"establishing Virtual Communities" (it's All About The Thinking)
Since the beginning of the 21st century, virtual explorers those who needed the newest capability immediately, if not sooner --- have been the designers and developers of social networks. This uncharted territory excited them. They want to own it, play with it, take it apart, try to break it, push it to its limits. They created the software, they developed the sites, then they invited early adopters or pioneers to play.
As social networks matured, a different person started populating the networks. This person needs not the excitement and the threat of danger of the explorer. This person needs not the rough, hard world of the pioneer. No, this person wants a sustainable environment that evolves over longer periods of time. This person is the settler. This person wants to establish communities.
Even though a "pioneer" can establish a virtual community in less than five minutes, resist the temptation. For now, think like a major urban real estate developer. What are the questions you want to answer before establishing a "go/no-go" date for developing the community? For starters, where will the community exist? You need to have a "place" for the community to emerge. Internal site? Hosted? Shared? What kind of people do you want to populate the community? Social butterflies? Belongers? Active participants? Electronic lurkers? Innovators? Thinkers? Doers? What kind of personal "space" inside the community will they want? Non-confrontational, open-door, sharing, trust-building, professional, cooperating, questioning, courteous, safe?
What connections to other members of the community do you want them to have? Virtual roads ranging from cul de sacs to major highways? Virtual libraries for conducting research? Virtual town halls where they can resolve common concerns? Virtual forums where all voices can be heard? Virtual content experts who can guide the progress of the community? Virtual vendors who can explain new products and services? Virtual contrarians who challenge traditional thinking so as to open new dialogue paths? If so, how so?
What resources do you need to provide for the community's growth and development? A virtual home owners' association that establishes community protocols? Virtual traffic lights and stop signs so community members understand the behavior boundaries? A virtual communicator who can untangle virtual accidents or even disasters? A virtual party-planner who designs all celebrations of completed work? Virtual landscapers who manage the visual aspects of the community? Virtual garbage collectors who remove ideas that are no longer appropriate or who recycle ideas to other communities? Virtual historians who maintain records and document progress? If so, how so?
What protective services do you want to provide to the community? Virtual title researchers who can verify the ownership of ideas? Virtual bankers who can monetize community ideas? Virtual venture capitalists who can nurture ideas? Virtual childhood services who can develop ideas into full-fledged projects over time? Virtual listeners who will hear complaints, address them and respond to the originators? Virtual attorneys who can speak for the community in disputes? Virtual medical professionals to can tend to the community members whose thoughts and ideas have been battered and bruised? If so, how so?
Yes, you can create a tent community in a matter of hours. Yes, you can create a wilderness community of ill-conceived shacks, lean-tos, and cottages in a matter of weeks. Yes, you can create a community of gigantic mansions hidden behind electronically-controlled metal gates in a matter of months. Or, you can engage your best thinkers, especially thinkers with wild ideas, to design a whole collection of virtual communities to serve multiple purposes. These purposes include: customer relationship management, training development and refinement, knowledge and understanding collecting, innovation production and implementation, talent management, problem identification, solution implementation, online marketing, success measurements, positioning promotion, standards development, advanced functionality creation, interactions definition.
If your "best thinkers" generate additional questions or possibilities, take time to consider, simplify, and clarify them. Then, incorporate the best ones into your thinking. You are now at "go/no-go." Develop each community as fully as possible. However, do not fear stopping ones that are not working. They may simply be pre-mature. Then, be prepared to share with others who want to build on your learning. Promote your virtual success.
Virginia L. McBride, The Haven Maven
Founder, EPROW Images
Creator, "IT'S ALL ABOUT THE THINKING"
Virginia builds personalized "thinking environments" to strengthen innovative thought. Working with EPROW Images, clients participate in virtual communities. This participation improves their understanding of risks and hurdles.
To qualify for a free 30-minute consultation, submit a "pitch" through EPROW's PAPPY program => www.eprowimages.com
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