My #SXSW Interactive Experience - Day 2
I came to SXSW Interactive 2011 to gain perspectives, discover technology and learn practical steps that will help Resurrection Online fulfill our purpose of building a Christian community where non and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians. I hope to share some highlights and next steps from the day for Resurrection Online and myself.
My Experience - Day 2
Groupon was originally a spinoff to financially support a social good website - http://www.thepoint.com. They are now living out this mission through http://www.groupon.com/g-team.
I enjoyed using Uber to catch a ride on a pedicab for one trip between venues.
Great time sharing meals and conversation
Lunch with Vince Marotte, Matt McKee and Andre Barnes
Supper with DJ Chuang
How Many Rungs?: Social Change & the Engagement Ladder
Most of the most important actions you may hope to influence do not happen online.
Micro-donors are making an emotional connection to a cause - They don't care if you are tax-deductible or not.
Help everyone take the next step in their engagement instead of focusing on how many people are at a particular engagement level.
Choose one technology platform that you can use well instead of multiple platforms that you do not use well.
Help people know that they are truly able to make a difference in the world.
Are Your Customers a Crowd or a Community?
Crowds: receive information passively; have pride; are looking for benefits; driven by connection; prefer to get; powered by inspiration; are sustained by service
Communities: need a forum to communicate and interact; have purpose; are looking to belong; driven by collaboration; prefer to give; powered by influence; are sustained by story
Belonging can never be commoditized.
You do not have to scale the resources to connect the community and organization if you allow the whole community to belong to each other.
Do you have more places for your constituents to connect (listen and respond) or collaborate (influence next steps)?
Keynote: Seth Priebatsch
The previous decade was about the social layer - taking connections to family and friends online.
The next decade will be about the game layer - using game mechanics in the real world to motivate action.
The game layer may give us tools to make an impossible problem possible.
It is a huge win to move a problem from impossible to very difficult.
A group may be able to quickly solve a complex problem when given clear rules.
The Behavior Change Checklist. Down With Gamefication
The secret to behavior change is a feedback loop - an understanding of what one's actions and how they affect things.
To create a feedback loop move data to meaning, meaning to actionability and actionability to data.
Our mind turns a feedback loop into a game.
Time discounting and delayed gratification are two major barriers to behavior change.
Time discounting refers to the greater value that is placed on enjoyment now over enjoyment in the future.
Lurkers: Your Most Important Community Members
At times, lurker = learner. People want to gain more information about the organization.
Everyone who becomes an active part of a community begin as lurkers.
The most active community members will cycle in and out over time.
Helping lurkers take one sharing opportunity is critical to ensure a continuing active community
Create the opportunity for people to engage as soon as they begin.
Next Steps for Resurrection Online
Focus on a single platform and use it very well before expanding.
Encourage offline actions (love your neighbor) through what happens online.
Develop a way to share and receive stories of people who worship with Resurrection Online.
Create opportunities to live out attributes of a community for Resurrection Online
Create opportunities for Resurrection Online regulars to influence future development.
What would a game layer would look like for the journey of knowing, loving and serving God?
What would a game layer would look like for worship at Resurrection Online?
Create feedback loops for membership expectations.
Pay attention to whether those that share feedback are regulars at Resurrection Online
Practice random acts of connection among regulars - email, phone, letter.
Create predictable programs to invite people to engage - once a week, first Monday, etc.
Facilitate connections among regular worshipers that are in similar situations
Create the opportunity for people to engage from the very first time they worship online
Next Steps for Me
Where can I be involved in making a difference that has a multiplier effect?
Be active in communities of which I am a part.
Try out http://scvngr.com.
Check out TED Talks, each from a Seth - http://bit.ly/glpy5p and http://bit.ly/fNaJPC
Create additional feedback loops around my desired behavior change.
Become a lurker/learner in some new online communities.
Sites to Investigate
