Theory & strategy for community building Deborah Schultz www.deborahschultz.com “ technology changes, humans don’t”

Welcome Introductions Expectations Outline of the day

What Community What does community mean to you? An Exercise

What did we learn? Community Building

Important Concepts Collaboration Shared ideas, passions and experiences Relationship building Room for divergent views Common language and knowledge, dialog Social structure emerges organically

Collaboration

Shared ideas, passions and experiences

Relationship building

Room for divergent views

Common language and knowledge, dialog

Social structure emerges organically

Key Concepts Common, shared purpose Interaction - must be easy Shared meaning Feelings of influence and membership Authenticity - Intimacy Emergent structures

Common, shared purpose

Interaction - must be easy

Shared meaning

Feelings of influence and membership

Authenticity - Intimacy

Emergent structures

The birth of a community We just illustrated that: Tacit and explicit theories drive our community strategy Norming functions develop quickly There is an individual and group collective Clustering is a natural evolution of community

We just illustrated that:

Tacit and explicit theories drive our community strategy

Norming functions develop quickly

There is an individual and group collective

Clustering is a natural evolution of community

Case Studies A critical analyses of existing communities Exercise II

Community Types - Broad Affiliation Circumstance Practice Elective vs non-elective

Affiliation

Circumstance

Practice

Elective vs non-elective

Three questions Review the community list we created what do you think is the intention of this site? Why do you think these examples are successful at community How do they measure their success

Review the community list we created what do you think is the intention of this site?

Why do you think these examples are successful at community

How do they measure their success

Choose a Site to “Read” Flickr Ebay Quickbooks Sourceforge Threadless Craigslist Amazon Vox

Flickr

Ebay

Quickbooks

Sourceforge

Threadless

Craigslist

Amazon

Vox

Lessons learned Community needs vary by type Affiliation Circumstance Practice Elective vs non-elective Elective affinity means we cannot mandate community Create platforms of emergent community

Community needs vary by type

Affiliation

Circumstance

Practice

Elective vs non-elective

Elective affinity means we cannot mandate community

Create platforms of emergent community

Let’s get strategic What would you do? Exercise III

Answer these questions Who - are you designing for? What are you going to give them? How are you going to tell them? How would you measure success?

Who - are you designing for?

What are you going to give them?

How are you going to tell them?

How would you measure success?

Three important rules Culture is based on your theories Strategy varies greatly for elective vs non-elective communities A huge attitude shift is needed You are now a partner and catalyst

Culture is based on your theories

Strategy varies greatly for elective vs non-elective communities

A huge attitude shift is needed

Elements of Community Content Curation User Refined Search Create & consume The Live Web Value is rewarded Co-creation Shared experience Offline & online Participation Niche vs Mass Authenticity This is not about technology

Content Curation

User Refined Search

Create & consume

The Live Web

Value is rewarded

Co-creation

Shared experience

Offline & online

Participation

Niche vs Mass

Authenticity

Things to Think About Define THE thing Shift your viewpoint What really drives your audience? Give to get Be bold, be different Be a catalyst Explore your assets Everyone is an editor Be human Be an advocate Feed the beast Keep it simple Iterate iterate iterate

Define THE thing

Shift your viewpoint

What really drives your audience?

Give to get

Be bold, be different

Be a catalyst

Explore your assets

Everyone is an editor

Be human

Be an advocate

Feed the beast

Keep it simple

Iterate iterate iterate

Inspiration & “gut check” reading Cluetrain Manifesto Seth Godin Citizen Marketers The Wisdom of Crowds The Starfish and the Spider Made to Stick Doc Searls, David Weinberger, Chris Locke Pick one Jackie Huba/Ben McConell James Suriowiecki Ori Brofman & Rod Beckstrom Chip & Dan Heath

Thanks for participating Deborah Schultz www.deborahschultz.com [email_address] Technology changes, humans don’t

Deborah Schultz

www.deborahschultz.com

[email_address]

Technology changes, humans don’t