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Growing YourTechnology User Group
SCALE13x 2015
Hi, I’m Kara Sowles
Community Initiatives ManagerPuppet Labs
Portland, ORTwitter: @feynudibranchEmail: [email protected]
I made a user group!
Awesome first meeting!
ELEPHANT GRAVEYARD
And then...
- from The Lion King copyright walt disney pictures -
“The internet is littered with ghost towns where communities used to be. The people still exist - but
the structure fell apart.”
- I couldn’t find a quote about this so I made one up
Where are we headed?
Hall of User Group Creation
The No-Members Mountains
The Venue-less Valley
The Speaker-less Swamps
The Food-less Flats
The Rains of Rejection
Hall of User Group Creation
THE BASICS
Date / Starting Time
Venue
Speaker
Way to communicate with members
Let the world know it exists
Maybe food?
RECONNAISSANCE
When do similar groups meet?
Is there already a group about X?
What works well for other local groups?
Choose an online home for your group
SET EXPECTATIONS
Find a cadence and stick to it.
We’ll come back to this later...
setting expectations is key.
PURPOSE
Hall of User Group Creation
The No-Members Mountains
The Venue-less Valley
The Speaker-less Swamps
The Food-less Flats
The Rains of Rejection
Our Journey Begins...
Local Community Sites
Local Conferences
Joint Meetings
Find a similar user group, and team up for a talk aimed at
both audiences!
The No-Members Mountains
The Venue-less Valley
The Speaker-less Swamps
The Food-less Flats
The Rains of Rejection
The No-Members Mountains
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
The Venue-less Valley
The Speaker-less Swamps
The Food-less Flats
The Rains of Rejection
Friends! At last!
Hall of User Group Creation
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
The Venue-less Valley
The Speaker-less Swamps
The Food-less Flats
The Rains of Rejection
The Venue-less Valley
MAKEA
LIST
Brief description of group’s purpose
Average # of members at each meeting
Date / Time of meetings
A/V requirements
Any other space requirements / needs
THINK ABOUTPERKS
“The hosting company is invited to announce any open jobs at the beginning of each meeting.”
“The hosting company is listed as a sponsor on our meetup page, and at our yearly event.”
“The hosting library has interesting events to advertise and bring in more people.”
Ask your company
Ask your friend’s company
When thanking those that said ‘no’, ask them for recommendations.
Are there any local companies that cater to
your attendees’ demographic?
Ask your user group
Local Universityor
Local Library
Check where other user groups are hosted
Get flexible
STILL NO HOST :’(
Temporary or alternate locations
BE A GOOD GUEST
Leave the space clean
Turn off the projector
Don’t act entitled to the space
Check back in every month
Thank the host regularly
SET EXPECTATIONS - no surprises!
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
The Venue-less Valley
The Speaker-less Swamps
The Food-less Flats
The Rains of Rejection
The Venue-less Valley
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! The Speaker-less Swamps
The Food-less Flats
The Rains of Rejection
Yes! Shelter!
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! The Speaker-less Swamps
The Food-less Flats
The Rains of Rejection
The Speaker-lessSwamps
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! The Speaker-less Swamps
The Food-less Flats
The Rains of Rejection
Yes, it’s tough.
“What topics would you like to hear about
next month?”
“Does anyone have experience with [X topic]?”
Post the list of suggested topics to
the group online, and ask again.
Ask individual members what they’re doing.
Cultivate those who don’t give talks (yet)
At your company:Look for managers that want to foster speaking opportunities for their
teams
To companies:“Would you send
someone to give a talk on [X topic]?”
Still no speakers?
Hold a...
Discussion Session
Hack Night
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! The Speaker-less Swamps
The Food-less Flats
The Rains of Rejection
The Speaker-lessSwamps
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! Speakers!The Food-less
Flats
The Rains of Rejection
Speakers!Yay!
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! Speakers!The Food-less
Flats
The Rains of Rejection
The Food-lessFlats
Finding $ponsors
The company that’s hosting you
Your Company
Other Companies
SWAG
Your Company as a Support Structure
Think Like Other Departments
Leverage Sales team
Leverage Professional Services team
Leverage Education team
Leverage Marketing team
Leverage Engineering team
Leverage Community team
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! Speakers!The Food-less
Flats
The Rains of Rejection
The Food-lessFlats
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! Speakers!
FOOD
The Rains of Rejection
FOOD!
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! Speakers!
FOOD
The Rains of Rejection
The Rains of Rejection
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! Speakers!
FOOD
The Rains of Rejection
The Storm of Sad
:’(
Making your group inviting:
Setting Expectations
Anatomy of a Meeting
Socialize
Introduction
Presentation
Next Meeting topic & talk sourcing
Socialize
Just an example....
Clear familiarity level
Are the talks this month for intermediate users?
Is this session accessible for absolute beginners?
ACCESSIBILITY
Is it easy to find the venue?
Is there parking nearby? Bike parking? Bus access?
Is the venue wheelchair accessible?
Who can people email with special accessibility requests or questions?
Have a Code of Conduct
― Bell Hooks, Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope
― Bell Hooks, Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope
“To build community requires vigilant awareness of the work we must continually do to undermine all the socialization that leads us to behave in ways that perpetuate domination.”
― bell hooks Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! Speakers!
FOOD
The Rains of Rejection
The Rains of Rejection
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! Speakers!
FOOD
The Rains of Rejection
:)
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! Speakers!
FOOD
The Rains of Rejection
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! Speakers!
FOOD
The Rains of Rejection
Hall of User Group Creation
Members!
Venue! Speakers!
FOOD
The Rains of Rejection
YOU
Kara Sowles
Community Initiatives ManagerPuppet Labs
Portland, ORTwitter: @feynudibranchEmail: [email protected]
Thanks for listening!
