meeting. This year, we made a major announcement that, we believe, will usher in a new era of growth and contribution to our industry.

We have selected an association management company (AMC) to which we will outsource the association administration, marketing, event management and technology implementation activities. Leveraging the skills of an AMC will help to improve service to our members, get the association on a growth track, improve support to our sponsors, and better leverage technology. This decision was reached by the Board of Directors after updating our strategic options and examining the state of the association.

The headquarters function will be assumed by the Center for Association Resources, an association management and consulting firm for non-profit organizations located in the Chicago area. We expect to complete the transition by July 1. At that time, we will close the Portland office. After 20 years of service, Andy Palatka will be leaving BFMA. We appreciate his service and wish him well in his future endeavors.

We believe this is an exciting time for the forms management profession. We have identified thousands of practitioners in forms management, forms analysis, forms design, forms programming, and related skills and have started marketing efforts to effectively reach out to them on a regular basis. Using our web site, Forms Talk, LiveMeeting, and StreamSend, we have implemented regular communications with all members and prospects. We are continuing our efforts to find additional prospective members and sponsors and to reach out to them.

We will keep you informed of our progress. In the meantime, please respond to this article with any questions, concerns and suggestions. We know that the key to our success as an association depends on active support from all of us.

More information and details will be forthcoming.

Forms Management - Getting Started is Newest Master Series

By: Robin Miller,
VP, Programs

Is your company just getting started with Forms Management? Are you trying to reinvigorate your existing program? This Master Series "Forms Management - Getting Started" could be just the boost you have been looking for. This series is focused on the individual components you need to create a Forms Management Program.

BFMA's Master Series of webinars provides an easy way to learn while you are at your workplace. Register for one "seat" (single webinar connection) and you, along with as many of your coworkers as you desire, can gain access to industry experts and invaluable peer feedback.

The sessions begin soon, so don't delay. Registration and complete information is available on our web site.

The schedule for this informative series has been revised. There’s still time to register!
Due to an unanticipated work situation, we have rescheduled the start of this important education. There is still time to participate in the entire series.

Session 2: June 18, 2009
Defining the Roles and Responsibilities within Forms Management
Presented by Steve Sponsel, Section Head, Mayo Clinic
The focus of this presentation is staffing the forms management function: defining the roles and responsibilities via job descriptions, and determining how many people you need based on your work volume. Explore how to tie this into metrics tracking as a way to know what type of staff you need.

Session 3: June 25, 2009
Planning a Forms Management Database
Presented by Susan Cook, CFSP, Document Administrator, Premera Blue Cross
A forms management database is a critical tool for streamlining the huge amounts of data involved in managing a large number of forms and for coordinating the workflow and ordering processes involved in keeping those forms up to date.

Session 4: July 9, 2009
Developing a Style Guide
Presented by Ray Killam, CFSP, CFC, Essociates Group, Inc.
The goal of a style guide is to have a single place for users to find any information related to forms management and forms development. There are many issues, including what to include, how to structure the guide, how to prevent duplication of presentation (and related revisions), and ways to communicate strategy and objectives of forms management that ensures that form strategy and goals are congruent with corporate goals, etc.  In addition, bootleg (rogue) forms are a problem. Since we can't stop them, we need to work to make them work better. The Style Guide helps do that by providing guidelines, standards, and instructions.

Session 5: July 16, 2009
Conducting a Call for Forms
Presented by Ray Killam, CFSP, CFC, Essociates Group, Inc.
Forms management begins with the collecting and cataloging of a company's forms.  Learn the best ways to position yourself to conduct a successful call for forms, the best procedures to use, important data to collect, and how to use the process as a positive approach.

Session 6: July 23, 2009
Branding Your Forms Program
Presented by Justiss Boyer, United Space Alliance
A form has many roles, such as capturing data, finding information and structuring data. Forms management must establish its scope of service and is responsible for setting the standards within its organization of how forms capture and search for data. We are responsible for defining needed skill-sets and for training existing form designers in the scope of service. We will discuss how to redefine and rebrand, how to develop a process and a policy that coincides with the new definitions and processes for forms.

Session 1: August 6, 2009 (rescheduled)
Establishing a Forms Program: Getting your Customers to Comply - Policy or Buy-in
Presented by Kelly Halseth, Regional Coordinator, Forms Management, Alberta Health Services
A forms management program with policies, backed by upper management, can be a powerful tool for leverage, authority, and consistency in output. However, how do you develop strong value-added customer service within a forms program where there are no written policies? This session will discuss gaining buy-in and marketing your analytical services so both you and your customers can be successful by following forms management processes, regardless of whether or not a policy is in place.

