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THE SOLIDWORKS USER GROUP NETWORK
USER GROUP STARTER KITThe SOLIDWORKS User Group Network (SWUGN) committee
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THE SOLIDWORKS USER GROUP NETWORK USER GROUP STARTER KIT
Thank you for your interest is starting a local SOLIDWORKS® User Group chapter. This guide will help you through the process of registering your group, planning the first meeting, and setting up your user group for long-term success.
ABOUT SWUGNThe SOLIDWORKS User Group Network (SWUGN) committee was formed with the express purpose of establishing more user groups, to become a central voice for local user groups, and to develop tools and materials that can be used to
help get your group started and to grow. The committee is comprised of SOLIDWORKS users from around the world who have experience leading a SOLIDWORKS user group, and enjoys considerable support from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS Corporation. The SWUGN committee also hosts the annual SWUGN meeting of user group leaders and members each year at the SOLIDWORKS World Conference.
The committee would like to hear how we can serve your needs at the local level. Please use the contact information below to introduce yourself and become acquainted with your regional representative. The SWUGN committee member for your region can help guide you through some of the challenges of starting a user group, and will always be available to answer questions or suggest ideas. Getting to know your regional representative is a good first step as you begin forming a SOLIDWORKS user group.
The SWUGN Committee is here to help, and your new group will be fully supported by SOLIDWORKS Corporation.
Phil Sluder Western US AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA [email protected]
Todd Blacksher Southern US AR, CO, KS, LA, MO, NE, NM, OK, TX, WY [email protected]
Casey Gorman Southeastern US AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV [email protected]
Richard Wand Midwest US IL, IN, IA, KY, MI, MN, ND, OH, SD, WI [email protected]
Ed Gebo Eastern US CT, DE, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT [email protected]
Chris White Canada ALL [email protected]
Hal Olguner Asia/Pacific ALL [email protected]
Adam Green Europe ALL [email protected]
USER GROUP
GETTING STARTEDGetting your group started is as easy as registering the group name and scheduling the first meeting. Register your group with SWUGN at www.swugn.org/swugn/calendar/RegisterGroupForm.htm. You should have an email address for your group (Hotmail, Gmail, etc.) that does not interfere with your work correspondence.
Your first meeting will help set the tone of your SOLIDWORKS user group, so make it a good one. First, you should select a date, time and location. If you do not have a facility to host a user group meeting, we can provide some ideas to help you select one. SWUGN will cover up to $400 USD in costs for meeting space, audiovisual equipment if needed, and food and beverage for your meeting. Well also provide a nice package of giveaway items for each meeting. Use the meeting checklist in Appendix A to help your preparation. When you are ready to post your meeting notice to the SWUGN website, use this form— www.swugn.org/swugn/calendar/MeetingRequestForm.htm
PRESENTATIONSSOLIDWORKS users attend user group meetings primarily for the technical content (networking is a distant second), so you need to make sure you provide quality presentations. Local reseller representatives are one good source, and SOLIDWORKS employees regularly attend and present. You will eventually find members of your user group that are willing to share their knowledge too. Tips and tricks presentations are very popular, and sessions on core SOLIDWORKS functionality will also make users happy. Ultimately, it’s up to your members to help decide what types of presentations are most useful. Use the example in Appendix C to query your members for ideas.
SCHEDULING TIPSYou and your members should decide how often your group will meet. To be recognized as an official SWUGN group, you must schedule at least two meetings per year. Most SOLIDWORKS user groups meet quarterly; others have decided that meeting every other month suits their membership. A couple of groups meet every month. Consider scheduling all of your meetings for the year ahead of time, this gives your members the opportunity to plan accordingly. Keep in mind that people get busy, go on vacation, or have other duties that might keep them from the occasional meeting. Do your best to schedule meeting days and times to accommodate as many members as possible.
Avoid scheduling meetings on Monday, Friday, and weekend days. The time of day can be important as well. Afternoon meetings work for some groups, but consider that your members will have to miss work to attend. Evening meetings seem to be best for most groups, with starting times varying from 5:00pm to 6:00pm. Meeting durations run between 2 and 4 hours.
