The Importance of Community Facilitation

23/6/11

Michael Norton

Why am I having this party?

Where will the party take place?

When will it take place?

Who’s going to help me set up the party?

Who do I invite to the party?

How do I entertain the guests?

The party host

Facilitators network and connect community members by encouraging participation, facilitating and seeding discussions, and by keeping events and community activities engaging and vibrant.

The role

Modeling behavior

Build trust and relationships

Create energy and effort

Motivate

Key tasks

• guiding a group to use its knowledge, skills and potential to achieve its goals.

• helping by making the processes easier. It’s about guiding rather than directing.

• look at the process rather than context – how you do something rather than what you do.

• make it easier for the group to get to the agreed destination.

• striking a balance between the group and the task.

Jack of all tradesProject Management

Customer Management

Professional Development

Brand Management

Platform Management

Advertising and Marketing

Staff Development

Business Planning

Community Management

Content Management

Based on Dion Hinchcliffe’s Jack of all Trades http://i.zdnet.com/blogs/community_manager_large.png?tag=mantle_skin;content

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No active facilitation

Welcome them, give them pointers on getting started,

suggest topics where they might

participate, and tell them about any

interesting upcoming events.

Provide some reward to those who make

the effort

From stranger to passer by

Make personalised invitation

From lurker to participant

From participant to regular

From passer by to lurker

Getting and Retaining members

Make potential members aware of your community

Building content that will attract members

Encourage members to bring in interesting

participants

Send an email to new members within 24

hours of their membership

Highlight community

content

Create "small steps" for

encouraging participation,

posting regular questions or forum

answers

ALWAYS greet newcomers, and encourage other

community members to welcome them.

Write a regular newsletter

highlighting your site and community People return to

places where they find a group of people

to talk to. If you do not have such a

place, you will not be able to retain

members. No effort on your part, no

matter how great, will create a regular

where there is no community

Facilitate members to find people to talk, through personal

profiles, highlighting member interests,

discussions, and so on.

154 document created

2445+ downloads est. cost avoidance £19,804

est. 1.5 days saved per member

52% of members contributing

est. cost avoidance £123,900

Facilitators Community saves 354 days

236 members x £525 (1.5 days @£350 per day) per person =£123,900 in avoidable cost

Based on the current the cost of an immediate download from the British Library is £8.10

KM teamHelp Desk Training

Communities

Facilitators Community

Knowledge and Information Management

Knowledge Hub

Training

1. Purpose, characteristics and roles2. Planning cycle3. Facilitation methods4. Communication channels5. Technology6. Benefits, measures and impact 7. Management plan and charter8. Community management