Transcript - TNC 2005
Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Segmenting the GÉANT2 User Base Dale Robertson, PR Manager, DANTE TNC 2005, Poznan, 8 June 2005 The European Research Networking Landscape – Some Characteristics Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • Hierarchical organisation – different from USA • Variety of national structures – regional networks/universal provision/unique NREN • Non-uniform development – digital divide • Linguistic diversity We are a long way from the ultimate end users – communication in this environment is challenging Why Communicate? What We (Used?) To Say Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • “The network already exists” • “Who needs to know about it – they just need it to work” • “Users’ needs don’t matter – they don’t know what they’re talking about” • “The service is available – use it if you like” • GÉANT was a victim of its own success: it worked well, so nobody knew they were using it Why Communicate? What We (Ought To) Say Now Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • Maturing sector – emphasis moving from technology to service • “To provide a good service, we need to understand what the user wants… • … the services are provided for users, after all” • “We need to know what users think, need and want” • “Users” are becoming “customers” What We Already Know About GÉANT2 Users Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • (GÉANT) user survey completed May 2003 concluded: – High levels of satisfaction with the network – Low levels of awareness – Increased awareness could increase usage • Desirable to increase awareness, and hence usage… • …but how to communicate with up to, possibly, 30m people? The Scale of the Challenge Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • PR activity: 30,000 items distributed in GÉANT lifetime – Web – Events – Brochures – Presentations – Video etc. • GÉANT2 user support: – Supporting demanding pan-European users 12 Total page views (thousand) 10 8 6 4 2 0 Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr 03 03 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 05 05 05 05 • But what about everyone else? Communicating to Users • • • • • Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Inform - raise awareness of the network(s) and services Explain – raise understanding Support – increase network use Justify public funding Ensure users’ requirements are understood and met outreach But it’s a two-way street… PROVIDERS USERS feedback Learning from Users Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • We want to provide a good service to members of the European research and education community • To do this we need to: – Know who they are – Make sure they know about GÉANT2: what it is, what it can do – Understand what they need – Ensure we meet those needs Tackling Diversity Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • Who are the users (and potential users) of GÉANT2? – International communication – World wide – All ages: schools to professors – Academic disciplines: religion to particle physics – Technophobes to techies – E-mail & browsing to grids & high throughput – Governments, hospitals, libraries… Adding Value Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • Is a librarian’s definition of good service the same as that of a high energy physicist at CERN? • Is the service required by an art historian the same as that sought by a supercomputing expert? • They could all benefit equally from GÉANT2, but from different aspects of the network • Normally, organisations aim to sell more of their product or service • We are unusual: most of our (potential) customers already have (access to) our product. We want them to – Be aware of it – Benefit from it – Value it • Users will value our competencies differently Segmentation Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • What is segmentation? – Chopping up GÉANT2 user base (beyond NRENs) into smaller, more homogeneous chunks, called segments • More manageable way of communicating with users – treat members of each segment in a uniform fashion – appropriate, tailored, correct pitch and detail • Aim is to communicate more closely with users How Might the User Base be Segmented? Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • Try to group users who would have similar information needs • Does this mean: – Usage level? – Support requirements? – Technical requirements (PIP, PERT/monitoring, roaming, testbed, etc)? – Institution type? – Geography? – Awareness of GÉANT2? Example Variables & Values Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • Type of institution/activity: • Geographical scope of activity: – Research - National – Education - International – Other (culture, libraries, health etc) • Type of application: - Grid • Level of awareness of GÉANT2: - Demanding non-grid - Low - Standard (e-mail, web - High browsing etc) Segmenting Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Type of activity Scope of activity Awareness of GÉANT(2) Research National high low high low high low high low high low high low International Education National International O thers (cultural National inst. , public health systems, International libraries etc.) GRID Type of Application non GRID, demanding Standard Applications Potential Segmentation – 11 Segments Standard No vices Natio nal Receptives Standard P ractitio ners GRID P ractitio ners Research GRID No vices Other Demanding No vices Educatio n GRID No vices Demanding Educatio n No vices Demanding Research No vices Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Other GRID No vices Demanding No nGRID P ractitio ners Segmentation Issues Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • Need to be clear what segmentation is for: – It’s a basis for organising communication with end users • Segmentation needs to be compatible with NRENs • Need for manageable number of segments • Need to be able to identify which segment people belong to Segmentation in GÉANT2 Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • Initial proposed segmentation • Discussed with NRENs March 2005 • Revision and further discussion following TNC and GÉANT2 launch • Implement (tested and revised) segmentation • Develop marketing materials for each segment • Dissemination The Importance of NRENs Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • NRENs as – GÉANT2 primary customers – GÉANT2 project partners – Product providers – dovetailed/compatible approaches – Distribution channel for dissemination? – Interface to GÉANT2 users Adding Value Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • Marketing is about understanding, creating, delivering and communicating value to our target customers • Users are becoming increasingly demanding and critical of the research networking services provided to them • Other networks are now potentially capable of satisfying the requirements of many of our less demanding users • We need to understand users’ needs – and exceed them Further Down the Road Connect. Communicate. Collaborate • Segmentation: crude at the moment, as just beginning • Feedback loop will help us learn more and develop our offering – customer value • Segment in more detail: increase sophistication of analysis • Segmentation is just one step on the way to developing a full marketing strategy for GÉANT2 Connect. Communicate. Collaborate QUESTIONS?