MEETING VENUESLow cost meeting rooms can be found at most mid-level hotel chains (Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, etc.), and usually will not require onsite catering ($$$). Local libraries and/or community colleges sometimes offer free or low-cost meeting space. The best option is to find a member that might be able to host a meeting, and perhaps even arrange for a plant tour (they are very popular).
CONDUCTING A SUCCESSFUL MEETINGIts meeting day and you’re ready. Your meeting has been posted on the SWUGN website, you’ve announced it via social media channels and SOLIDWORKS resellers, and the RSVP’s have been coming in fast and furious. Now comes the fun part, running the meeting. Here are some ideas to help make it successful.
START WITH NETWORKINGYou should schedule your meetings so that the first thirty minutes or so are for greeting your members, networking, and food. Some groups run a PowerPoint slide show (or similar) featuring news and notes, or even SOLIDWORKS models provided by members.
FEED YOUR GUESTSYour members are probably coming to the meeting straight from work, and they’re hungry. SWUGN provides ample funds to meet venue costs, A/V, and most importantly, good food. Pizza is very popular at SOLIDWORKS user group meetings, and it’s easy to order and have delivered. Other groups make do with sandwich trays, buckets of chicken, or BBQ. Make sure you have enough food for everyone, and don’t forget things like drinks, ice, condiments, and utensils.
PRESENTATIONSIt’s a good idea to have at least two presentations for each meeting. It’s also a good idea to have a backup plan if something happens to one of your speakers. Poll your members frequently to make sure that they are getting the content that they desire.
The best presentations are the ones that teach your members something they can use in their everyday work. Tips and Tricks are very popular whether they focus on specific functionality, or are more general in nature. If your members requested specific topics, make sure the content is geared toward all levels of users.
Reseller AE’s are a great source for good technical content, but keep in mind that they often rely on “canned” presentations that may deliver an overview of functionality, but don’t delve into the things that interest everyday users. Encourage your reseller presenters to branch out a bit when presenting at your meetings.
THE SOLIDWORKS USER GROUP NETWORK USER GROUP STARTER KIT
Thank you for your interest is starting a local SOLIDWORKS® User Group chapter. This guide will help you through the process of registering your group, planning the first meeting, and setting up your user group for long-term success.
ABOUT SWUGNThe SOLIDWORKS User Group Network (SWUGN) committee was formed with the express purpose of establishing more user groups, to become a central voice for local user groups, and to develop tools and materials that can be used to
help get your group started and to grow. The committee is comprised of SOLIDWORKS users from around the world who have experience leading a SOLIDWORKS user group, and enjoys considerable support from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS Corporation. The SWUGN committee also hosts the annual SWUGN meeting of user group leaders and members each year at the SOLIDWORKS World Conference.
The committee would like to hear how we can serve your needs at the local level. Please use the contact information below to introduce yourself and become acquainted with your regional representative. The SWUGN committee member for your region can help guide you through some of the challenges of starting a user group, and will always be available to answer questions or suggest ideas. Getting to know your regional representative is a good first step as you begin forming a SOLIDWORKS user group.
The SWUGN Committee is here to help, and your new group will be fully supported by SOLIDWORKS Corporation.
Phil Sluder Western US AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA [email protected]
Todd Blacksher Southern US AR, CO, KS, LA, MO, NE, NM, OK, TX, WY [email protected]
Casey Gorman Southeastern US AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV [email protected]
Richard Wand Midwest US IL, IN, IA, KY, MI, MN, ND, OH, SD, WI [email protected]
Ed Gebo Eastern US CT, DE, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT [email protected]
Chris White Canada ALL [email protected]
Hal Olguner Asia/Pacific ALL [email protected]
Adam Green Europe ALL [email protected]
USER GROUP
GETTING STARTEDGetting your group started is as easy as registering the group name and scheduling the first meeting. Register your group with SWUGN at www.swugn.org/swugn/calendar/RegisterGroupForm.htm. You should have an email address for your group (Hotmail, Gmail, etc.) that does not interfere with your work correspondence.
