March/April 2021 - 25

DFI

ACTIVITIES

Strategic Goals Elaborated for DFI Community
As a follow-up to last year's goalsetting retreat, DFI committee members and trustees gathered online in
late February with institute leaders
such as President Michael Wysockey,
Ph.D., P.E., for the Winter Planning
Meeting (WPM). The focus of the
40-plus institute leaders from February 22-25 was on refining four
strategic goals that had been identified
the previous spring. The DFI priorities
are to:
*

Raise awareness of DVI's value
proposition.

Improve DFI member experiences.

Improve DFI event experiences and
interactive activities.

Improve technical committee
efficiency and develop approaches
to broaden the reach of committee
deliverables.

After a session early Monday for
committee chairs, Theresa Engler, DFI's
executive director, led the full group in
the first of the mid-day sessions all
week. The two-hour workshop
considered how the institute's goals
align with member needs, with a
demonstration of the new DFI website
under development, and wide-ranging
comments from participants about
topics like making the most of remote,
in-person and complementary hybrid
events. Progress was also made in that
workshop and Tuesday's first session
on developing a new value proposition
statement for use in sharing DFI
benefits to others.
The institute's director of technical
activities, Mary Ellen Large, P.E., D.GE,
guided some discussions, including
Tuesday's breakout on building
connections with affiliated organizations and public agencies. The focus
was aligning DFI with specific industry

sectors - initially, with experts on
developing hybrid ones that capitalize
highways, buildings, dams and levees,
on technology advances to further
and energy. Ideas developed by
increase participants' engagement with
breakout subgroups on each of those
each other. For instance, finding a way to
sectors revealed some overlaps. For
more easily permit post-presentation
instance, a shared theme was assisting
discussions through dedicated chat
industry colleagues by providing input
rooms was discussed. The networking
and educational feedback on the
aspects of events were covered in-depth
current state of building or other codes,
as well, with discussion of ways to
by disseminating the institute's
encourage exhibitor creativity and to
innovative research more broadly, and
bridge communication between
by using the institute's signature
exhibitors and attendees.
emphasis on finding common ground to
That afternoon's session addressed
serve an industry by expanding crosstechnical committees and how DFI can
sector use of novel technologies.
improve operational efficiencies.
Improving member experiences and
Microsoft Teams was considered as the
the institute's social media plan were
potential platform for all internal
emphasized in Tuesday's second breakout.
DFI leaders noted the importance of
A flexible mentorship
program was discussed
retaining in-person events, while
at length in which DFI
staff would connect
developing hybrid ones that capitalize
mentors and mentees.
WPM attendees agreed
on technology advances to further
to pilot this through the
mixed-gender Women
increase participants' engagement
in Deep Foundations
with each other.
Committee, and to offer
it to all new members,
including those who enter the deep
committee communications, with
foundations industry mid-career. DFI's
content restrictions and training on its
social media plan was also covered, with
use discussed. DFI leadership also
suggestions to dedicate a full-time staff
queried about the best tools for
person to this outreach, and to consider
broadening committees' outreach,
new social media offerings while using
given their innovative activities and
analytics for evaluating the value of
content. Having each committee
all approaches.
provide a webpage with a short list of
DFI conferences, webinars and other
key documents to inform industry
interactive activities became
members was among the conclusions.
Wednesday's initial focus. Attendees
A trivia event for interested participrovided insights into what drove their
pants followed Thursday's last breakout
decisions to attend specific institute
session. The meeting was then bookofferings, as well as discussion
ended by a DFI Board of Trustees
occurring of best event practices. As part
gathering on Friday, which included
of this, DFI leaders noted the importance
welcoming new trustees and general
of retaining in-person events, while
business reporting and discussions.
DEEP FOUNDATIONS * MAR/APR 2021 * 25

March/April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March/April 2021