Report Says Design Around Engagement, Not Age

A new research report suggests that associations may be overinvested in generational differences when developing programs and products, at the expense of understanding behaviors that better drive engagement.

"Decoding Generational Behaviors, Motivations and Myths," released last month by MCI Group, questions the traditional system of using age-based personas—gen Z, Millennials, etc.—to define audiences. "The usual metrics no longer tell you who will actually show up," the report says, "and even successful events and organizations struggle to explain why certain formats work."

Erin Fuller, FASAE, CAE, global head of association solutions at MCI Group, said the report was inspired by earlier MCI research that pointed to a breakdown in typical understanding about what members and attendees might do.

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