Your first meeting will help set the tone of your SOLIDWORKS user group, so make it a good one. First, you should select a date, time and location. If you do not have a facility to host a user group meeting, we can provide some ideas to help you select one. SWUGN will cover up to $400 USD in costs for meeting space, audiovisual equipment if needed, and food and beverage for your meeting. Well also provide a nice package of giveaway items for each meeting. Use the meeting checklist in Appendix A to help your preparation. When you are ready to post your meeting notice to the SWUGN website, use this form— www.swugn.org/swugn/calendar/MeetingRequestForm.htm
PRESENTATIONSSOLIDWORKS users attend user group meetings primarily for the technical content (networking is a distant second), so you need to make sure you provide quality presentations. Local reseller representatives are one good source, and SOLIDWORKS employees regularly attend and present. You will eventually find members of your user group that are willing to share their knowledge too. Tips and tricks presentations are very popular, and sessions on core SOLIDWORKS functionality will also make users happy. Ultimately, it’s up to your members to help decide what types of presentations are most useful. Use the example in Appendix C to query your members for ideas.
SCHEDULING TIPSYou and your members should decide how often your group will meet. To be recognized as an official SWUGN group, you must schedule at least two meetings per year. Most SOLIDWORKS user groups meet quarterly; others have decided that meeting every other month suits their membership. A couple of groups meet every month. Consider scheduling all of your meetings for the year ahead of time, this gives your members the opportunity to plan accordingly. Keep in mind that people get busy, go on vacation, or have other duties that might keep them from the occasional meeting. Do your best to schedule meeting days and times to accommodate as many members as possible.
Avoid scheduling meetings on Monday, Friday, and weekend days. The time of day can be important as well. Afternoon meetings work for some groups, but consider that your members will have to miss work to attend. Evening meetings seem to be best for most groups, with starting times varying from 5:00pm to 6:00pm. Meeting durations run between 2 and 4 hours.
MEETING VENUESLow cost meeting rooms can be found at most mid-level hotel chains (Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, etc.), and usually will not require onsite catering ($$$). Local libraries and/or community colleges sometimes offer free or low-cost meeting space. The best option is to find a member that might be able to host a meeting, and perhaps even arrange for a plant tour (they are very popular).
CONDUCTING A SUCCESSFUL MEETINGIts meeting day and you’re ready. Your meeting has been posted on the SWUGN website, you’ve announced it via social media channels and SOLIDWORKS resellers, and the RSVP’s have been coming in fast and furious. Now comes the fun part, running the meeting. Here are some ideas to help make it successful.
START WITH NETWORKINGYou should schedule your meetings so that the first thirty minutes or so are for greeting your members, networking, and food. Some groups run a PowerPoint slide show (or similar) featuring news and notes, or even SOLIDWORKS models provided by members.
FEED YOUR GUESTSYour members are probably coming to the meeting straight from work, and they’re hungry. SWUGN provides ample funds to meet venue costs, A/V, and most importantly, good food. Pizza is very popular at SOLIDWORKS user group meetings, and it’s easy to order and have delivered. Other groups make do with sandwich trays, buckets of chicken, or BBQ. Make sure you have enough food for everyone, and don’t forget things like drinks, ice, condiments, and utensils.
PRESENTATIONSIt’s a good idea to have at least two presentations for each meeting. It’s also a good idea to have a backup plan if something happens to one of your speakers. Poll your members frequently to make sure that they are getting the content that they desire.
The best presentations are the ones that teach your members something they can use in their everyday work. Tips and Tricks are very popular whether they focus on specific functionality, or are more general in nature. If your members requested specific topics, make sure the content is geared toward all levels of users.
Reseller AE’s are a great source for good technical content, but keep in mind that they often rely on “canned” presentations that may deliver an overview of functionality, but don’t delve into the things that interest everyday users. Encourage your reseller presenters to branch out a bit when presenting at your meetings.
APPENDIX A—MEETING CHECKLIST
(ü) LEAD TIME DESCRIPTION NOTES
6 weeks Determine meeting date/time
4 weeks Select meeting facility
4 weeks Solicit guest speaker(s)
4 weeks Create meeting agenda
4 weeks Post meeting information to the SWUGN website
2 weeks Finalize agenda
2 weeks Send out e-mail reminder, announce via social media
1—2 weeks Order food, beverages
1 weeks Confirm snacks, room reservation, etc.
