Musings on Learnings and Happenings
Yesterday I was approached by a peer from another organisation about his plans for establishing a network of trainers/assessors using social networking software. The request was made because of my current studies and some discussions we had had on this topic. My peer had suggested the idea to his colleagues but been soundly dismissed. This surprised me as I know the group and had thought they were quite innovative in their operations.
This got me to thinking about the group I’ve been observing as part of my studies. There is a paucity of postings to this community and I had been thinking about what motivates people to contribute and what doesn’t. Research has shown that it is only 1% of participants in a community who make regular contributions and 90% are lurkers (Nielsen, 2006). This is similar to some of the change management statistics I’ve seen – 20% early radaptors; 60% move slowly & 20% won’t move.
So – how do we motivate some of the 60% to at least lurk and maybe post? This is where the social constructivists come in – learning by observing, interacting, creating knowledge. A community needs to provide appropriate models; build on the participant’s existing level of knowledge; get other “thought leaders” to contribute; have a variety of presentation media; make it interesting; provide rules of conduct/netiquette; have strong facilitation/moderation. The list goes on.
But what happens when this occurs and there’s still no response, as in the community I have observed? What else do we need to do to motivate people to contribute? While at some point we need to recognise that at some time the lifespan of the community needs to be recognised and the community ended, how do we keep the lifeforce going for sufficient time to allow members to benefit from participation?
I think one possibility is incorporating a change management strategy into the community design – as well as the educational design features. This will involve overt support all levels of management of an organisation, managers modelling behaviours by contributing to the community and an ongoing promotional campaign for the community.
May 10th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Heather,
My experience with change is that it works when one person has a total commitment to it (maybe that’s the start of Nielsen’s 1%) who forms a coalition of influential people who are intertested, willing to giver it a go, but not necessarily committed. some of these will join the 1%, others join the 9% of irregular contributors or even get lost in the 90% of lurkers.
The key to continuity and acceptance is early small wins. And they need to be attributed and publicised.
It’s not just a matter of build it and they will come. Rather it is about finding what they don’t have now, finding a way to provide it and then watching while they discover what else they need.
20 years ago no one knew they needed a mobile phone. now I never leave home without a camera, which also has an address book. I didn’t even know I needed them 20 years ago. Now they are indispensible.
But I don’t own a home espresso coffee machine, though I drink lots of espresso when I’m out and coffee when I am not. No one jhas championed that product to me.
Your (our) project will take off if it serves an existing need that people can see being filled.
John