Email From Jeremy Pesner

Hello Michael,

Thank you for this update. I'm glad to hear there's so much interest in the committee, especially as I believe Greta told me that it's brand new. This is a promising start to addressing some important issues for Mensa's technology stack.

I actually spoke with Greta earlier this week to outline what I believe are the most important areas of improvement for Mensa, and the organization's technologies and processes were definitely part of that. Whether I am selected for this committee or not, I figured it would be best for me to pass along that part of my feedback to you:

I'll give credit that Mensa has a better website than many other membership organizations I've seen, but parts of it are very clunky, some information is hard to find, and the overall processes are not nearly as advanced or robust as they should be. Once you log into the website, it's not clear how all the different content is laid out across the different drop-down menus, or how you can find out about Mensa offerings you're unaware of. For example, I learned about Mensa SIGHT because I met Bill Zigo, one of the coordinators, at an AG, who explained how it's kind of like CouchSurfing for Mensans, and I've used the service several times since. While the website does have a menu option labeled "SIGHT" under the "Connect" area, I wouldn't have clicked on it if I didn't already know what it was. There also is no way to export the contact info of different Mensans into a machine-readable file like a CSV. (This is very easy to do on the Triple Nine Society's portal.) I don't know where to go to find out info about previous AGs and RGs.

Those are just the technical/design issues on the site itself. A really clear example of a process issue is the calendar events, which are written up and published in a printed or PDF newsletter every month. I live in the world of Google calendar, so this comes across as ridiculously antiquated. (The younger members in the DC chapter at least do make Facebook events, but that also has limitations.) As a matter of course, people should sign up for events digitally (e.g. through Eventbrite) and have access to web-based versions of the newsletter, not just PDFs. Furthermore, the talks from the AGs and RGs are not recorded or posted online, which is a gigantic missed opportunity if Mensa wants to show prospective members what the experience is like. (The last video posted on the org's YouTube channel is from 3 years ago.) I've also heard that the guide app it creates for each AG is awful. (I've only been to one, so I can't comment on that one directly, but I can suggest Guidebook.) As a group of smart people, Mensa should be using every 21st century tool it can, especially if it wants to attract younger members.

Looking forward,
Jeremy

Reply:
I haven't had time to read your very extensive comment about my having received your application for the Technology Committee. I may respond more later.''