Online CommunitiesHaas Business School, September 20, 2007
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• “Computer Scientist” (I hack)
• “Anthropologist” (I studied it once)
• Product Manager
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Why do OnlineCommunities Matter?
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Why do OnlineCommunities 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
meaningto our lives
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Ok, so why do OnlineCommunities Matter?
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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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• 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
Communities...
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Building Communities
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Communities are organisms
Communities are not things
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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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Like in your backyard.
Or they might show up where you don’t want them
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Like in your backyard.When you are out of town.
Or they might show up where you don’t want them
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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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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 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 communityto 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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See Also: Giving Communities a Place to Grow
+ Ads =
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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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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 Trolls64
[email protected]://majordojo.com
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