The format for the Master Series will be to view the recorded presentation ahead of time and note your questions, then to meet online with the instructor 11:30 a.m. Pacific time on the session date for a lively discussion focused on your needs. For a complete description of how the Master Series works, read this article.

The price for the entire six-session series is $475 for members; $575 for non-members. Individual sessions are $89 for members; $109 for non-members.

A "Must Attend" Event: The Fall Forms Institute, October 5-7, 2009, Chicago, IL

By: Robin Miller,
VP, Programs

Hey friends... have you heard... BFMA is co-locating the 2009 Fall Forms Institute with the Document Strategy Forum. What does this mean? This means more opportunities to the attendees... so don't miss out. This event will offer many great educational and networking opportunities to the attendees and allow free cross over between more than 60 sessions, as well as entry to the exhibit hall of industry leading companies. Choose now to invest in your education, which is priceless. This education not only adds life-long value to you, but also makes you an asset to your employer and customers. Make your plans now to attend the Fall Forms Institute, October 5 -7, 2009, held at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago, IL. I'll see you there. Watch the BFMA website for more details.

Salary Survey Coming

By: DJ Brown
VP, Chapter/Member Relations

The most recent BFMA salary survey is complete and will soon be posted to the BFMA website.  A further announcement will be made to advise you when the site is ready.  Access to this information is a members only benefit.

To join BFMA to retrieve these results, go to the online membership application. If you have any questions regarding accessing this information, please contact BFMA International Headquarters at: bfma@bfma.org or call 503-227-3393.

Calling All Speakers

By: Margaret Tassin, CFSP, CDC
Newsletter Editor

The Program Council wants you to be a part of the educational opportunities.  Yes, you can attend but have you ever considered being a presenter? By presenting to your peers, you will contribute to the forms profession, establish your expertise in your field and increase your visibility and credibility. Persons selected to present at Symposium receive a complementary registration (excluding the meals and events package.) Similar freebies are available to presentations at other events. Complete details are found on the Presentation Application

For 2010 there will be more Forms Institutes located in Canada and in the US. There will be many Master Series sessions that bring top-notch education right to your desktop. The CFSP Study Group continues to educate those in pursuit of CFSP Certification. Finally, the Symposium will be the biggest educational and networking event of the year.

Time is short! The submission deadline is July 17, 2009. Do it now! If you or someone you know would like to present, please use the Presentation Application

In our efforts to improve workflow processes, the Presentation Application is submittable. Please complete this form and submit it using the “submit” button embedded in the form. If you are using Acrobat Reader, you can save your form with data.

1. Open the form.
2. Complete the information as required. Remember to type your name in the signature area at the bottom and date the form.
3. This form contains an e-mail submit button. After you have finished completing the form, click the submit button to e-mail the information.

Electronic submission of the application is required and is done automatically when you click the submit button on the bottom of the application. If this feature doesn’t work for you, save the form, and e-mail it to programs@bfma.org.

Many thanks and we look forward to receiving your application.

CFSP Study Group Forming Again

By: Margaret Tassin, CFSP, CDC
CFSP Coordinator

The Certified Form Systems Professional (CFSP) study group will start on Wednesday, August 5. Join the study group as we learn about forms in general and prepare for the CFSP exam.

Study groups always have members from different industry groups and with varying experience levels. Each participant brings a unique perspective on the industry and makes the experience more valuable for everyone.

The 13-week study group covers all facets of the body of knowledge used to develop the exam. The CFSP examination of 250 multiple-choice questions covers four areas:

• Process/Workflow Analysis
• Design and Development
• Technology Principles
• Forms Management

The study group's studyhub provides recorded lectures and suggested readings, practice quizzes and the support of the other members of the group and experts in the field. This group facilitates the resources, access to experts and information. As in all cases of learning, it is up to you how much time, effort and resources you put into it. The study group is all about individual preparation and individual achievement.

It is recommended but not required that you have five years of experience in form systems or a related field before sitting for the examination. Experience plus sufficient study can help you achieve certification.

