The CIPD online community is 10 years old. These are some slides I put together for a presentation to CIPD staff on 16 January 2014.

1. champions & trolls
the highs & lows of life as a
Community manager
(or more accurately… a personal reflection on 10 years of the CIPD online community…)
16 january 2014

2. The early days… before the forums

3. These days… it’s all about ‘me’
http:/
/www.newyorker.com/humor/issuecartoons/2013/11/25/cartoons#slide=1

4. what do our members
want & need?
community = it’s all about ‘us’

5. The community ‘pilot’ began in September.
2003

6. and within 3 weeks… we had to learn
to deal with difficult questions
2003

7. 2003
You cannot always ‘vet’ who
wants to be your friend

8. Anyway… the “Communities” (as we’ve
come to know them) were launched in
January, after a successful four-month
pilot.
2004
August - joined

9. Unique Contributors
Posts
1,000
750
500
2004
250
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“Joining the CIPD is one of the best investments I have made in 13 years of self-employment.” - Rachel B

10. We invited active community members
to Wimbledon in October (& Feb 2006)
and asked them if they would like to
become ‘Champions’.
2005
Ask me about the case of mistaken identity :)

11. The ‘Champions’ are our greatest
asset in the community…
they do the heavy-lifting & are
there when I feel deflated
2005

12. People I want to hug.
Reward the
community that
make our project
possible.
2005
“Thanks everyone for the brilliant suggestions, and to the couple of people who have sent private
messages. I’m in a good position to proceed now” - Jennifer R

13. The discussion forums were
‘locked down’ to members-only
in June.
j
At that time 93% of visitors were
2005 already members.
“I am even more grateful that your responses are as I had hoped, and I can demonstrate to the CEO that
you share my opposition to the "barmy" idea, with rational argument and examples.” - Rosemary B

14. Unique Contributors
Posts
1,250
1,000
750
500
Member-only
service from
20 June
250
0
Ja
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2005
“Crumbs! It’s surprising what you can learn from these ‘ere forums” - Tim B

15. Cranfield Institute of
Management refer to our forums
as “a golden benchmark” of
online communities.
2006
“This is the first time I have read a Communities page, and have found it quite illuminating! It is
heartening to know that people who have to make/enforce such decisions do give them serious
thought, even if the issue seems clear-cut at the outset.” - Rachel C

16. A source for stories…
2006
“I am very impressed and pleased with the level of support shown by CIPD members. Any career
shift can be daunting, especially at this time, but such assistance is extremely helpful." - Ben S

17. Started a private board
for ‘Champions’ in May.
2006
“Our ability to sound off a little here is something I for
one value a great deal: it clears a lot of air and I
believe lets us approach the community knowing we
have a professional "safety-valve" of colleagues (and
friends) within the "Chumps". We can disagree without
undermining each other, tease out the knots from
some of the more tangled threads and poke a bit of
fun at each other (on those we know and love on-site)
without being, or being found, offensive. I would hate
to lose that safety-net.”

18. 4
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2006
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Unique Contributors
Posts
1,500
1,250
1,000
750
500
250
0

19. A relaunch on Telligent’s Community
Server platform in September.
2007
http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/3484005849/

20. But it’s worth saying...
’community’ is about people,
not platforms
2007
tech
10%
m
people
90%
June - joined
March - joined
M
K
E
N
L
n
F

21. Unique Contributors
Posts
2,000
1,500
1,000
2007
500
New tech
platform on
16 Sept
Ja
n0
M 4
ar
M 04
ay
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“I love these forums! I’m currently studying an MBA in HR and for me I learn something new every
day. It’s one of the websites I make a point of visiting every day!” - Helen V

22. A social KPI was added to the
balanced scorecard
(‘visits to the online community’).
2008
We are in business.
“Although I am not a regular poster I am an avid lurker and learn so much from the communities.
I find reading about the application of employment law and knowledge 10x more useful than
sitting with a textbook or magazine article… The Communities are invaluable to me and the
primary reason I renew my CIPD membership each year.” - Leanne A

23. The “CIPD Member” group on LinkedIn
was created in May. It is a very
different place (now has 24,000
members).
2008
http://gapingvoid.com/2007/04/07/tiny-ship/

24. The Apprentice (BBC)
Everyone was talking about this
2008
“...one lives and learns from these forums.” - David B

25. 2008
Ja
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Unique Contributors
Posts
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
New tech
platform in
Sept ‘07
0

26. Opinion changes over time. A few years
ago more managers were getting the
jitters & worrying that staff would spend
too much time using social media at work
2009
behaviours established inside the workplace

27. 2009
“Being a community manager is like being a piñata.
People beat you with sticks and you still need to give them candy.”
Heather Champ
http://www.flickr.com/photos/subtle_devices/2143383372/

28. Communities need filling, prodding,
shepherding, policing, nurturing…
1968
“When I grow up I want to be a community manager.”