0—1 weeks Compile attendee list, future topic ideas, charter, agenda
0—1 weeks Print-out agendas, hand-outs
Day of meeting Print, post parking signs, post agenda
Day of meeting Set-up computer, overhead display, chairs, tables, etc.
Post meeting Send out meeting minutes
User presentations can be some of the best, but you will struggle in the beginning to convince them to get up in front of the room. Eventually, some members will become comfortable enough to show off “something” they do with SOLIDWORKS every day at work. You will also find members that have presented before; they will be your stars.
SOLIDWORKS employees are also available to present at your meetings. You can work with your local SWUGN rep and/or SOLIDWORKS to help schedule employees and/or special guests.
SPREADING THE WORDStarting a group and having a meeting is just the first step in creating a strong, independent local user group. Even with help from SWUGN and SOLIDWORKS Corporation, there are still some things you will have to do to make more users aware of the group.
SOLIDWORKS resellers can be a great resource for reaching potential group members. Create a form like the one shown below and provide it to local resellers to distribute with their training materials. You’ll save the reseller some work, and the message will be delivered to every SOLIDWORKS user that gets training. Remember, you can download original forms and templates from the SWUGN—www.swugn.org/swugn/support/forms.htm
SWUGN can setup a SOLIDWORKS Forum page for your group, similar to this one—https://forum.solidworks.com/groups/kern-county-solidworks-user-group. The SOLIDWORKS forums are extremely active, and your announcements would reach thousands of SOLIDWORKS users. You can also create your own website for your group, but please keep in mind that SOLIDWORKS does not reimburse the cost of private websites.
Social media is another good avenue for spreading the word. Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and other social media sites are usually free and simply require an account to use. Many SOLIDWORKS user group leaders use Twitter as a means to announce meetings, to interact with members, and to build a core base of members for the group.
Email is still one of the best forms of communication when it comes to your SOLIDWORKS user group. You should always capture your attendee’s information at every meeting (a sign-in sheet works well for this), and keep a member database for your group. There are some other forms of communication such as Evite and MeetUp that you might also find useful, although they sometimes charge a fee.
You can also request a once-per-year email blast sent from SOLIDWORKS Corporation. Consider using your yearly email to announce a special meeting and/or special guest appearances.
APPENDIX A—MEETING CHECKLIST
(ü) LEAD TIME DESCRIPTION NOTES
6 weeks Determine meeting date/time
4 weeks Select meeting facility
4 weeks Solicit guest speaker(s)
4 weeks Create meeting agenda
4 weeks Post meeting information to the SWUGN website
2 weeks Finalize agenda
2 weeks Send out e-mail reminder, announce via social media
1—2 weeks Order food, beverages
1 weeks Confirm snacks, room reservation, etc.
0—1 weeks Compile attendee list, future topic ideas, charter, agenda
0—1 weeks Print-out agendas, hand-outs
Day of meeting Print, post parking signs, post agenda
Day of meeting Set-up computer, overhead display, chairs, tables, etc.
Post meeting Send out meeting minutes
User presentations can be some of the best, but you will struggle in the beginning to convince them to get up in front of the room. Eventually, some members will become comfortable enough to show off “something” they do with SOLIDWORKS every day at work. You will also find members that have presented before; they will be your stars.
SOLIDWORKS employees are also available to present at your meetings. You can work with your local SWUGN rep and/or SOLIDWORKS to help schedule employees and/or special guests.
SPREADING THE WORDStarting a group and having a meeting is just the first step in creating a strong, independent local user group. Even with help from SWUGN and SOLIDWORKS Corporation, there are still some things you will have to do to make more users aware of the group.
