e-Community

Our services: Accompanying the development of virtual communities

We use generic e-Communities to accompany organizations in implementing virtual communities. This accompaniment is based on collaboration that takes place in four successive phases:

The definition of e-Community
This first phase is carried out in close collaboration with the project owner and their project manager. It allows us to define the basic functions of e-Communities: targeted objectives, topics covered, members, unlimited and/or limited access.

It is formalized by terms and conditions that are used as the basis for the next phase and particularly define:

• Access to the e-Community: will it be entirely free access or authorized access? Or will it have both, free access space and secured space?
• The content being diffused: will it be informative, a discussion forum, a co-edition…?
• Diffusion: how to validate the elements being published
• Access rights: conditions and rights of membership

Model/validation
This second phase takes place through an iterative validation process. The creation of a model is done directly on line. The project owner can follow the progress of the settings directly and progressively validate the advancement of work.

After validating the model, a full-scale experiment is carried out in the form of a group test. This validates the operation of the e-Community.

Training of users
The launching of e-Communities is accompanied by the training of managers in order to enable them to be autonomous in maintaining the e-Community as well as in the creation of new functionalities.
This training takes place in the form of individual coaching.

Monitoring the e-Community
Over a variable period of time depending on the nature of projects, we accompany the launching of e-Communities and intervene via a hotline in case functional problems arise.

Types of communities

Communities of interest-diffusion of information

These are communities that bring together individuals who share ideas, interests, contemporary issues, sectoral or geographical closeness. They are formed through communication and exchange of information on different subjects relating to common interests, and they function primarily based on the flow of information.

They are open and play an important role in disseminating information.

Communities of practice-network of mutual help and sharing of knowledge

These communities are based on mutual help, exchange of information and the sharing of information and know-how relating to a common practice.

They are less open than communities of interest in the sense that often its members have to meet certain criteria or be co-opted.

Their functioning is primarily characterized by the flow of knowledge.

Communities of projects-collaborative work
They are dedicated to the implementation of a specific project, the execution of tasks with a defined objective, and in which the members have precise roles.

The flow of information and knowledge are important but dedicated to the project.

They can be subdivided into intermediate levels for maximum effectiveness.