[ug-discuss] How do you reinvigorate a user group?

[Wences.Michel at Sun.COM]

Howdy Scott!

comments inline.

Scott Dickson wrote On 04/24/07 08:33,:

> After about  a year and a half, our OSUG in Atlanta is struggling, I 
> think.  We have always had a hard time getting the word out, getting 
> people to the meetings.  Some of that is geography.  The only place we 
> have found for our meetings is the Sun office, which is very 
> inconvenient for many folks.  Traffic in Atlanta is very bad and makes 
> it nearly impossible to get to our office for an after-hours meeting.
>
> I've been thinking of some ideas and questions and wanted some 
> feedback on how to get things going again:
>
>     * How successful have people been with meetings in the afternoon
>       rather than the evening?  Maybe a 4-5:30 meeting instead of
>       7-9PM might be better.
>
I think in Dallas 7-9 works better for us because of traffic, we have 
only had 3 meetings though.  First meeting about 12-15, 2nd 20-25 and 
our last meeting was about 35.  So we are growing interest slowly.  As 
for earlier meetings we actually start a 5 pm with an installfest, 1st 
month no takers, 2nd month we had 2 show up and this month we had 7 show 
up to install Solaris on their laptop.

>     * What about a conference bridge?  If people dial in a few times,
>       they might see the value of in-person visits and come.  We did a
>       bridge last time in order to include folks from engineering and
>       a few distant members used it to good advantage?
>
We have not thought about that, a dial-in might be a good way to get an 
engineering preso done.  I am not sure if members would dial-in today,  
may be something we throw around in the future.

>     * How do I enlist the enthusiasm of the local SE and service
>       communities to drive interest in the people they deal with?
>
Actually I have help from Southern Area SE manager as they were trying 
to revive the old Sun Users Group so we actually merged the two groups 
and hold meetings together.  We try to have an agenda for 1-3 months in 
advanced and give out flyers at meetings with topics of the up comming 
meetings.  Try getting SE manager or Service Manager or some manager 
involved, someone who has resources so that they can rotate amongst 
their team.  For example I host all the meetings and get assistance from 
rotating member of the SE community to help out.  You need to get buy in 
from the office to help lead this effort (even the Lone Ranger had Tonto 
:)).

>     * How can I get this to move to a member-sustained body rather
>       than a Scott-sustained body?
>
  At some point there needs to be a transition to get the community 
members involved, so that you can get help to build a board.  It is 
important to share the responsibility of building and maintaining the 
community.  The community need to take on responsibility  and we are 
here to facilitate.  Again I am new at this and this is what we would 
like to do, but weather we can make it happen is yet to be seen, I'll 
keep my fingers crossed.

>     * What else am I missing?
>
Talk to your membership find out what works for them, what does not.  
Ask them, what do they think, and what direction would they like the 
community to head in.  There has to be community participation other 
than just attending.

I think your just going through a slump.  It is like baseball, you get 
on a hot streak but it does not last forever.  So you will go through a 
slump every know and then.  The thing about baseball, is they play I 
think like 162 games, so it ok to be in a slump for a couple games.  
Just like in life and in nature everthing is cyclic.  I am sure you will 
be fine, after all it was your community that inspired me to start the 
DFWOSUG.

Thanks!

Wences

> --SCott
>
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