New Member Handbook update

DMS General
#1

I’ve noticed!

Updating a wiki is relatively easy. Explaining to every single member that things have changed is quite a bit more difficult.

I’ve been working on a brochure to condense the Member 411 into a printed piece, and what I’ve noticed is that there are plenty of areas where the rules/traditions are far less than clear. When the wiki is less than clear I try asking “old school” members what the deal is. More than once I have gotten conflicting information as to the lay of the land.

I keep hearing conflicting information about : storage, discounted member rates and add-on members, etc

But the most frustrating is getting conflicting information on what tools require training and how to get that training.
The wiki is supposed to be our “bible” if you will and IMO it’s only slightly easier to interpret than the one Christians read.

This is likely better suited for a new thread, but honestly I don’t have clear answers for how any of that might be addressed.

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#2

Are you aware of the new member handbook that Mellissa actually made during her time as PR Chair? It’s pretty awesome!

#3

We’re going way off topic, but I’m SURE that’s outdated by now too.

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#4

I am! It has been the best source of information so far. Our goal was to get stuff boiled down to a tri-fold brochure.

Unfortunately I’ve kinda stalled out on making that brochure due to lack of focus and getting distracted by other stuff once I heard that Digital Media hadn’t submitted an expansion proposal :slightly_frowning_face:

I’m not great at writing copy and my goal became less clear as time went on… So what I have now is half sales brochure and half “welcome to DMS” which in my opinion doesn’t work. The audience is either potential members, or new members and the content needs to be geared towards the audience. If the audience isn’t clear, neither will the final piece.

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#5

What @tombakerftw is referring to is a single sheet tri-fold handed out during tours so they have a brief overview about DMS and some of the major policy points people should be aware of. He’s the lead on it and brings up progress at the almost weekly PR meetings and gets input. The Handbook is really for people after they join.

We used to give the Handbook out during tours but almost all ended up being pitched in a trash can. So we’ve gone with something they are at least likely to read over during the tour.

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#6

I assume you are seeking volunteers to help with the New Member Handbook update? [Sorry, I’m not volunteering, just piling on with suggestions :slight_smile: ]

The New Member handbook that PR and @MellissaRhodes created is wonderful, although it does look to be a little outdated in places. (Anyone who wants to read it can find it in the committee drive COMMITTEES / PR / FILES / NEW MEMBER HANDBOOK / )

There is also a New Member 411 on the wiki, and it’s a little more updated. I make salient updates to it when something strikes me as germane but I’m by no means 100% thorough. That New Member 411 is linked from the main page of the wiki so it’s an easily accessible source to everyone - not just new members.

@Photomancer has a good point about the larger brochures getting thrown away. Whether they’ve been read or not, they likely all get thrown away at some point.

Here’s one possible idea.

  • Target a trifold brochure at the tour. Smaller item, more likely to be read, less cost when it’s discarded.
  • Print a link to the wiki New Member 411 on that handbook. This would reduce the need to maintain a large hardcopy brochure. Everyone can read the New Member 411, even without signing in to the wiki.
  • The handbook was a little friendlier than the wiki; update the wiki so that it more closely follows the original handbook.
  • On the JOIN page, we could link to the New Member 411.

If you make a trifold brochure for the tours, I’d like to recommend one item. My recommendation is based on what used to be frequent complaints on Talk about things that people didn’t know when they joined - and they were bitterly disappointed. This is Rev A of what is now posted on the front bulletin board. Either it has helped set expectations or people have just mellowed out (or we have fewer new members, or a combination of all three).

the_fine_print_revA
the_fine_print_revA.jpg2400×1200 311 KB

We don’t have an official mission statement, but I think this captures the gist of what we are all about.

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#7

That is what it is for.

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#8

I’ve already talked to @tombakerftw about it in DMs and I’m really excited to see everything he comes up with.

I just want to note that the initial intention of the handbook never had perspective members as a target audience.

And I agree with this sentiment.

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#9

Ann once did a bifold for jewelry She is going to try to update it

It would be nice if other committiees had one to hand out also during tours

Say a guy comes in and he is interested in wood shop and auto but he hears things
about CA and JSM that he thinks would be interesting to his wife and his HS daughter might be
interested in Scined and his college son in Vector and electronics, This would allow him to pick up
those as well without trying to remember

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#10

If you were talking to me, I wasn’t updating the handbook, just trying to create that single page tri-fold brochure.
I’m not really happy with what I’ve got now, my copywriting skills suck. @MellissaRhodes offered to help me, so I should see if she can take a look at what I’ve got.

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#11

We do have an official mission statement, actually, or at least, it’s as official as any official mission statement might get. It’s one that far too few know about.

Mission Statement

This corporation is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations under section 501©(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

Within the limits of such purposes the corporation shall:

  1. Build and maintain spaces suitable for technical and social collaboration.
  2. Collaborate on all forms of technology, culture, and craft in new and interesting ways.
  3. Apply the results of its work to specific cultural, charitable, and scientific causes.
  4. Freely share its research and discoveries, using what is learned to teach others.
  5. Recruit and develop talented members dedicated to these purposes.
  6. Promote scientific, cultural, and artistic advancement
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#12

What does this part mean exactly?

#13

It means giving to other nonprofits.

Personally, I always hoped this clause would enable us to seed other independant makerspaces all over the country someday. After all, we opened our doors with just over 6 grand in the bank.

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#14

Pops right up on the wiki by searching mission.
https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/Mission_Statement
Last edited May 2011.
Mission statements are usually front and centre… :confused:

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