Stop! Drop! and Participate! Fostering User Participation in Online Communities
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Transcript of Stop! Drop! and Participate! Fostering User Participation in Online Communities
Stop! Drop! and Participate! Fostering
User Participation in Online Communities
Julia Grace
Comp 790
Introduction
Online Communities Work, Research, Social, or a Combination
Common Problem: Under Contribution! “Sedentary” Users
Newsgroups Open Source Mailing Lists
Introduction
Why does this happen?
How to remedy it? Sociology “Beyond Being There”
Can we build an online community where most members contribute?
?
Where to Begin?
Use a real community center as a model
Students Student Union
Message boards Meeting rooms Places to hang out, meet people
Accomplish “Being There”: Architecture
Lobby
Virtual Rooms
Message Boards
Calendar
Documents and Links
* Site Stats
(number of page views, etc.)
Accomplish “Being There”: Email
Goal: Get our foot in the door! Less “happenstance” How to drive users to the site
Emails! Students like email Similar to GPSF mailing we all get
Summary of all new content posted to the community
Accomplish “Being There”: Conclusions
Does Email Work? Users 2x likely to visit
community after receiving an email.
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Posters
Number of Sessions per Day
Number of Messages Referenced in Email Alert
More messages posted to the community
More logins!
Accomplish “Being There”: Conclusions
Do people use discussion forums? If the topics are politically charged or
controversial Who deserves the nice(r) department
computers?...
Is Lobby Effective? People like central location to find references to
all new content.
Sociological Manipulation
Rating/Polling Franklin Street Restaurants CS Profs Movies
How to get people to participate in the polls? Notification Emails?
Been there, done that. Manipulate members’ into participating…?
Vote!
Sociological Manipulation:Loafing
Social Loafing (aka Free Riding)
Group Task
Individual Participation Drops
IF individuals think they are unique and their contributions are very valuable:
Individual Participation Increases
Explanation why CSSA
course reviews are very sparse!
Sociological Manipulation: Uniqueness and Benefit
Email Uniqueness:
Benefit:
You’re unique and
special.
You’re a typical
student.
Participation Benefits
You!
Participation Benefits You
& Others!
Participation Benefits Others!
No mention of benefit.
Sociological Manipulation: Conclusions
Uniqueness = Very Effective Benefit
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Other Benefit Only
Self Benefit Only
Self & Other Benefit
No Benefit Ratings per Person
Sociological Manipulation: Goals
Give members specific goals We do it at work, why not in a social setting?
Rate __ movies per week:
8 16 32 64 DYB
“Do your best”
Sociological Manipulation: Goal Conclusions
Specific, high challenge goals work best
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DYB 8 16 32 64
Goal Level
Ratings per Person
Accomplish “Beyond Being There”: Profile
Just names – no faces “Without people, there is no community”
Profile Free reign on the profile Hometown, Photo, Interests, etc.
Accomplish “Beyond Being There”: Social Browsing Tools
Directory to easily find other members
Listing of recently joined members
Display of 8 randomly chosen members
Accomplish “Beyond Being There”: Social Browsing Tools
Promote people and their activities! Trivias
Lower overhead than discussion forums Gauge user interest
Contests
Julia Grace’s Poll: How gross is the 3rd floor microwave?
Somewhat gross Moderately gross Really gross
Accomplish “Beyond Being There”: Profile Conclusions
People like people Profile led to increased
contributions across the community
Contests/Incentives
Profile ++
Blogging
Structured friend lists
blog blogs blog-mania!
Julia
Academic Advisor
Kevin
Diane
Research Advisor
Kirstin
Friend* Knows a lot about IM clients!
Julia
Kevin
Kirstin
Diane
Overall Conclusions/Observations
Emails, Emails, Emails People are easily distracted/forgetful Email content makes a difference
Important Design Features: Profiles & Promoting People Periodic Contests with Goals Discussion threads with controversial topics *New* Content, *New* Features Publish site metrics
The End
Thanks & see you on MySpace/Facebook!