Online Communities
Haas Business School, September 20, 2007
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Byrne Reese
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• “Computer Scientist” (I hack)
• “Anthropologist” (I studied it once)
• Product Manager
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Why do Online
Communities Matter?
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Why do Online
Communities Matter?
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Collectively, we are
smarter.
(most of the time)
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They give us a sense of belonging
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They give us a heightened
sense of responsibility to one another
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They allow us to accomplish things we
couldn’t accomplish on our own
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They bring
meaning
to our lives
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Ok, so why do Online
Communities Matter?
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Community
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Communication
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• Community is how we get stuff done
• Community allows us to accomplish things
greater then ourselves
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And from a
product manager’s
view:
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Communities...
• Allow us to connect with the audiences we
care about
• Help build affinity for our products
• Foster greater product advocacy
• Provide us with valuable product feedback
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Building Communities
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Communities are not things
Communities are organisms
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Community Biology
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Rule #1:
Give them a place to
take root
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Or they might show up where
you don’t want them
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Or they might show up where
you don’t want them
Like in your backyard.
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Or they might show up where
you don’t want them
Like in your backyard.
When you are out of town.
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Keep in mind...
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Some environments are more suitable than others
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Where they take root may surprise you
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Helping Communities to Thrive
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Inputs
&
Outputs
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INPUT
Information
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OUTPUT
(magic)
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OUTPUT
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Community Culture
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“The values, traditions,
norms, customs, arts,
history, folklore, and
institutions that a group
of people share.”
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norms
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rules
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• Norms define what is acceptable and
unacceptable
• Norms provide the means for the community to
keep its members in check
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They allow you to step in and take action if necessary
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Stories from the Trenches
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Go with the flow
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Don’t force your community
to adapt to your product.
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Adapt your product to your
community.
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Use communities strategically
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+ Ads =
See Also: Giving Communities a Place to Grow
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Don’t wait for communities to find their own home.
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Give them a place of your choosing to call home.
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Community is a feature
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Know how community can
attract or repel
future customers and users
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vs.
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Things to be mindful of
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“If you build it, they will come.”
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Believe it or not, you are not God.
Even in the communities you start.
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Remember: you are dealing with people
who are emotionally invested
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• Be sensitive
• Be fair
• Be honest
• Be transparent
• Be humble
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And what ever you do...
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Don’t feed the Trolls
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Thank you.
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byrne@majordojo.com
http://majordojo.com
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