Check out http://www.bfma.org/cfsp/aboutcfsp.php for additional information. The application form will be available soon. Registration fees are only $179 for BFMA members and $249 for non-members. The study group begins on Wednesday, August 5 and ends on November 4. Each session is 90 minutes and is scheduled from 11:30 - 1:00 Central Time. The fall CFSP exam period is November 28 through December 12.

For additional information, contact me.

Learn from the Master: A New Article by Robert Barnett

By: Margaret Tassin, CFSP, CDC
Newsletter Editor

One of the most prolific writers on forms and forms issues is Robert Barnett. Rob is a long-time member of BFMA and has generously provided us with a new article on a massive Australian project to review a large group of forms, learn what is causing so many errors and the later process to improve the forms and reduce the errors. This article has excellent illustrations of before and after forms design and notes about what worked and why.

Here is the article abstract: "From time to time organisations are faced with the need to review all their forms, often with inexperienced staff and limited resources. This article is based on the author’s recent experience in assisting with such a review for Centrelink, an agency of the Australian Department of Human Services that handles social security, veterans’ and all similar type payments. It highlights many of the typical problems that people encounter when filling out forms and shows how they were solved."

You can click here to view the article in PDF.

Robert Barnett has 40 years experience in forms analysis and information management. He has extensive experience in forms management, forms design (both paper and electronic), records management, and integration of computer systems into the practical business environment. Rob has wide ranging experience in designing electronic forms for various Australia Government Departments and businesses. He is well known internationally as a writer, lecturer and consultant and many of his books are available in BFMA's bookstore. Rob is a long-standing member of BFMA and has spoken at many Symposia. In 1998, he received BFMA's Jo Warner Award for services to the form systems profession.

The Future of Forms Part II: BFMA

By: Jessica Enders
Region 8 Coordinator

On the Wednesday of Symposium, I facilitated a discussion group on "the future of forms". The session had a great turnout, with about 20 attendees from both private and public organizations. It was a lively, diverse and interesting discussion.

Last month I reported on the future of forms as a whole and this month, I am reporting the comments about BFMA in particular. Many thanks to everyone who participated in the group discussion. I hope you feel that I've represented your views accurately.

BFMA in the future
When assuming the role of devil's advocate I asked the group whether BFMA should be wound up, especially as there are many other organisations overlap with BFMA at least partially. The response was a fairly consistent "no".

As one participant described it, forms have a foot in lots of different camps and BFMA is the one way to get it all in one place. Another described how a demonstration of, for example, Adobe Livecycle would be very different if were being done for a general IT/management audience rather than an audience packed with forms professionals. These are reasons that BFMA should continue on.

A key challenge for BFMA is people finding out about it. Many participants felt that this was BFMA's biggest problem at the moment.

One participant suggested that BFMA market to employers to help identify forms professionals in their organisation. Another suggestion was to have BFMA go out and market at IT, business, government and legal conferences. A third participant argued that we need to be evangelists for our profession.

Some participants felt that the areas of process management and user/customer experience will be especially relevant for BFMA in the future.

Other suggestions for BFMA in the future included:

• consider having two parallel programs at Symposium: newbie and experienced;
  
• use the website as a place for conversation about forms management and debate about terminology and definitions (e.g. via a wiki); and
  
• buy Google Adwords to ensure BFMA comes up when people search for forms and related terms.

Unfortunately, we ran out of time to discuss these suggestions further. It was clear, however, that participants felt there was much BFMA could do to help improve its own exposure and the exposure of the forms profession.

What now?
The conversation shouldn't stop here.

Please make a comment (below) and let us know what you think about the future of BFMA. What do you think BFMA should look like in 5 years time? What are the challenges you see for maintaining a professional organization? What key things should BFMA be doing over the coming years to ensure it remains relevant and delivers value to its members?

We look forward to your thoughts.

Institutes in Progress

By Bill Hill, CFC, CFSP,
Institutes Coordinator

From the old Sonny and Cher song, "The Beat Goes On….. as we establish our upcoming educational Forms Institutes.

For 2009, the Fall Forms Institute will be in Chicago in early October. Let me tell you about our in-progresss plans for our BFMA Forms Institutes in 2010.

We have a very enthusiastic group in Western Canada. Tami Hayes at the Ministry of Health has taken the lead in Victoria, BC and has a room lined up for March 15 and 16, 2010. Tami has attended our institutes in Langley and Surrey BC and is very enthusiastic.

