Sneak Peek at SSTI’s Annual Conference: Better Tools Build Better Times

Tight budgets are causing many state and local tech-based economic development (TBED) programs to delay new initiatives, even forcing some to scale back on the services already provided. But mottos like "getting more bang for the buck" and "doing more with less" are fast becoming tired, transparent clichés.

Given the economic restructuring underway (economists call it a jobless recovery), some states are beginning to rethink their whole economic development portfolio. During the past few weeks, alone, governors have created new commissions, committees or advisory councils to explore ways to foster better times. Everything is on the table. Elected stakeholders, policy makers, program practitioners and clients must feel the investments made toward building more prosperous economies are the right ones for their community — and that they are paying off.

Given this fiscal and political climate, tremendous opportunity exists for tech-based economic development programs to shine. But to be fully engaged in future efforts to build more diverse state and local economies based on science and technology, TBED management and staff need to know what works and show that they’re making a real difference.

Delivering the message and producing the results don’t always go hand-in-hand as only too many dust-gathering reports, plans and studies can attest. These documents – from the process of developing them to the final polished products – must lead to inspiration, motivation, implementation, improvement and results. But how?

To make your innovation index, annual report, strategic plan or marketing materials a must-read by your current and future stakeholders, there are six “must-attend” sessions at SSTI’s upcoming seventh annual conference. Learn firsthand though interactive and engaging discussions with expert practitioners and consultants from across the country who have done it successfully before.

• Adding Power to Your Innovation Index: Turning Assessment into Motivation
  
  An innovation index (or S&T report card as it's sometimes called) can be a powerful tool in communicating where you stand and where you should be going. But what data best convey the issues of importance for tech-based economic development? What's the best way to present it so it doesn't end up on a shelf? How do you transform the data into a motivating message and action plan that your audiences embrace? These are only some of the questions our expert panel will address in this informative session.

• From Reports to Results: Implementation of the Strategy for Sustainable 'Innovation Churn'
  
  What are the best tactics and implementation strategies to advance regions and states from "analysis paralysis" to creating competitive "innovation churn" — continuous and sustainable results from the assets, institutions and individuals? Metrics and performance measurements must convert into implementation, action and results. How do you and your leaders answer the question, "What do we do on Monday?" A mixture of case studies, implementation failure signs and realistic expectations for broad stakeholder engagement will be discussed.

• The Whys and Hows of Performance Measurement — and Perils of Avoidance
  
  In this session, we'll examine one of the hallmarks of a strong tech-based economic development program: that it has an integrated performance measurement system in place. The system could be used to better manage programs or to help make the case for public support. We'll explore why performance measurement is important and approaches that can be taken, and share the results of a new survey that will help you benchmark your evaluation system against others.

• Performance Measurement Under the Microscope: A Close Look at Two Case Studies
  
  Measuring performance is of critical importance, but it makes some program managers and policymakers squirm because it can be viewed as difficult, costly and imprecise. In this session, we'll consider the experiences of two programs that tackled the issue head-on, producing reports that not only help program managers understand what's working, but also demonstrate the real impact the programs are having.

• Effective Marketing: What's the Story?
  
  You can have the best program in the country, but without an effective marketing strategy, few of  your potential clients or prospective funding sources will know it. We'll look at the keys to deploying forceful marketing strategies – from defining who you are and who your multiple audiences are to how to reach those audiences efficiently – and the experiences of one organization that has developed an exemplary approach.

• Building and Sustaining Legislative Support
  
  Tired of the "Legislator, can you spare a dime" routine every budget cycle? Whether budget times are flush as they were a few years ago or tight as they are now, having lasting legislative buy-in is a prerequisite for most successful tech-based economic development. But how do you get it and once you get it how do you keep it? In this session, we'll learn from the experiences of two states: one that has recently made the case that significant investment in science and technology is important and another that has managed to sustain consistent legislative support for two decades.

The conference will be held in Seattle on October 21-22. More information, including a full PDF of the conference program and a registration form, is available at: http://www.ssti.org/conference03.htm [expired]