Stop! Drop! and Participate! Fostering

User Participation in Online Communities

Julia Grace

Comp 790

Introduction

Online Communities Work, Research, Social, or a Combination

Common Problem: Under Contribution! “Sedentary” Users

Newsgroups Open Source Mailing Lists

Introduction

Why does this happen?

How to remedy it? Sociology “Beyond Being There”

Can we build an online community where most members contribute?

?

Where to Begin?

Use a real community center as a model

Students Student Union

Message boards Meeting rooms Places to hang out, meet people

Accomplish “Being There”: Architecture

Lobby

Virtual Rooms

Message Boards

Calendar

Documents and Links

* Site Stats

(number of page views, etc.)

Accomplish “Being There”: Email

Goal: Get our foot in the door! Less “happenstance” How to drive users to the site

Emails! Students like email Similar to GPSF mailing we all get

Summary of all new content posted to the community

Accomplish “Being There”: Conclusions

Does Email Work? Users 2x likely to visit

community after receiving an email.

0

5

10

15

20

25

1 2 3 4 5

Posters

Number of Sessions per Day

Number of Messages Referenced in Email Alert

More messages posted to the community

More logins!

Accomplish “Being There”: Conclusions

Do people use discussion forums? If the topics are politically charged or

controversial Who deserves the nice(r) department

computers?...

Is Lobby Effective? People like central location to find references to

all new content.

Sociological Manipulation

Rating/Polling Franklin Street Restaurants CS Profs Movies

How to get people to participate in the polls? Notification Emails?

Been there, done that. Manipulate members’ into participating…?

Vote!

Sociological Manipulation:Loafing

Social Loafing (aka Free Riding)

Group Task

Individual Participation Drops

IF individuals think they are unique and their contributions are very valuable:

Individual Participation Increases

Explanation why CSSA

course reviews are very sparse!

Sociological Manipulation: Uniqueness and Benefit

Email Uniqueness:

Benefit:

You’re unique and

special.

You’re a typical

student.

Participation Benefits

You!

Participation Benefits You

& Others!

Participation Benefits Others!

No mention of benefit.

Sociological Manipulation: Conclusions

Uniqueness = Very Effective Benefit

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10

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30

Other Benefit Only

Self Benefit Only

Self & Other Benefit

No Benefit Ratings per Person

Sociological Manipulation: Goals

Give members specific goals We do it at work, why not in a social setting?

Rate __ movies per week:

8 16 32 64 DYB

“Do your best”

Sociological Manipulation: Goal Conclusions

Specific, high challenge goals work best

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DYB 8 16 32 64

Goal Level

Ratings per Person

Accomplish “Beyond Being There”: Profile

Just names – no faces “Without people, there is no community”

Profile Free reign on the profile Hometown, Photo, Interests, etc.

Accomplish “Beyond Being There”: Social Browsing Tools

Directory to easily find other members

Listing of recently joined members

Display of 8 randomly chosen members

Accomplish “Beyond Being There”: Social Browsing Tools

Promote people and their activities! Trivias

Lower overhead than discussion forums Gauge user interest

Contests

Julia Grace’s Poll: How gross is the 3rd floor microwave?

Somewhat gross Moderately gross Really gross

Accomplish “Beyond Being There”: Profile Conclusions

People like people Profile led to increased

contributions across the community

Contests/Incentives

Profile ++

Blogging

Structured friend lists

blog blogs blog-mania!

Julia

Academic Advisor

Kevin

Diane

Research Advisor

Kirstin

Friend* Knows a lot about IM clients!

Julia

Kevin

Kirstin

Diane

Overall Conclusions/Observations

Emails, Emails, Emails People are easily distracted/forgetful Email content makes a difference

Important Design Features: Profiles & Promoting People Periodic Contests with Goals Discussion threads with controversial topics *New* Content, *New* Features Publish site metrics

The End

Thanks & see you on MySpace/Facebook!