SOLIDWORKS resellers can be a great resource for reaching potential group members. Create a form like the one shown below and provide it to local resellers to distribute with their training materials. You’ll save the reseller some work, and the message will be delivered to every SOLIDWORKS user that gets training. Remember, you can download original forms and templates from the SWUGN—www.swugn.org/swugn/support/forms.htm
SWUGN can setup a SOLIDWORKS Forum page for your group, similar to this one—https://forum.solidworks.com/groups/kern-county-solidworks-user-group. The SOLIDWORKS forums are extremely active, and your announcements would reach thousands of SOLIDWORKS users. You can also create your own website for your group, but please keep in mind that SOLIDWORKS does not reimburse the cost of private websites.
Social media is another good avenue for spreading the word. Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and other social media sites are usually free and simply require an account to use. Many SOLIDWORKS user group leaders use Twitter as a means to announce meetings, to interact with members, and to build a core base of members for the group.
Email is still one of the best forms of communication when it comes to your SOLIDWORKS user group. You should always capture your attendee’s information at every meeting (a sign-in sheet works well for this), and keep a member database for your group. There are some other forms of communication such as Evite and MeetUp that you might also find useful, although they sometimes charge a fee.
You can also request a once-per-year email blast sent from SOLIDWORKS Corporation. Consider using your yearly email to announce a special meeting and/or special guest appearances.
APPENDIX B—SAMPLE AGENDA
5:30pm—6:00pm Registration, food, networking
6:00pm—6:15pm Opening Remarks
6:15pm—6:45pmPresentation 1—Name of presenter and company (This should contain some background information on the speaker and their involvement with SOLIDWORKS as a user)
6:45pm—7:00pm Break
7:00pm—8:00pmPresentation 2—Name of presenter and company (This should contain some background information on the speaker and their involvement with SOLIDWORKS as a user)
8:00pm—8:45pm Ask the Experts, open Q & A, general discussion about SOLIDWORKS
8:45pm—9:00pm Wrap up, prize drawings, topic ideas for the next meeting
(Approximate date of next meeting)
APPENDIX C—MEETING TOPICS
Help choose the topics for future meetings. Please rank each topic in order of preference, with 1 being most interesting to you, 4 being least
TOPIC IDEAS RANK 1 2 3 4
Sheet metal
Weldments
Configurations
Data exchange
Customization (VB, Macros, etc.)
Libraries
Molding
Castings
Surfacing, Shapes, Lofting
Rapid Prototyping
Hardware, Peripherals, Drivers, Benchmarks
Third Party Applications
Workarounds, Bugs, Enhancements
Certification Test
What’s New
Drafting Techniques
Migration from AutoCAD
File management, Concurrent Engineering, PDM
Best Modeling Practices
Parametric, Design Tables, Equations
Large Assemblies
Bi-Directional AutoCAD Translation
Other (specify)
Other (specify)
TIPS FROM THE SWUGN COMMITTEEHere are a few ideas for your group.
Work with your local resellersIn addition to helping out with technical content, your local SOLIDWORKS resellers can be very helpful attracting new members for your group. SOLIDWORKS resellers also host frequent events for their customers, and you should ask to be invited and possibly get a chance to speak for five minutes or so to promote your group. During the annual release of the latest version of SOLIDWORKS, all resellers will be hosting “rollouts”. These meetings are attended by dozens, sometimes hundreds of SOLIDWORKS users, and typically last from four to eight hours. There should be ample time for a group leader to address the audience (check with you local reseller for scheduling).
Get some help Many SOLIDWORKS user groups are managed by one very energetic person. Other groups have found that a committee or board works well for them. There are several duties that could be performed by a committee or board; food planning, arranging venues, and recruiting presenters are just some examples. If your venue requires cleanup after the meeting, call out for volunteers.
Contest ideas If you are planning to create a logo for your group, consider a logo design contest. Have your members use SOLIDWORKS to design the logo, and then have your members vote for their favorite. Some groups even have a 3D print of the winning logo made for display. Other design challenges (model your favorite hand tool, Rube Goldberg inspired modeling, fewest features in a model, etc.) can also be fun.
The “Open Mouse” sessionMany groups save the last fifteen to thirty minutes of their meetings for a general Q & A session (affectionately known as “Open Mouse”). Have a SOLIDWORKS expert (or group of experts) on hand to answer general questions, and even demonstrate techniques to answer those questions. It may take some time to get people to open up, but once they do you will find this a valuable addition to your meeting.
