Organizations are not necessarily communities in their own right, but when we look closer inside any large group of people, the makings of one or more communities are around. Communities-of-practice can bring people with similar skills or functions together. Generative Communities can form around collective work to produce something vital to many different types of contributors. Pulling people together can be a daunting task in its own right - pulling people together to *do* something extraordinary is thought to be a rare feat. With passion, vision, vigilance and patience one can encourage people to come together and make something better.

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Building Communities That
Make Things Better
Aaron E. Silvers
@aaronesilvers
F U N N Y G A R B A G E .COM
makingbetter.us
FR201
#ASTDTK14

2. What
How
Why
Circle Up!

3. learn strategies for facilitating successful community development
address opportunities to approach your work differently
model some approaches
answer each others' questions
organize innovative groups
connect people to a greater shared goal.
tap into intrinsic motivations

4. Why am I so passionate about community?
What
How
Why
Storytime

5. How do “things” get mistaken for “community?”
What
How
Why
Mistaken Identity

6. What is a “Community?
What
How
Why
Definition

7. Community is how people gather
around a shared vision and how they
collectively act to realize that vision.

8. On “Gathering”
People can gather synchronously or asynchronously
in the same physical place and online.
When synchronous, the structure & context affect the outcomes
When asynchronous, the context affect the outcomes

9. Where Might Community Exist in an
Organization?
Change efforts
Innovation
Process Propagation
High-level company strategic initiatives

10. Discussion
Where does community exist in your organizations?

11. Deconstruction
What keeps the community together?
What gets in the way of the community achieving its mission?
What can you do to help them (even if you’re not part of that community)?

12. On Community Management…
Identify the intangibles
Connect the intangibles
Encourage tangible outcomes

13. “Call Me, Maybe.”
AWESOME SUPER-ENGAGING
INTERACTIVE MEDIA? GAMES?
RESPONSIVE DESIGN? AWW YEAH!
COMMUNITIES? CONTENT STRATEGY?
xAPI / TIN CAN KICKING? HELLS YES!!!
MakingBetter™
@aaronesilvers
aaronsilvers@funnygarbage.com