The bright and glittering technofuture of association publishing.

Watch for exciting changes--soon.

Six years ago, during an editorial planning retreat, the publisher of a trade journal I was working with announced that, thanks to an advertising trade he negotiated, his group would shortly be the proud owners of a pair of luggable computers. "My idea," he continued, "is to dedicate one to sales and one to editorial."

The magazine's managing editor--let's just call her Jane--slowly back-wound the point of her Cross pen and laid it carefully next to her six-by-nine Gregg 26 Steno Notes pad. She crossed her arms in front of her and leaned back from the conference table. In a quiet but firm voice she declared, "The day I have a computer in my house will be a cold, cold day in July."

That was then. Today, that same managing editor has a 486DX home computer that allows her to conduct data base searches, compose stories, and edit manuscripts in the comfort of her den when she needs to work weekends or just wants to get away from office interruptions. She can transmit copy from home to office at the stroke of a key. The journal she edits has spun off three niche newsletters--each desktop published--and the books division, another new venture, regularly creates on-demand books from the editorial data base. When she's not writing stories, editing copy, or fiddling with layout, my friend the print-only-please managing editor acts as writer-reporter-host-editor on her company's new video magazine. The other day she suggested to me, knowing look intended, that anyone who can't be comfortable with a notebook computer as a traveling companion is a Neanderthal, not a journalist. And it was 85 degrees Fahrenheit at her place last Independence Day. That's business as usual, A.D. 1994.

And what about tomorrow?

The electronic future of association publishing, while not necessarily clear, is well and obviously closing in at a relentless pace. Among the Kool-Aid-colored dreamscapes being cast for our consideration by the technofuturists is this one: It's 7:50 a.m. Denver time. Joshua Tomorrow, managing editor and publisher of The Sprocket Gazette, walks into his home office and voice keys his base terminal: "Good morning, Sam."

Josh's voice-activated computer flashes to the ready and acknowledges the start of another week: "Good morning, Josh. You are now logged onto the International Sprocket Distributors Association E-net. You have three messages waiting. Two are voice, one is text. How may I serve you?"

"ID the messages, Sam."

"Voice message 1 is from Gorgi Freelance in Moscow. Voice message 2 is from Andrea Asset at ISDA in Alexandria, Virginia. Text message is from your son Curtis."

"Summarize."

"Mr. Free-lance indicates his story will be complete and transmitted at 6 a.m. mountain standard time, Wednesday, October 21."

"Acknowledge and delete."

"Operation complete."

"Next?"

"Ms. Asset requests a phone call."

"Save."

"Operation complete."

"And Curtis?"

"Text message from Curtis is coded to your private message code."

"Acknowledge and save."

"Operation complete."

"Print schedule, Sam."

"Schedule printing."

It would be a hectic Monday. A final edit meeting with the videomag people at 9:30 a.m., an ASAE teleconference on the future of association publishing at noon, and an interactive town meeting on OEM-distributor relations at 5 p.m. Uh, oh. Going to need those survey results.

"Sam, check faxpoll 7. Count returns."

"There are 54 returns, Josh."

"Sam, set StatPro to compile N = 100 and/or T = 13:30."

"StatPro clock and counter set, Josh."

With an hour and a half before his first meeting, Josh has time for a shower, breakfast, and a quick look at the news.

"Newspaper, Sam. Domestic headlines. Sports. Washington highlights. Print. Bathroom."

Business as usual, A.D. 2000? Perhaps. Just perhaps.

The world of cybercommuting Joshua Tomorrow is no more a Star Trek fancy than was Jane's never-never-on-a-bet office of today, six years ago. Less so. Depending on whom you talk to, 80-90 percent of the technology already exists. And given the rate at which telecom and cable and cellular companies are gobbling each other up in preparation for that high-tech, high-speed tomorrow, the info-highway structure necessary to support the high-tech telecommuter isn't far behind. Today's tomorrow is almost yesterday.

But this side of the bright and possible maybe of tomorrow are ample future-tense present options to test the mettle of any association executive--and his or her ability to sift and weigh the emerging options. And options there are.

Among them:

High-speed custom desktop publishing has put everyone in the newsletter business. Niche and special-interest newsletters proliferate like mushrooms. Just as society as a whole isn't a whole--it is, increasingly, a collection of crisscrossing special interests and individual preoccupations--associations are populated by multiple pockets of special interests. Each has its own information and its own communication needs.

Publishing on demand, the ability to create custom communication, has triggered data bases tailored to member segments and special interests. On-demand publishing can take the form of custom-tailored books and special-interest editions of association magazines "cut" to the unique needs of specific readership segments. In addition, we see audiotape and computer versions of an association's general-interest, cornerstone magazine--with an in-depth option tagged on.

Electronic reference works, including membership lists, vendor listings and advertising, special-interest papers, compilations of legal cases on special topics, and documents compacting years of research into one source--all of these are titillating possibilities for both on-line and compact disc-read-only memory (CD-ROM) publishing. Several associations have already found the CD-ROM option to be a timely, member-pleasing way to publish topical information and to create in-depth coverage of a subject that could only be hinted at in a general-interest print publication. The alternative, a special-interest print supplement, often is prohibitively expensive.

Then there is the video magazine option, the potential of interactive on-line forums and electronic bulletin boards, teleconferencing, and fax and electronic mail publishing options. And in the middle of it all is the association executive who must choose which, if any, of these options are arenas to play in. Ian MacKenzie, editor and business manager of Life Association News for the National Association of Life Underwriters (NALU), Washington, D.C., advises that now is a good time for exploring the new media options, but not necessarily the time to be leading members into a high-tech commitment. He cautions that "it isn't just a matter of technology. Even when the technology is available, the membership has to be trained to use it and to be comfortable with it." One "conference" or special-interest subsection of NALU publishes a searchable CD-ROM product in collaboration with a legal group concerned with legislation affecting the life insurance industry. "But," cautions MacKenzie, "that is a very specific group with a very specific need." Matt Rowan, director of publishing and marketing for the Water Environment Federation, Alexandria, Virginia, has been exploring electronic media with an eye on converting the federation's ink-on-paper publications to searchable electronic form in the near future. Rowan sees access to the new media and familiarity with it less and less of a barrier. "One of our major for-profit competitors is saying, 'If you buy our whole electronic library, we'll give you the reader.'" While exploring the new media, says Rowan, it is important to bear in mind that "the value of the information doesn't change. It's simply a shift in delivery media. It's speed, convenience, and availability that are at issue for your member."

An association's publications are often the most visible and tangible representation of the association in the members' eyes. Armed with that realization, association executives and their publication leaders have created an impressive array of sophisticated, creative, and vital print publications. The insinuation of electronic publication possibilities into that environment reshuffles the cards and creates an exhilarating but often confusing new atmosphere.

The best and only invariant touchstone is the member. Today's member, like every customer for every product and service, has a simple set of demands: "I want it faster, better, cheaper, and done my way." The future vitality and success of your publications programs will hinge not so much on the bells and whistles of the latest technology but on your success at fathoming and meeting those member demands.

THE TECHNOFUTURE. . .

* REMAIN OPEN TO MAJOR CHANGE. Like it or not, technological advances will continue to revise your way of work.

* EXPLORE ALL OPTIONS. Member service can be greatly enhanced by such vehicles as electronic bulletin boards and CD-ROM publishing.

* CHOOSE WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR YOUR MEMBERS. They must be ready for any changes you make in the delivery of services.

Ron Zemke is a management consultant, journalist, and behavioral scientist. He is the founder of Performance Associates, Inc., a Minneapolis-based consulting firm.