Things to avoidSales pitches. SOLIDWORKS Partner companies are usually very good at supporting SOLIDWORKS user groups, and your members can learn a lot about peripheral products at meetings. That said, you should make sure that the presentations are technical in nature, and provide value to your attendees.
Never give out your member database, even to a SOLIDWORKS employee or reseller.
Alcohol at meetings. SOLIDWORKS will not reimburse for alcoholic beverages.
SOLIDWORKS World is scheduled in late January/early February each year. Avoid scheduling meetings in the month or so preceding the conference.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How much of my time will leading a SOLIDWORKS User Group take?Running a successful user group will definitely take some of your time. The two to three weeks leading up to a scheduled meeting will likely be your busiest time. Organizing a volunteer committee to help with arranging meeting space, food, and/or presentations can take some of the burden off of the group leader.
What are the best topics to present at a user group meeting?The best topics are the ones that interest your members. Poll your attendees at each meeting and plan technical content that matches their needs and wishes. There are example surveys that you can download from the SWUGN website— www.swugn.org
What role should resellers have in our user group?SOLIDWORKS resellers in your area can help in many ways. First, they are your best resource for finding new members. Ask the local resellers to add your meeting information to their newsletters, website, or other means of communication to their customers. Some resellers will also send an email blast to their customers. Second, local resellers can sometimes provide technical experts for group presentations. Make sure to ask nicely, don’t favor one reseller over another, and give them plenty of time to avoid scheduling conflicts.
Should we allow SOLIDWORKS Partner companies to participate in group meetings?It’s entirely up to you and your members. SOLIDWORKS Partners have some of the very best add-on products and/or services available for SOLIDWORKS (or else they wouldn’t BE partners). Most Partner companies will present very good, technically oriented demos of their products at your meeting. SWUGN offers the Partner Participation Program specifically to help foster relationships between user groups and Partner companies. Contact your regional SWUGN rep for details.
How often should we meet?Most local group chapters meet quarterly. Regularly scheduled meetings allow your members to plan accordingly, and will insure good attendance.
How do I get more members for my group?Advertise, advertise, and advertise. Use public newsgroups and discussion forums, send meeting notices to on-line technical publications like Cadalyst, Solid Solutions, and Ten Links. Promote on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) Ask your members to spread the word at work, and make sure you develop a good relationship with local resellers. Keep a good membership database, adding any new users that attend your meetings.
Got a question? Got an answer? Send your questions, comments, and suggestions about this manual to [email protected]
APPENDIX B—SAMPLE AGENDA
5:30pm—6:00pm Registration, food, networking
6:00pm—6:15pm Opening Remarks
6:15pm—6:45pmPresentation 1—Name of presenter and company (This should contain some background information on the speaker and their involvement with SOLIDWORKS as a user)
6:45pm—7:00pm Break
7:00pm—8:00pmPresentation 2—Name of presenter and company (This should contain some background information on the speaker and their involvement with SOLIDWORKS as a user)
8:00pm—8:45pm Ask the Experts, open Q & A, general discussion about SOLIDWORKS
8:45pm—9:00pm Wrap up, prize drawings, topic ideas for the next meeting
(Approximate date of next meeting)
APPENDIX C—MEETING TOPICS
Help choose the topics for future meetings. Please rank each topic in order of preference, with 1 being most interesting to you, 4 being least
TOPIC IDEAS RANK 1 2 3 4
Sheet metal
Weldments
Configurations
Data exchange
Customization (VB, Macros, etc.)
Libraries
Molding
Castings
Surfacing, Shapes, Lofting
Rapid Prototyping
Hardware, Peripherals, Drivers, Benchmarks
Third Party Applications
Workarounds, Bugs, Enhancements
Certification Test
What’s New
Drafting Techniques
Migration from AutoCAD
File management, Concurrent Engineering, PDM
Best Modeling Practices
Parametric, Design Tables, Equations
Large Assemblies
Bi-Directional AutoCAD Translation
Other (specify)
Other (specify)
TIPS FROM THE SWUGN COMMITTEEHere are a few ideas for your group.
