Intro to Building Online Communities Clint Talbert Mozilla Corporation 1
Intro to Building Online Communities
Clint TalbertMozilla Corporation
1
Building What?
• We want to be definition 3, not definition 6
2
What it’s all about
A movement of people is a coordinated group that is working to achieve some common set of goals for a shared cause.
3
Building Community
4
Building Community
• Communication
4
Building Community
• Communication
• Communication
4
Building Community
• Communication
• Communication
• Communication
4
More Specific?
5
More Specific?
• Radically Open Communication
5
More Specific?
• Radically Open Communication
• Promote a Welcoming Attitude
5
More Specific?
• Radically Open Communication
• Promote a Welcoming Attitude
• Empower & Engage Members early and often
5
The Tabling Exercise
• What did you see from when it didn’t work?
• What did you see from when it worked?
6
Blank Screens Are Bad
• Make communication as specific and personalized as possible.
• Don’t be too professional -- be human
• Let your smile shine through into the medium
7
Communication Pt I
• Let your smile show
• Create a virtual “water cooler” vibe
• You are there to get work done, but it can’t be all business
• Always be nice, courteous and respectful
8
Communication Pt II
• Discussions in Public, especially if you don’t have “it” figured out
• Encourage new people to post ideas on a public forum
• Make hallway discussions public
• Don’t lie
9
Welcoming
• Help those first timer’s
• Minimize or Remove barriers to entry
• Always take the most sobering look at the project from a new user’s view
• Ask new user’s what the difficult parts are
10
Empowering & Engaging
• Anticipate the “What can I do” question
• Give people the necessary rights/permission etc to do things
• Empower and Engage early and often - know what the person will work on next before they do
• Reward with recognition early and often
11
Things to Always Think About
• How will people find you?
• How will new people get involved in everything you do?
• How can you use the media to broaden your reach?
• How can you re-engage and give existing volunteers more responsibility?
12
To Summarize
• Communication Communication Comm...
• Be radically open
• Hug the entire world
• Don’t lie
• Give recognition where it’s due, when it’s due all the time
• Never stop recruiting
13