Comments on: New on SSIR: How Our Tools Define “Community”

By: June #4Change Chat: Local Community Organizing « 4change

June #4Change Chat: Local Community Organizing « 4change — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 10:44:17 +0000

[…] How our tools define “Community” […]

By: Amy Sample Ward

Amy Sample Ward — Thu, 20 May 2010 12:53:09 +0000

Bonnie –

Thanks so much for your praise – thank you.

I really appreciate you taking the time to highlight the difference in selecting between a stable group of variables and trying to make selections when the variables are changing constantly. It makes an organization really reconsider the timeline of investment. I think this is an excellent reason for organizations, groups and campaigners to be strategic in the way they create messages, campaigns and online programs so that they are not based on just one tool or platform but can coexist on many at the same time and in the future (what better reason to continue to have a website, eh?! You need somewhere that you know won’t be going away!).

Thanks again

By: Bonnie Koenig

Bonnie Koenig — Thu, 20 May 2010 12:48:44 +0000

Amy – Excellent summary of some of the challenges of building community in an ever-changing online environment. You start with the premise that the tools need to be chosen based on the goals of the community (a big plus as many organizations don’t start here 🙂 In an environment of relatively stable tools it is then not too daunting to be guided to the tools that best serve one’s direction. But in the current online environment where the tools are in a constant state of flux, matching tools to goals is a whole different level of challenge. Experimentation and transparent, analytical shared learning such as you are doing here will help us all to develop effective strategies for this evolving situation. Thanks for the lead your are taking!

By: citizensheep

citizensheep — Wed, 19 May 2010 10:36:27 +0000

In reply to amyrsward.

RT @amyrsward: Conversation getting started about How Our Tools Define “Community” https://amysampleward.org/2010/05/07/new-… (thanks @brohamm) Interested in …

By: amyrsward

amyrsward — Wed, 19 May 2010 10:34:22 +0000

Conversation getting started about How Our Tools Define “Community” https://amysampleward.org/2010/05/07/new-… (thanks @brohamm) Interested in your thoughts!

By: Amy Sample Ward

Amy Sample Ward — Wed, 19 May 2010 10:32:17 +0000

In reply to Joe Hamm.

Thanks for joining in here, Joe!

I think that part of what you are saying about the fact that social media are now linked and connected – we can post to twitter from eventbrite, share our travel plans from dopplr to facebook, comment on a blog post from email and then get calendar reminders from google to our phone – actually contributes, or could contribute, to the issue you raise about moving communities to action. What are the modules, widgets, or other functionality that we are enabling/providing to our communities that will help us to help them take action? What tools best let the community members navigate their online space with our message the way they want to; and in doing it the way they want, how are we building opportunities to take action that match their interests?

Would love to hear more of how you’re tackling the issues and any ideas you have or experiences you want to share!

By: Joe Hamm

Joe Hamm — Sat, 08 May 2010 17:10:13 +0000

Some people think they can just implement a new technology and like magic they instantly will have a thriving community. Not so as we’re discoving. The use of technology has to be aligned with the needs of the community.

In addition, we’re seeing the lines of community blurring. The walls of the traditional white label and private social communities like Ning are giving way to pervasive community interaction such as Facebook’s new open graph project. Community members can now interact with their community regardless of where they are on the web.

Bigger than that, for a cause-based organization, its important to measure the effectiveness of moving online supporters into real world action. That’s the problem that I’m currently working on….grassroots technology that moves the community into action.

Joe Hamm
http://twitter.com/brohamm