In Eastern Canada, Bet Morash and Julie Stephens have been looking for a place in Toronto. There are some initial negotiations for space in downtown Toronto at this time. Just waiting for final approval for a room and a time frame in April of next year. Once that is completed, you will be able to mark your calendars.

Contact has been made with the Washington, DC members to be on a lookout for space for a Forms Institute next spring. Date coordination with next year’s symposium is under consideration at this time, so the time frame is still open. If you can obtain a room that holds 50 people with electronic hookup capability in the DC area, please contact me at bhill73@comcast.net.

We always encourage you to come to the BFMA Symposium for forms education. With the Institutes, BFMA comes to you for forms education. I encourage you to take advantage of both venues. But if you can’t make it to Symposium, please support the nearest Institute, as you will still add to your education and knowledge.

Chapter and Region Events

By: DJ Brown
VP, Chapter/Member Relations

Here are the upcoming BFMA local and region chapter events.

Region 8 Chapter Meeting (for information, contact Jessica Enders)
June 9, 2009 - Forms Management Best Practices

Region 7 Chapter Meeting (for information, contact Kelly Halseth)
June 10, 2009 @ 2:00 pm CST - Forms Management Best Practices

Ottawa Chapter Meeting (for information, contact Dan Breffitt)
June 16, 2009 @ noon EST
Also, see the new Ottawa Chapter website

"Forms Management Best Practices" presented by Ray Killam, CFSP, CFC, was one of the most popular classes at Symposium 2009. Here is a description: "This new class will review and discuss areas of Best Practices for Forms Management as developed by Essociates Group, Inc. It covers the 23 areas (so far) that have been defined. There are no approved "standards" for forms management in the United States. However, based on years of direct involvement with many different organizations, Essociates Group has developed specific recommendations in areas ranging from definitions to databases and workflow to deployment. Given the allotted time, only a sampling of these can be discussed."

Get in on the listing. E-mail event information to your Region Coordinator to see your events listed here. See the list of region coordinators:

Region 2 - Franci Norris (franci.norris@sjmc.org)
Region 3 - Sharon Freeman (sfreeman@nd.gov)
Region 4 - Anna Romero (anna.romero@hotmail.com)
Region 6 - Marcel Fontaine (marcel.fontaine@fsco.gov.on.ca)
Region 7 - Kelly Halseth (khalseth@dthr.ab.ca)
Region 8 - Jessica Enders (jessica@formulate.com.au)
Region 9 - Caroline Jarrett (caroline.jarrett@effortmark.co.uk)

Register for Industry Group Meetings

By: Beth Curry,
Director, Member Relations

Industry Groups are intended to fuel communication among members with like experiences and needs. Each industry group is moderated by a coordinator and held via conference call. These meetings are a BFMA member benefit.

Click a link below to register for your next Industry Group meeting today!

Finance Industry – July 10, 2009 (11:00a PDT / 2:00p EDT)

Contact Lisa Landry, Finance Industry Group Coordinator, for more information.

Insurance Industry – July 16, 2009 (10:00a PDT / 1:00p EDT)

Contact Cindy Salnave, Insurance Industry Group Coordinator, for more information.

Government Industry – July 22, 2009 (11:00a PDT / 2:00p EDT)

Healthcare Industry – August 4, 2009 (11:00a PDT / 2:00p EDT)

If you are interested in taking a leadership role, would like to start a group for your industry, or would like to present a case study or suggest discussion topics contact Beth Curry or the coordinators listed above.

"Forms That Work" - New for Your Library

By: Margaret Tassin, CFSP, CDC
Newsletter Editor

"Forms that Work: Designing Web Forms for Usability (Interactive Technologies)" by Caroline Jarrett, Gerry Gaffney, and Steve Krug is one of the newest books for the forms professional’s library. Caroline Jarrett is a BFMA member and a frequent poster to FormSpace and speaker at Symposium. With her colleagues, she has recently published the new standard reference for forms design on the web.

The authors follow their own advice to demolish the walls of words. Don’t let the simplicity of the format delude you into thinking there isn’t any content. It is packed with great illustrations to explain point by point yet it isn't overly burdened with heavy text. The book goes step by step on how to define requirements, write questions and instructions, select the proper web tools and test.

Caroline has secured a discount for BFMA through the publisher. Elsevier has thousands of titles to select from, including many others that would be useful to the forms professional. You can go to the Elsevier site to place your order: Click here.

Use the code “BFMA09” at checkout to obtain your discount.