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In this chapter, the author shares their personal experience of starting a job at a British company called Canonical. They receive an email from a young boy named Abayomi who lives in a rural village in Africa and participates in the Ubuntu community despite not having a computer at home. This experience sparks the author’s interest in understanding how communities work and their impact on people.
The author highlights two important lessons they learned from Abayomi’s email: that human beings are naturally social animals and that the responsibility of a community leader is to ensure maximum value for community members. They realize that communities can have both global and local impact and that technology has created opportunities for people around the world to come together and make a difference.
The chapter goes on to explain the historical perspective of communities and their limitations in the past. Traditionally, communities were local in nature and limited in size. Joining a community often required significant effort and there was little communication between members outside of meetings or events. This limited audience and lack of ongoing engagement contributed to the decline of many local communities.
However, with the rise of the internet and technology, communities have evolved and become more globally connected. Online communities have provided access to a larger audience and have enabled immediate delivery of information and expertise. Additionally, new methods of online collaboration have emerged, allowing people to work together on various projects.
The chapter also introduces five foundational community trends that underlie the value and opportunities communities can provide. These trends include access to a growing, globally connected audience; cheap commodity tools for providing access; immediate delivery of broad information and expertise; diversified methods of online collaboration; and a growing desire for meaningful, connected work.
The chapter concludes by discussing the success stories of various communities, ranging from well-known brands like Salesforce and Lego to open-source communities like the Linux Foundation and Wikipedia. These communities have been able to engage and build relationships with users and customers, generate buzz and awareness for their products, provide education and support, drive product and technology development, and enhance business capabilities.
The author also acknowledges that building a successful community requires careful strategic planning, organizational alignment, and focus. They emphasize the importance of understanding the needs and motivations of the target audience, as well as the value that the community can provide to both members and the organization.
Overall, this chapter sets the stage for the rest of the book by introducing the concept of communities and their potential value. It highlights the importance of understanding the psychology and behavior of people in order to build successful communities.
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