User Groups — Opportunities for Greater Connections

The pandemic proved that we can work remotely, but is it really best to be isolated from your peers as you are growing your career? Or are greater career benefits found in in-person connections? Enter user groups, an effective way to connect people to share strategies and best practices.  On this episode of The Digital Enterprise Society podcast, Craig Brown and Thom Singer are joined by Scott Wertel, co-content trustee and board member of the Digital Enterprise Society, for a conversation about the value of user groups to any industry, the characteristics of the most successful ones, and the benefits that user groups can have on your career and your network.    On today’s podcast, you will learn: What are user groups and why are they so important?  People should always be at the forefront of technology.  People are the best resource for making decisions.  User groups are designed to share knowledge and insights.    Characteristics of a successful user group Support from the parent company is essential.  Local financial support is an indicator of success.  Active participation is essential to a health user group.  Common topics for discussion help drive a user group forward.    The evolving dynamics of user groups Face to face groups tend to work best, but the pandemic has restructured the successful user group.  With more time available to them, more people have taken the time to participate in user groups.  Five generations are in the workforce now, which means a variety of communication methods are necessary for success.  Although remote work is an acceptable option, there are many benefits to in person interactions.  Tips and tricks are the most common feature of today’s user groups.  User groups have the major benefit of filtering content and providing peer review.    Continue the conversation with us within the Digital Enterprise Society Community at DigitalEnterpriseSociety.org.   Digital Download: Virtual Round-Table Series