David Mackies Blue Brain

David L's Blog : I Already Know the Problems! Where's the Solutions!?

This could be a comment on Dave's blog but I would not want to put this much comment spam out there,

Dave I run the Canberra Windows User Group really an IT Pro Infrastructure Group and well let me call you to provide me with exactly that. Solutions YOU have. 

I Already Know the Problems! Where's the Solutions!?

I got an email later today from Franky, telling me that the Microsoft Developer Show was back on TPN, and that their re-entry show was titled, User Groups R Us!.

Now lately I've been working with a couple of new public technical communities, and some customers who are forming their own Internal Technical Communities, and I've spent most of that time working on some lessons learnt style strategies on how to start, grow and sustain a new or existing technical community.

I have had many conversations with Athena about her very successful community and how I could learn from her success. From what you say you seem to have a wider variety of answers for me. I will be pleased to hear it because I usually hear "User Groups are owned by the Community so only you can drive where it goes"

One thing has been finding and developing speakers. I like many User Group Leaders do everything because I want it and others want to be given it, that covers almost all aspects but the presenting duties are the most difficult for many.

Now Athena tells me that many of her speakers are MVPs I suspect trying to remain Knighted and this is fabulous. I have tried to find a list of IT Pro MVPs in Australia and they are thin on the ground or I just haven't looked hard enough.

So here is where our group is at:

• Running two years I have done all the sessions except 4.
• The best attendance is 45 and the average is 8 (I will show up for just one person)
• We have tried different session times, running two sessions etc

So looking forward I need new ideas and I'm happy to try yours while I dream up new ones of my own.

Source: David L's Blog : I Already Know the Problems! Where's the Solutions!?