Remote Synthesis | Community is a Tamagotchi

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the concept of community management, drawing parallels between the care required for a Tamagotchi virtual pet and the nurturing needed for a successful online community. It highlights how many companies approach community efforts with a focus on their own objectives rather than the community's needs, and emphasizes the importance of investing time and resources to build authentic, self-sustaining communities.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Tamagotchi Analogy

1. What are the key similarities between caring for a Tamagotchi and managing an online community?

• Both require continuous care and attention to keep them "healthy" and functioning properly
• Neglecting to properly "feed" or care for them can lead to negative outcomes, like the Tamagotchi getting sick or the community becoming disengaged
• The outcomes are somewhat unpredictable, as the Tamagotchi and the community can develop their own unique "personalities" over time

2. How does the Tamagotchi analogy illustrate the common pitfalls in how companies approach community building?

• Many companies approach community efforts with a focus on their own objectives (e.g., increasing reach, support, or development contributions) rather than considering what the community needs
• Companies often fail to invest the necessary time and resources to properly "feed" and nurture the community, leading to ineffective or even harmful community efforts

[02] Principles of Effective Community Management

1. What are the key principles the article outlines for successful community management?

• Give community efforts time - the process of building a thriving community is slow and often lacks easily measurable results at first
• Don't withdraw before you deposit - first focus on what the company can do to benefit the community, rather than just what the community can do for the company
• Be an active, engaged member of the community - participate in conversations, build connections between members, and generally be a good community citizen

2. Why does the article suggest that community management should be a company-wide effort, not just the responsibility of the DevRel team?

• It helps reinforce that the company's commitment to the community is genuine, rather than just a DevRel team objective
• Maintaining an active presence and engagement in a community can be a significant amount of work that requires cross-functional involvement