Transcript How to Start a User Group... and Keep It Going!

How to Start a Local User Group...
and Keep It Going!
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Agenda
 User
group purpose
 ISUG structure
 Creation of a user group
 Formalization of a user group
 User group maintenance
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User Group Purpose
 Provide
mechanism for
sharing common experiences
 Technology and knowledge
transfer
– Case studies/experiences
– Tools (Sybase and 3rd party)
– User created utilities
 Direct
link to Sybase
 Influence product direction
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International Sybase User
Group (ISUG)
 Independently
 ISUG
incorporated entity
Mission
– Establish a communication network amongst
Sybase, Inc. users and Sybase management
– Provide a strong advocate for user issues
– Institute a forum for users to influence future
directions of all Sybase, Inc. products
– Maintain an effective channel for Sybase to
communicate important information to users
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ISUG Entity-Relationship
Diagram
HAS
MANY
m
Regional
User
Group
1
Europe
North America
Japan
Asia/Pacific
Latin America
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ISUG
HAS
MANY
m
Local
User
Group
Sybase Database
PowerBuilder
Any Sybase, Inc.
Product
1
HAS
MANY
m
Special
Interest
Group
Internet Mailing Lists
Meetings at Conferences
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Regional User Groups (RUGs)
 Defined
on geographical boundaries
 Provide communication mechanism
between local user groups and ISUG
 Structure of RUG varies by region
– North America is subdivided into 5 smaller
regions
– Europe has elected officers at the RUG
level
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RUGs (continued)
 Regional
User Groups (RUGs)
– Europe
– North America
– Virtual User Groups/SIGs
 RUG
Director is a member of ISUG
Board of Directors
 New regions will form where there is
interest and demand, run by committee
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Local User Groups (LUGs)
 Established
on a geographic location
 Users within a small geographic location
(1 to 2 hours travel)
 Self-governing, independent organizations
 ISUG does not mandate the organization
or structure of a LUG
 Chartered LUG status granted if 60% of a
LUG’s membership, mailing list, or
average meeting size are ISUG members
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Chartered LUG Benefits
 The
Sybase User Group Formation and
Operations Guide
 Access to Sybase Speakers Bureau
 Interaction with other LUGs
– Presentation/Newsletter ideas and
samples
– Meeting advice (such as “how to run a
vendor fair”)
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Chartered LUG Benefits
(continued)
 ISUG
Technical Journal
 1 Free User Conference Registration
 1 Free Advertisement in the ISUG
Technical Journal or Assistance with 1
Mailing
 New Benefits Continually being
Developed
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Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
 SIG
Director is member of ISUG Board
of Directors
 Electronic Forums
 SIGs utilized in Enhancement Requests
Process
 Meetings held at conferences
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Initial Steps of
User Group Creation
 Identify
other dedicated users
– Assist in identifying interested members
– Organize initial meeting
 Coordinate
an organizational meeting
 Plan in detail the first meeting
– Agenda
– Location
– Date/time
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Contact Sybase
Contact Aline Martin (User Group Marketing) at
[email protected] or 925-236-7525
 Contact local Sybase account manager(s)

– May provide contact names of potential members
– May send mailing to customer base announcing initial
meeting
– May arrange for or provide the first meeting site,
speakers, and refreshments
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Advertise Initial Meeting
 Bulk
Mailings
 Post agenda on Internet
– Sybase-L listserv
– comp.databases.sybase
– Sybase, Inc. sponsored newsgroups
(www.sybase.com)
 ISUG
will post meeting announcement on
web site
 Notify local newspaper with press release
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Formalization
 Establish
timetable for ratifying the
organizing committee
– Elect officers (President, V.P., Treasurer,
Secretary, etc.)
– Elect a steering committee or board of directors
 Organize
Committees
– Bylaws
– Enhancements
– Communications/Newsletter
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First Meeting
 Feature
one prominent speaker in order to
draw users
 Invite local Sybase office staff
 Allow time for user interaction
– Have each members introduce themselves
and their involvement with Sybase products
– Provide breaks which allow users to interact
– Encourage questions
 Survey
interest
users in order to identify topics of
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Determine Membership
Qualifications
 Organizing
committee or group members
determine the membership qualifications
 Some qualifications may include
– Sybase license holders
– Individuals associated with Sybase licenses
– Sybase employees
– 3rd party vendors
– Software consultants
– Employment recruiters
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Incorporation
 Process
varies by state and country
 Provides members a limited liability
 Provides centralized management
 Clarifies the duties of officers/directors
 Corporation will require by-laws
 Filing of tax return probably required
 Consult local insurance broker
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Meeting Frequency
 Determined
by members
 Most LUGs meet quarterly or monthly
 May meet more frequently as group
becomes more organized
 Some SIGs have only electronic forums
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Meeting Sites
 User
sites
 Vendor sites
 Sybase offices
 Hotels and meeting centers
 Universities
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Finances
 Finances
required vary by group
 2 main cost items
– meeting sites
– newsletter/mailing costs
 Ways
to minimize cost include
– Conduct meetings at user sites
– Utilize email and web sites to announce
meetings and publish newsletters
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Finances (continued)
 Alternatives
for member provided funding
– Collect annual membership fees
– Collect meeting attendance fees
 Alternatives
for non-member funding
– Allow vendors to sponsor meetings and
mailings
– Sell advertisements in newsletter/mailing
– Sell advertisements on web site
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Presentation Ideas
 Other
LUG newsletters and agendas
 ISUG Technical Journal
 Speakers Bureau
 ISUG Conference presentations
– Utilize Speakers Bureau benefit
– Identify local presenters
 Solicit
ideas from members on an
individual basis
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User Group Maintenance
 Delegate
responsibilities!!!
 Continually recruit new volunteers
 Incorporate new activities
– Panel discussion
– Exhibit hall
 Discuss
new products and technologies
(e.g. internet or application servers)
 Establish meeting dates and locations in
advance (maybe for entire year)
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YOU DON’T HAVE
TO DO IT ALL!
Delegate,
delegate, delegate, delegate!!!!
No task is too small to delegate
Responsibilities that can be delegated
–Phone calls
–Vendor presentations
–User presentations
–Newsletter editor
–Newsletter mailings
– Advertisements
– Exhibit hall
– Formatting
agenda
– Membership
– Sybase contact
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Summary
ISUG structure allows for independent local user
groups for all Sybase, Inc. products
 User group organization and maintenance is the
same no matter which Sybase, Inc. products are
discussed
 ISUG can assist in creation of any user group
 Each user group has its own personality and
structure (ISUG does not mandate any structure)


Key factor in success is the group of dedicated
organizers
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Read More About It
 User
Group
Formation &
Operations Guide
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