DATA DRIVEN MANAGEMENT OF A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION—SHAPING THE FUTURE OF AIPG

Since the onset of mass production in the early 1900’s, management has focused increasingly on measuring output to determine management practices. This data-driven approach has provided a sound basis from which to manage the production of goods across a wide variety of sectors. As the United States has shifted to a services-based economy, management based on data has incorporated task-focused productivity and used measures of service production to guide management. These approaches must be modified to provide a solid basis for managing a non-profit professional organization such as the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG). Here, I highlight two projects that we have undertaken to provide a solid basis for future decision making at the Institute. The first was a comprehensive review of the statutes and rules for professional geologist registration for every state that requires a license to practice geology. We read and evaluated every statute and each set of associated rules and regulations to understand the process of registration for each state and more importantly, to determine the role that education in professional ethics played in obtaining and/or renewing the professional license to practice in each state. The result was a data set that allowed AIPG to provide ethics training courses that would be recognized by individual state boards for purposes of license renewal or to satisfy continuing education requirements. The second project is an ongoing review of a representative sample of geology degree programs across the United States. This review compares those requirements to the requirements to obtain the “Certified Professional Geologist” credential from AIPG. The goal is to understand how the landscape of geology education has changed in US colleges and universities. As these changes are identified, the Institute can consult with professionals working in geology and with universities to open lines of communication with respect to the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are most desirable for students seeking jobs outside of academia. In each case study the data provide a solid foundation upon which to base future management decisions.