Hope Street Group January 13, 2011 Tennessee Development Teams – Online Facilitation Training

Agenda 2 Value Propositions for Building and Participating in Online Communities The Basics: How To Our Process Practical Suggestions

3 Exploring 2.0: The tools that are changing the game Social networking websites (myspace, facebook, linkedin, change.org) Micro-blogs (Twitter, Facebook status update) Blogs & podcasts RSS (Real Simple Syndication): Interconnected content for/from your site Tagging Social Bookmarking (del.ici.ous): Wikis Producing knowledge collaboratively User provided and rated content (digg, youtube, allrecipes.com): Wisdom of the masses determines content

4 Online Engagement: Enabling the platform though incentives and focusing participation

Understanding Motivation and Recognizing Participation Key to Community Growth. Motivation Intrinsic motivation Demonstrate expertise Networking and Social Peer Pressure Recognition Methodology Give more responsibility Thank publicly e.g. “Featured Participant” Create opps for social and professional connections outside the work. Peer encouragement and high profile advisors

6 Community Development Model Legacy Stewardship Maturing Coalescing Potential Loose network of people with similar issues and needs Members come together and launch a community It forms an identity, takes charge of its practice and grows The community is established and acts as a strategic steward of its domain It has fulfilled its potential; subdivides; or mainstreams Coordinate variety of learning activities—formal and informal; recruits broader participation Sustain energy, set standards, educate novices, establish legitimacy and influence on results Celebrate accomplishments, generate new communities, or institutionalize roles and practices Stages of development & related activities Evolution from ad-hoc to strategic © William Snyder & Etienne Wenger

Agenda 7 Value Propositions for Building and Participating in Online Communities The Basics: How To Our Process Practical Suggestions

Greeting the Team and Kicking Off Similar to an off-line meeting, greet people at the door. Affirm participation right away. “Thanks for that thought. About what you said, what do you think of ….” If the group doesn’t know each other, ask get to know icebreakers. Bios, What do you hope to get out of participating, etc. Jump into the substance right away – its got to be relevant. Be clear with expectations.

Recognizing the Stars, Engaging the Disengaged There will be variance in participation levels – this is ok. Recognize those who participate Praise and thanks Signifying with a distinction – featured blogger, community leader Give more to do. In this project, if participant has not participated in a week, please check in. Phone call Address any issues about technology or direction of project with staff.

Agenda 10 Value Propositions for Building and Participating in Online Communities The Basics: How To Our Process Practical Suggestions

Institutionalizing Online Engagement - Process Comm Planning Privacy levels Recruitment Onboarding Process Welcoming into community Train participants Content Management Develop new discussion threads Close conversations and move to next stage User Moderation Monitor and respond to user generated content Take corrective action for disruptive behavior

Online Engagement – Resources Required Comm Planning Planning Documents Tech. setup of community Onboarding Process Webinars User and quick start guides Content Management Staff, partner and leader engagement Conversation to project mapping User Moderation Team Leaders and staff receive notifications for new postings

Process Mapping – Friday: Weekly Project Meeting – Review previous week, close conversations or suggest follow-ups, prepare conversations for following week Sun/Mon: Facilitators post new topics and follow-ups During the week: Monitoring of conversation, additional prods, or call nonparticipants 13

Agenda 14 Value Propositions for Building and Participating in Online Communities The Basics: How To Our Process Practical Suggestions

Online Community Building Tactics Checklist Are we welcoming participants into the community? Do we recognize participation? Are we delivering value for participants? Do we have feedback mechanisms in place to know? Is it simple to participate? Do you post all the chunks ahead of time or on a weekly basis? How do we allow for new important threads (branching)? Are we gently bring conversation back to topic? Are we enforcing of community guidelines – Initially team leaders and staff, but eventually community itself.