Building & Sustaining CommunityIn a Digital World

Lisa Colton, Darim OnlineJuly, 2010

Agenda

• What are the Building Blocks of Community?

• Communication is Key• Examples of Online Community• Rules are the Same, and Different, Online

Presentation is available at http://bit.ly/covfellows10

Goals

Demystify social media Help you think strategicallyBuild vocabularyLearn from real examplesInspire you to think about leadership in new ways

Warning: You may feel overwhelmed! (And excited, and inspired.)

What Is Community?

Key attributes of community? When do you feel it?

Flickr user: Na-pix Flickr user: amazon-cares

What Is Community

• See NYTimes Article “Brave New World of Digital Intimacy”

• JewPoint0.org blog post, including link to the article: http://bit.ly/MqtCw

• “Right now is the largest increase in expressive capability in human history.” - Clay Shirky on TED

Ambient Awareness

In a 1986 study, McMillan andChavis identify four elements of "sense of community”:

1) Membership2) Influence3) Integration and

fulfillment of needs4) Shared emotional connection

Based on Real Human Experience

How do you cultivate and support these? With children, with parents, with each other?

The collective value of all social networks

(who you know) and the inclinations that

arise from these networks to do things for

each other (norms of reciprocity).

- Robert Putnam

Social Capital

LISTENINGSource: Flickr user andyadontstop

Red Cross

Listening Publicly

Listening Publicly

#JED21

On

Twitter

Ways To Listen

"Tools don't get socially interesting until they get technologically boring.” - Clay Shirky

Scale Matters

Community Attributes

• Size• Defined or open• Virtual, F2F or both• Short or long term• Strolling or with a

destination

Community Attributes

CHEVRUTA

Think of a community

you’ve been part of …

How did the attributes

influence your experience,

and the success or failure of

the community?

How could the design have

been different to better

support these attributes?

COMMUNICATIONS REVOLUTION

COMMUNICATIONS REVOLUTION

Understand Roles in Community

Characteristics of Social Media

The Term “Social Media” refers to online tools (web sites) that depend

on user contributions and interactions between people to build shared

meaning and value. It is:

• Participatory: It blurs the line between producer and consumer, media and audience.

• Open and Democratic: It encourages voting, comments and the sharing of information. For this reason it is seen as authentic and trustworthy.

• Conversational: Two (or more) way conversation rather than one-directional broadcast. Is personal, specific, and engaging.

• Communal: Supports formation, growth and strength of communities around a particular shared interest.

• Connected: Thrives on being connected, making use of links to other sites, resources and people, rather than being territorial and proprietary.

Characteristics of Social Media

The Term “Social Media” refers to online tools (web sites) that depend

on user contributions and interactions between people to build shared

meaning and value. It is:

• Participatory: It blurs the line between producer and consumer, media and audience.

• Open and Democratic: It encourages voting, comments and the sharing of information. For this reason it is seen as authentic and trustworthy.

• Conversational: Two (or more) way conversation rather than one-directional broadcast. Is personal, specific, and engaging.

• Communal: Supports formation, growth and strength of communities around a particular shared interest.

• Connected: Thrives on being connected, making use of links to other sites, resources and people, rather than being territorial and proprietary.

Webinars bring together people, experience, resources, discussion and build community.

Consider responsibilities and motivations.

#1 THIS IS AN ATTENTION ECONOMY

#2ADD

VALUE

#3: Be Human & Find Your Voice

#4: When in Rome…

#5 Transparency is Powerful

#1

Social media is

continuing to evolve.

Fast.

# 5: Engage

#7: BE GENEROUS

#9: Job Descriptions & Allocation of Resources Evolve

#10: PLAN FOR THE CHANGING MARKET

www.pewresearch.org/millennials

Source: Flickr user JYRO

Source: Flickr user Rick Neves

Source: Flickr user divemasterking2000