Using AI to Analyze Data and Uncover Insights 

Managing member data can sometimes feel overwhelming. There’s often so much information and not enough time to make sense of it all. For associations, the challenge isn’t just having data, it’s knowing what to do with it.  

By this point, you’ve probably heard about lots of applications for AI – data analysis is yet another area AI can make a big difference. When used well, it saves time, simplifies data analysis, and helps you spot trends quickly. This means that instead of spending time on manual data cleanup, your staff can focus on what really matters: member strategy and engagement. As we’ve said before, it’s not about replacing your team. It’s about helping them do more with less effort.  

During our recent webinar Why Your Data Matters & What You Can Do With It, Christin Berry, Vice President, Business Analytics & Data Services at ASAE  and David Jovel, Sales Engineering Director for Higher Logic, talked about how their teams are using AI to clean data, reveal insights, and improve member engagement.  

Their approach proves that AI isn’t just for tech experts. It’s a tool any association can use to improve strategy and focus on what matters most.  

Let’s break it down.  

Common Association Challenges

1. Outdated or manual systems are slowing teams down
   Many associations still rely on outdated tools or manual processes to manage their data. This often means hours spent cleaning spreadsheets or chasing down information from different systems. It’s time-consuming, repetitive work that keeps staff from focusing on strategy, innovation, or member experience.
2. There’s too much data and not enough direction
   Associations often have more data than they know what to do with. Data like event sign-ups, email clicks, and survey responses can add up fast, and without a clear strategy, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. The challenge isn’t collecting data anymore, it’s figuring out what matters, what to look for, and how to actually use it. Like Sophie McGregor from the Australian Dental Association shared on another of our recent webinars (Recruit, Retain, Engage: Strategies for a Thriving Member Base), sometimes it’s about looking for data that stands out and then digging deeper, or focusing on a specific trend to track progress toward a specific goal. Knowing where to start and how to translate numbers into action is where many organizations get stuck.
3. Lack of tech skills makes modern tools feel out of reach
   New tools sound great in theory, but not every team has someone who knows how to use them. And even when staff have an appetite to learn, sometimes it’s hard to find the time. For associations without a data analyst or tech expert on staff, figuring out where to begin can feel intimidating. It can be hard to take advantage of data analytics tools like Power BI without having someone who is familiar with them. This can be a significant barrier to change.  

The good news? Many of these tools are getting easier to use, even for beginners.  

 AI Tools That Make it Easier

Working with data doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In the webinar,both Christin and David shared how tools like Power BI, Acumen, and even ChatGPT are helping their teams save time and uncover insights faster.  

Many of these platforms are designed with non-experts in mind, meaning you don’t need to be a programmer or a data scientist to get started. Whether it’s cleaning up messy spreadsheets or spotting trends in survey responses, these tools are built to simplify the process.  

• Power BI 

• • What it is: A data visualization and reporting tool by Microsoft. It helps you turn raw data into easy-to-read charts, dashboards, and graphs.  

• • How it can be used: ASAE’s team uses it to create quick “snapshots” that help their executives see top-level trends without having to dig through multiple reports.  

• ChatGPT:  

• • What it is: An AI assistant in the form of a chatbot that can help generate ideas, summarize content, or automate analysis tasks in a conversational way.  

• • How it can be used: Christin mentioned that many people are using ChatGPT to write formulas or code for Power BI. This can help teams avoid time-consuming trial and error. She also emphasized that you don’t need to be technical to use it.  

• Acumen (Association Analytics) 

• • What it is: A platform built specifically for associations, offering dashboards and reports that integrate data from tools like your AMS, email platform, and event systems.  

• • How it can be used: It gives you a clear picture of member behavior, engagement, and trends over time. Christin showed how they use Acumen to visualize things like event attendance, position levels of attendees, and even overlap between meetings.  

• PropFuel 

• • What it is: A conversational engagement tool that helps associations ask questions and gather feedback from members in real time. 

• • How it can be used: ASAE sends questions like “Who pays for your membership dues?” or “What benefit are you most interested in?”. Based on their responses, they tailor follow-up messaging and resources. 

• Higher Logic 

• • What is it: We couldn’t leave ourselves off the list! At Higher Logic, innovation is part of our DNA. We are dedicated to embracing the latest technological advancements that deliver meaningful value to our customers including AI! That means incorporating new AI features into our platforms to supercharge member engagement. 

• • How it can be used: Leverage AI-driven Smart Newsletters and Smart Campaigns to target members with content personalized based on their actions. Get help from a built-in AI Assistant that will help automatically generate summary responses to search queries in your community or help you draft emails more quickly. Simplify community content management and organization with bulk upload and AI-suggested tagging. 

Together, these tools are helping associations reduce time spent on manual tasks and personalize the member experience in ways that weren’t possible before. With AI supporting everything from analysis to automation, their teams are able to focus on the insights, not the busy work.  

AI + Humans: People Matter

AI can help you organize your data, notice patterns, and speed up decision-making, but it does not replace the human element.  

During the webinar, Christin shared a valuable reminder: “The data is not going to tell you what to do.” Even the best AI tools need context. Numbers can show you a trend, but they won’t explain why it’s happening. This is why it’s so important to talk to your members. Having open communication with your members, gathering feedback, and understanding their needs will allow you to understand your data in a deeper way.  

Even if you have access to extensive data, teams still use surveys, open-ended feedback, and polling to hear people’s stories. Data might be able to tell you that your engagement dropped, but only a conversation with your members can tell you why.  

Member needs may vary from person to person, and they may change over time. Only your staff can understand the tone, context, and nuance of member comments or feedback. And, even with the help of technology making it faster and easier, it’s still PEOPLE who build those relationships that keep members engaged year after year. 

Technology can do a lot, but it can’t replace the power of human connection, especially in the association world where relationships and community are essential.

Continuous Improvement

Success with data does not happen overnight. It requires revisiting your benchmarks, tracking your progress, and asking questions about what the numbers really mean. What worked previously may not work today, and that is okay. AI and analytics tools can help your data analysis process in many ways, but it is up to your team to explore those insights and adapt.  

It’s important to not only collect the numbers, but to learn from them. Remember to stay curious. Continue asking yourself: Is this data still helpful? Are we learning anything new from it? Should we shift our focus? Continuous improvement does not require perfection; it only requires a willingness to make small changes that lead to better results.