29. Guidelines help set expectations about
community members’ participation
2009
“You always get more than your bargained for on this site, not only informative responses but
comedy and poetry thrown in. I always come away from reading a thread a little wiser and often
with a smile.” - Tina D

30. 2009
Chief Advisor of Doing Things the Right Way

31. 2009
Acknowledge when people are right - even if they are hostile
It would be a mistake to dismiss as “the awkward squad”,
rather than as the critical friends or ‘strategic provocateurs’
they really are.

32. …but do not feed the trolls
2009

33. We consulted…
2009

34. Unique Contributors
Posts
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,000
500
New tech
platform in
Sept ‘07
0
Ja
n0
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pr
0
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2009
1,500
“Thank you for your feedback... It has been really useful particularly as I’m the only HR person
within the organisation and have no one to bounce my thoughts off.” - Helen M

35. 2010

36. 6,000
5,000
2010
21 April
5,505
visitors
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

37. Visits to the online community in Dec 2013
10%
74%
26%
CIPD website
90%

38. 2010
“As someone new to HR, your responses are tremendously helpful to me. I want to be doing the
right thing by staff and having the opinions of HR professionals gives me the confidence to
challenge these behaviours.” - Mary M-B

39. Unique Contributors
Posts
3,500
3,000
2,500
1,500
1,000
500
New tech
platform in
Sept ‘07
0
Ja
n
A 04
pr
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2010
2,000
“I think that these discussions are great because as someone who is working in a HR role but
learning the ropes at the same time, to hear everyone else's views and experiences really helps
me. This thread alone has addressed several issues... seeing the other side of the coin. I am off
to read other threads to see what I can learn.” - Clare D

40. Think carefully about what
you want to say & the type of
response you want to elicit.
2011
“...the forum is well respected by the people I work for who are not in HR. If we have a particular
staff issue, I will be asked ‘what was the feedback from the forum?’ It is particularly valuable to
have replies with a different view point to my own, hopefully helping to make the final decision a
fair one.” - Kathryn G

41. Unique Contributors
Posts
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
New CIPD
website on
28 Feb
1,000
500
N
ov
04
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05
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2011
"(The Directors) have realised that they have an issue with HR not being taken seriously in the
company... This probably wouldn't have happened if I hadn't spoken to them this morning - and if I
didn't have your support and guidance I may not of, so I am very grateful to you all.” - Sam O

42. Connections created between people
who before now would not have
crossed paths without significant effort
target moments
2011
http://www.flickr.com/photos/69024001@N00/140411433/

43. Unique Contributors
Posts
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,000
New CIPD
website in
Feb ‘11
500
0
Ja
n0
Ju 4
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2012
1,500
“The answers were as I thought, but it is still helpful to have a support network at your fingertips.” - Katie M

44. Communities reinvented?
2013
“CIPD forums have saved my bacon a few times.” - Charlie K

45. Between May and September,
referrals from visits to the online
community generated £18,000
in membership renewals.
2013
“I love the community. On the whole, 99% of contributors both ask and answer with a genuine
openness and honesty (even though it may not read that way at first). The time and effort that a
number of the community contribute - it would be interesting to calculate the actual cost / value
of that to members” - Mike M

46. Activity in October
373
2,388
6,452
25,977
288,526
contributors
posts
2013
unique visitors
visits
pageviews

47. First time posters
90
The 20 most active contributors
made 43% of all the posts*
230
20
2013
43%
Contributors
49%
8%
26%
68%
6%
First time posters
* this is entirely normal and to be expected. (Figures from December 2013)
Posts (%)

48. Not all will contribute. Not all need to
contribute to create social value
2013
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edublogger/490871942/

49. Unique Contributors
Posts
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,000
New tech
platform in
Sept ‘07
500
New CIPD
website in
Feb ‘11
4
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2013
1,500
“I have to admit that the Communities is the main reason I renew. Since I've been in my standalone
role I find it invaluable and would have many a sleepless night without it!” - Sally W

50. 2014
“The forum is a terrific resource that I make use of daily to keep myself up to speed. There's
nowhere better for seeing how HR practice happens in the real world.” - Robey J

51. Our members will increasingly want to
access & post to the community from
their mobile device and tablets.
2014
“Thank you for sharing your valuable experiences which continue to inspire and steer me in the
right direction.” - Gwinyai M

52. 2014
We know the online community is a
highly valued benefit of
membership, and an important
place for staying in touch with CIPD,
especially while ‘in transition’.
We know that members spend at least twice as
long on the forums than elsewhere on the
website. These members purchase more products
as a consequence of their engagement and our
engagement with them.
“Much of the art of community is subtle, undocumented, and unwritten” - Jono Bacon

53. The next challenge: to move
from institutions to networks…
2014
Designed for
Designed for
divisions
connections
"It's not just about delivering content to members, it's about the convening power to help
members discover each other.” - Steve B

54. Thanks to…
•
Flickr Creative Commons and the people who licensed their photos
•
Jono Bacon and Heather Champ for being so quotable
•
Dave Gray for permission to use his graphic
•
Dilbert.com for the cartoon strip
•
Kevin & Amanda for their free fonts
“Much of the art of community is subtle, undocumented, and unwritten” - Jono Bacon

55. to be continued…
Steve Bridger, Community Manager
s.bridger@cipd.co.uk
@stevebridger