Work with your local resellersIn addition to helping out with technical content, your local SOLIDWORKS resellers can be very helpful attracting new members for your group. SOLIDWORKS resellers also host frequent events for their customers, and you should ask to be invited and possibly get a chance to speak for five minutes or so to promote your group. During the annual release of the latest version of SOLIDWORKS, all resellers will be hosting “rollouts”. These meetings are attended by dozens, sometimes hundreds of SOLIDWORKS users, and typically last from four to eight hours. There should be ample time for a group leader to address the audience (check with you local reseller for scheduling).
Get some help Many SOLIDWORKS user groups are managed by one very energetic person. Other groups have found that a committee or board works well for them. There are several duties that could be performed by a committee or board; food planning, arranging venues, and recruiting presenters are just some examples. If your venue requires cleanup after the meeting, call out for volunteers.
Contest ideas If you are planning to create a logo for your group, consider a logo design contest. Have your members use SOLIDWORKS to design the logo, and then have your members vote for their favorite. Some groups even have a 3D print of the winning logo made for display. Other design challenges (model your favorite hand tool, Rube Goldberg inspired modeling, fewest features in a model, etc.) can also be fun.
The “Open Mouse” sessionMany groups save the last fifteen to thirty minutes of their meetings for a general Q & A session (affectionately known as “Open Mouse”). Have a SOLIDWORKS expert (or group of experts) on hand to answer general questions, and even demonstrate techniques to answer those questions. It may take some time to get people to open up, but once they do you will find this a valuable addition to your meeting.
Things to avoidSales pitches. SOLIDWORKS Partner companies are usually very good at supporting SOLIDWORKS user groups, and your members can learn a lot about peripheral products at meetings. That said, you should make sure that the presentations are technical in nature, and provide value to your attendees.
Never give out your member database, even to a SOLIDWORKS employee or reseller.
Alcohol at meetings. SOLIDWORKS will not reimburse for alcoholic beverages.
SOLIDWORKS World is scheduled in late January/early February each year. Avoid scheduling meetings in the month or so preceding the conference.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How much of my time will leading a SOLIDWORKS User Group take?Running a successful user group will definitely take some of your time. The two to three weeks leading up to a scheduled meeting will likely be your busiest time. Organizing a volunteer committee to help with arranging meeting space, food, and/or presentations can take some of the burden off of the group leader.
What are the best topics to present at a user group meeting?The best topics are the ones that interest your members. Poll your attendees at each meeting and plan technical content that matches their needs and wishes. There are example surveys that you can download from the SWUGN website— www.swugn.org
What role should resellers have in our user group?SOLIDWORKS resellers in your area can help in many ways. First, they are your best resource for finding new members. Ask the local resellers to add your meeting information to their newsletters, website, or other means of communication to their customers. Some resellers will also send an email blast to their customers. Second, local resellers can sometimes provide technical experts for group presentations. Make sure to ask nicely, don’t favor one reseller over another, and give them plenty of time to avoid scheduling conflicts.
Should we allow SOLIDWORKS Partner companies to participate in group meetings?It’s entirely up to you and your members. SOLIDWORKS Partners have some of the very best add-on products and/or services available for SOLIDWORKS (or else they wouldn’t BE partners). Most Partner companies will present very good, technically oriented demos of their products at your meeting. SWUGN offers the Partner Participation Program specifically to help foster relationships between user groups and Partner companies. Contact your regional SWUGN rep for details.
How often should we meet?Most local group chapters meet quarterly. Regularly scheduled meetings allow your members to plan accordingly, and will insure good attendance.
How do I get more members for my group?Advertise, advertise, and advertise. Use public newsgroups and discussion forums, send meeting notices to on-line technical publications like Cadalyst, Solid Solutions, and Ten Links. Promote on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) Ask your members to spread the word at work, and make sure you develop a good relationship with local resellers. Keep a good membership database, adding any new users that attend your meetings.
Got a question? Got an answer? Send your questions, comments, and suggestions about this manual to [email protected]
THE SOLIDWORKS USER GROUP NETWORK
USER GROUP STARTER KITThe SOLIDWORKS User Group Network (SWUGN) committee
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