Hybrid Communities

Presented online at Community Thrive 2021

We're heading deeper into a hybrid future - usually envisioned as in-person events with an online component included. While this is certainly a great way to allow for events to accommodate people who cannot attend in person, what if we could do more? What if we could build an entire community that brings people together in multi-faceted and impactful ways, regardless of where they are in the world? These hybrid communities can go far beyond simple events and can bring together people in ways they never thought possible. Let's explore what this future will look like and how you can start building a hybrid community today.

Transcript

1. Hybrid Communities Integrating online & o ine experiences
2. What is a hybrid community?
3. A hybrid community... ...facilitates valuable online connections… ...strengthened by in-person interactions
4. How can we connect online & o ine spaces?
5. Three focus areas Training Create practical content to teach your community new skills Teamwork Collaborate with your community to facilitate interactions Provide accessible platforms for collaboration and connection Tools
6. What do you look for in platforms and tools?
7. Platform considerations Live interactions Asynchronous conversations Accessibility Localisation Moderation tools Multimedia Documentation Open-source
8. What do in-person events look like for a hybrid community?
9. In-person events... ...involve collaborative discussions… ...that flow from online interactions
10. What about existing communities?
11. What about existing communities? Create Create content that caters to your community’s needs Recruit Onboard community members to facilitate creating content & interactions Initiate Provide space, structure and seeds for community interactions
12. Hugh Lashbrooke @hlashbrooke hugh.blog automattic.com learn.wordpress.org